The San Francisco call., 1909-02-14

when a man has gained the fearful
distinction of incorrigible' he is placed
in this solitary confinement to break his
spirit But the perpetual solitude and
the gloom that is neither day nor night
generally does more than subdue a
man. What It does l have seen and
heard many a time in those other living
tombs about me. 1t will not bear writ
ing about All this is hardly con-
duciye to clear or creative thought.
Vengeance and the growth of such
savage feuds as the average mind can
scarcely comprehend are the products
that flourish behind these stone walls;
weeds that crush out all other mental
activity.
I'm the second place 1, as fncorri-
gible.' was not permitted to have pa
per, pencil or instrument of any kind
that might have assisted me in my eff
forts, aids which are absolutely neces-
sary to the prosecution of invention.
All books were denied me. Materials
with which any design might be
worked out and made concrete were
as inaccessible to me there in the cell
as was liberty itself. No slight deter
rents these you will admit. 1t can
scarce be matter of wonder that no
good thing can come from penal in
stitution which provides no incentive
toward the DETECTION into wholesome
channels of that illegitimate express
sion of energy for which the convicted
felon has been imprisoned.
There is very little, if any assist
ance in a penitentiary when a convict
attempts the construction of an cleo
trie motor. some labor saving device,
or anything that might accrue to his
own and societys lasting benefit. But
there is plenty Of information and as
cic icfo xuba no
equip himself further toward the
prosecution of criminal ventures. In
this there is no trouble Reference
volumes, bound in striped cloth, are
many-a complete encyclopedia of
crook knowledge. They are open to
any one who shows himself a good
fellow among his prison associates.
NO one man or set of men connect
ed with any penal institution can be
held to blame for the existence of
these conditions; they are the result
of our present day inadequate peni-
tertiary system.
"'The key that unlocked my prison
cell'--that is what l call my first pat
ent, perfected and granted while at San
Quentin II is a rubber life saving suit,
designed for use in all marine disasters
The first directing impetus toward its
conception and creation came as a re-
suit of overhearing two guards re-
hearsing the terrible Valencia disaster
outside my cell door. The crying need
of something more dependable in such
contingencies than tule or cork life
belts suggested a profitable line OF
speculation This was at the time when
l first began to wonder whether there
might not be a ray of hope for me in
the patent offices at Washington; per-
haps not hope for ultimate liberty and
source of revenue, but hope that
might stiI in some way have an active
part in the destinies of life and OF my
kind. In the new pride of craft that
came with the granting of a patent or
my device. all criminal promptings were
forever allayed in me. The promptings
to commit crime now appeared in the
light of 10 cent bribe offered to a
man whose daily earning is $40.
The rubber suit is infiatable and Is
adjusted like an ordinary suit OF
clothes The imitation of the different
air chambers is accomplished through
valves that operate by the lifting and
: lowering Of the arms after the suit is
adjusted Surplus air. inhaled through
a mouth tube, would, in an extremity
sustain life for period of fully 3t
minutes under water. Pockets in the
suit contain tabloid foods, compass
rocket, trumpet and fish knife. 1t re-
quires only three minutes to adjust
and when not in use folds up to sucI
proportion that ii can be carried in al
ordinary travelling bag. EncaSed il
such suit the wearer could Keep afloat
Indefinitely.
This is n concrete example of what
may be accomplished with even the sc
called "incorrigible' when his restless
energies are directed into the right
channels A significant commentary.
During the four years in which Nor
rell served as head trusty" at Saf
Quentin he began to encourage othel
convicts to turn their attention to in
vention; the life prisoners for TIL,
wholesome distraction 1t would pro
vide, if for nothing else; the limited
sentence men for the eventual prof
that might attach to it after their re
lease.