Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1908-01-20
MOtIr1dSpiIIe Prison
a School of Crime


young men are educated in crime.
II Is there that Comparatively in
nocent young men have learned the
wiser" side OF criminal life. and.
thoroughly educated in criminal arts
and gone into the world hardened
safety.
At least, this is what Warden G..
4. Haddox OF the penitentiary says.
: and he emphasized II in his address
TO the jtint legislative state insti-
tuition investigating committee in
projecting a scheme to pass a law
making the state penitentiary one
TO be used Tor state prisoners only.
BLAMES FEDERAL PRISONERS
In every way, except a financial
one" said Warden Haddox in his
address. federal prisoners are a
great detriment to the prison. They
form a distinct class. and. in many
ways. demand and get different
treatment.
There is no parole law affecting
federal prisoners, and, since | have
been here. but three federal prison
ers have been pardoned. AS a re-
suit, they have none of the incentives
for good behavior that are held out
TO state men, and give us infinitely
more trouble than all our state men,
though they number less than one
third the population.
so PER CENT. LOWEST NEGROES
Eighty per cent. OF them are
lowest class OF negroes found IN
Washington and are inconceivatie
vile.
''offhe other 90 per cent. a large
number are. professional burglars,
porch climbers. diamond thieves and
forgers. who go from city TO city,
round Into Washington for the con-
gressional season and are picked up.
EDUCATE PRISONERS IN VICE
Many OF our prisoners are young
men, who In thoughtlessness of
when intoxicated, committed their
first crime. They would, under prop
er circumstances, be redeemable.
but, associating with these hardened
criminals, who glory in recounting
their criminal escapades, tn ase young
men are drilled in crime and go gu.
educated for desperate deeds | can
recall many specific cases OF COM
paratively innocent young men, who
went out, to begin at once an amaz-
ing life Of desperate crime, after the
tutelage of these professionals.
SHOULD HAVE SEPARATE CELLS
Prisoners to be redeemed must
have personal individual treatment
from the chaplin, the warden AMI
other officers.
Surely over 500 men are all that
can receive proper personal treat
ment, especially as we have now but
S72 cells, and but one person should
be placed in one cell
And we have reached the limit
OF cell construction.
WANT NO FEDERAL PRISONERS
Since writing the above | and
two of the directors, at the request
OF the attorney generals office, have
had a conference with the superin-
tendent OF prison and prisoners,
as a result they have concluded to
take SO prisoners from this institu-
tion TO Atlanta in the very near
future and have agreed to send 9TH
er priaoners from Washington as
hey are sentenced at the reduced
rate OF 90 cents a day
The superintendent, however. ad-
vises us plainly that as soon as the
Atlanta prison was completed they
would expect to take all United
States prisoners everywhere to
their different institutions.
They have now taken all federal
prisoners from practically all the
states OF the Union except West Vir-
ginia.
This only emphasizes TO my nina
the necessity or, at least, the pro-
priety OF passing a law. making this
institution one to be used for state
prisoners alone"
PEN IS SELF-SUPPORTING.
Warden Haddox says that since
1902 the penltentiary has had no
appropriation and has been self-sup-
porting, whereas other state institu-
lions cost the state in appropriations
for the biennial period under which
they are now working. from $4,000
paid to storer college to S34O,55O
for the Weston hospital Tor the in
san0
The entire amount appropriated
for dependent, defective and delln-
ouent institutions OF the state for
the two years period was S122,-
2C282; and for educational insti-
tuuons, was 8517.3OO.
MANY BIG IMPROVEMENTS
lie further says that during this
period the penitentiary has under
gone many big improvements. not
able the installation OF several hun
dred handsome new steel cells. these