The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1910-11-25

condition; while we have had good
reason in the past to find what a
failure it is as a place Of safety.
Not unfrequently ambitious report
ers, anxious to fill space and satisfy
lovers Of sensational reading, sup
plement actual conditions with vivid
pictures drawn from morbid imagi-
nation, regardless of how slight a
connecting link oil truth there may be
bet ween actual facts and their vain
imaginings.
Prompted probably by this spirit
a correspondent Of the baltimore Sun
n week ago secured column Of its
valuable space and attempted to
awe its readers by such thrilling
headlines as "All Walls Three Feet
Thick, Sexes and Color Separated
and The Grand lury's Visits" &c.
We confess that we had thought all
of these were essentials of a proper
place for confinement of criminals,
bat possibly the learned writer is an
advocate Of "open treatment Of
criminals, such as is now so highly
commended for those unfortunates
who suffer from mental arrangement.
On the other hand there are those
who claim that the present jail "is
good enough for niggers," that it
must not be made attractive enough
to draw within its walls large con-
tingent of winter boarders, and that
the county is too poor to provide n
better structure.
Discarding all sentiment as well as
all prejudice, it is full time that the
County should face the true situa-
ton and deal with it as conditions
demand. Since the people Of this
community have seen fit to bind
themselves together in an organized
government, and have decided to
protect themselves against alleged
violators of law, it is their duty
while depriving persons of their
liberty pending formal conviction
of crime, to carry out certain funda
mental requirements of humanity
which apply to all alike.
Among these are, to furnish all
reasonable amount of light, pure air,
enforced cleanliness, simple but nu.
tritious food, and if possible some
daily exercise.
That the sheriff of Hartford County
does his duty along these lines as far
as possible is attested after periodic
visits of the Grand Jury at short
int.rvals; but that conditions are far
from what they should be is con
clusively proven from thcir.invariable
qualification, "as far as the condition
Of the building will permit" In fact
any layman at glance can see that
existing windows furnish only the
light and air of a dungeon, and that
interior arrangements are little
better, In short no intelligent man
will undertake to say that we are
now doing for prisoners the mini
mum amount required by the rules
of humanity and organized society,
and that the situation does not de.
mand action,
Under these circumstances the
question is, not, whether we CAN af-
ford to do better, but whether we can
afford NOT to do better, and it should
be met and solved with that courage
and efficiency which ever characterize
our people on public issues,
We are satisfied that it does not
present the financial difficulties ordin-
arily supposed. Fortunately the
population of Hartford County is re-
markably law abiding and the pres
ent structure, remodeled, would be
sufficiently large to meet all demands
for years to come. IL the present
loop holes" are enlarged into mod
ern windows, the light, air andventi-
lation questions would be solved;
and if the interior were torn out and
reconstructed, installing at the same
time proper number Of cells con.
structed of chilled steel in which to
conhne prisoners Of dangerous
character, all the requirements Of a
safe, healthy Jail will have been met
at very modest outlay, This is a
question which neither principle,
policy nor reason will permit us to
dodge longer, and the sooner it is
met and ludiciously settled the better
it will be for all concerned