Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1909-08-13
IN A JAPANESE PRISON.
CONVICTS SUPPORT THEMSELVES AND
SOMETIMES THEIR FAMILIES.

In Japan a convict may earn enough
| money while in Jail to maintain his
family. He has the best of food and
lodging, is taught trade, and if he
wishes pursues the study of foreign
languages.
AT Sugamo qualified teacher in
structs the younger prisoners in read
ing, writing, and arithmetic. Prison
ers of 20 and upward who are in seclu-
! sion for the first time are taught geog-
raphy and history.
If on entering the prison, says a
writer in the Wide World, man de-
clares he has knowledge of English,
he is carefully examined by a linguist
and the extent of his knowledge faith
omed. He is then allowed to pursue
his studies, the necessary books being
supplied by the authorities. When
there are several in together, teacher
is obtained from outside and lessons
given regularly.
In the offices record of each prison.
er is kept during his stay. This serves
to show whether the convict is prompt
to obey the officers, whether he shows
affection for his parents and relatives,
whether he writes letters home and
whether he makes progress or not in
his studies.
The main building at Sugamo is de-
signed in the form of dumb bell, the
two ends being divided into five raw
stars From the central watch stand
the Warder can see along the whole of
the rays, which comprises 800 cells.
And what cells. Think OF ito feet
high and double windowed.
The cOnvicts are housed in groups.
| n cell of matS-all rooms in Japan
are measured by mats-12 convicts are
accommodated The floor is covered
with mushido or soft mating, and
on this the mems bedding is spread
when they are ready to turn in Every
thing is spotlessly clean.
"Ihe chief warden stopped before a
door at the at the extreme end OF the
corridor, and after trying dozen
keys, succeeded in throwing it open, y
says visitor. "With some misgivings
| entered The room would have glad
dened the heart of an amateur photog-
ragher. Not single ray of light pen
etrated it's walls. In was ventilated
by means of small tubes that ran
through the cement in such a way
that they did not admit light
"'There are three forms of chobatsu
(pumshmenD for INSTRUMENTATION, )
said the warder. ''The first is con-
tlnement in an empty room, the often
der being compelled to sit on a mat
without moving or speaking from
morning to night The second form is
confinement in similar room slightly
darkened. The third and most severe
is confinement in this totally dark
room, the maximum punishment be-
ing five days. 81 have never known a
man wish to come here a second time,'
he added significantly.
'ln the bamboo carving shed were
men with large, intellectual foreheads,
bright, intelligent eyes, clear cut
mouths. Only one man reminded me
of conyicts | had seen in England. He
was short in stature, the eyes were
small and oblique, the forehead mar
row and receding, the ears large and
the jowl fiabby. His crime was man
slaughter.
''He was the chief actor in drama
of jealousy that was played to a fatal
finish in one of the novels of Tokyo's
East End. A faithless wife, a hypo-
critical friend, a surprise, and in the
narrow hovel fight to the death had
been waged, the guilty wife the only
witness. He did not look up as l
passed him, this humble Othello. With
marvellous deXterity he was fashioning
in bamboo an angel with outstretched
wings.
SIN the weaving department the
convicts were making unifo rms for the
army. Piles of the finished garments
lay on the shelves around the shop,
and here again the Workmanship was
perfect. And how they worked! The
shuttles were thrown through the
warps by hand, and it was obvious
that the weavers were old 'lags.'"
"'lt pays them to be industrious, )
said the warder. THE average con-
vict makes ten sen five cents a day.
foar sen go into his own personal ac-
count A skilled worker will make
twenty sen day, eight being his own
again. Some of these men actually
support their families on what they
earn in prison! As you know, the
average coolie can live on fifty sen a
month
"lt was natural that after parading
this paradise l should doubt if Japan's
treatment of her criminals led to a
decrease in crime,n~ concluded the visi-
tor.
The officials confessed that of rob-
bers, burglars, thieves, and swindlers,
90 per cent. came back to the prison.
Of those who had been twice imprison
ed 60 per cent. returned; of the first
offenders 40 per cent. found their way
back.
Roughly speaking, it might be said
that the annual importation into the