New-York tribune., 1906-12-21
PRISON SYSTEM
Mrs. Maybrick Says English Insti-
tutions Are Better.

Mrs. Florence C. Maybrick. who spent many years
OF her life in English prison for the alleged
poisoning OF her husband. and since her release
has visited many American prisons. lectured last
night at the Madison Square Presbyterian Church
on prison conditions IN this country She criJ-
cised many OF the time honored prisons and prison
practices very severely Many things she COM
pared with England to this country's detriment-
This was especially true OF the class Of men
pioyed in the prisons here as keepers She advo-
Gated training school for keepers. such as Is
maintained IN England
All men, even prisoners, Mrs Maybrick main
tained. have equal rights TO sunshine the common
decencies of life and the right labor Prisoners.
she said, know that some things which they endure
cannot we'll be bettered. they put up with them.
In Sing Sing, she declared. prisoners are kept in
cells feet by feet, with ventilation sanitary
provisions or water. The place Is filed with tuber
cuoss germs. aud when the tide Is high the moist
is great that ones could be written on
the walls. Prisoners kept in these places thir-
teen hours out OF the twenty-four. Recently a
glass window was substituted for a wall IN one
place. and the death rate reduced 66 per cent.
AfrE. Maybrick spoke Of her life in prison IN
England where for the first nine months she
in solitary confinement in cell feet by 4.
with log for seat and canvas hammock to
sleep in Food passed IN TO her through
trapdoor.
These things are done for the salvation OF souls'
said she; but they result IN the damnation Of
souls"
Out OF the twenty-four prisons she has visited in
this country. Mrs. Maybrfck picked the Eastern
Penitentary, at Philadelphia, the worst 1t
was. she said. the worst place on earth Prisoners
were almost literally buried alive. In Auburn. she
said % per cent Of the prisoners went mad and Il
per cent developed consumption. She told about
a deep groove worn in the planking from the
lockstep and said that when Cornelius v L. Coulns
the Superintendent OF Prisons, sought TO aoohsh
the Iockstep along with other improvements ne
lxaau
The prison at Trenton, N j., she said was one OF
the best and brightest in the country; yet some
underground cells were maintained eere-so 1ar
underground and so far behind massive doors that
rot even the keepers footsteps could be heard On
her visit there. she said. she heard one prisoner
cry out:
For the love of God, let me out of here! I've
been here five days and can't stand II another MN
ute!' Yet considerable effort made there 10
amuse and instruct the prisoners band was
formed among them. Their food was of suEerloT
class She noted that apple dumplings were served
and mutton, with bread and cheese on Sundays;
The enforced idleness IN many prisons. l[S -
Maybrick declared. was one OF thG sTeaSe7t rae %
evils. 1t resulted in awful demoraz9atl9}n "a } bd M
BeeS WORKERS hrog6 idieness lost their ability
their old trades. and We're unable 70 suppoLN
leased In this connection she said that the 1e day
Of liberty TO many Is the day OF GeSPair, a 70
less, desperate, suicide or renewed crime COMES tV
She advocated the building Of special peniten-
go to prison each year for mlsdemeanors, anu lle
giving of a great deal moro air and light TO pr1s-
Oners She said that consumption developed among
them at an alarming rate because they got no CN
ercise in the open. She thought that the graoe CI
men employed as keepers should be raised greatly,
as many keepers were brutal and worse morally
than their prisoners. She declared that In many
politics was responsible for some Of the evils
attendant on the prison system. This she efnpiia-
sized in the case Of fees paid to shers, accOrtlng
TO the number of their prisoners.
"The Sheriff of Queens County gets from ms
prisoners an income nearly as great @ as Ihe t Msy
ought to be devised for obtaining work for me
discharged male prisoners, because often tnelr
families are starving. In many cases she SAID
grlevous harm done because the responsibility
for prisoners at their discharge was divided pc
tween the state and county. She praised hlShiy
the system Of probation officers and children 3
courts IN this state.