Virginia gazette. [volume] (Williamsburg, Va.) 1893-192?, 1910-05-05
CONVICT WHIP TO
Be DISCONTINUED
Superintendent Believes Old Time
Barrel and Lash" Methods
Should Be Superseded by
More Humane System.
Working Well.

RICH MOND. VA - Special. 49,
IL is the purposs OF Superintendent
( =. r.. wood. the head OF the Virginia
1 penitenuary. TO manage his convict
wards. as FAR as possible. by kindness.
4 and 20 DO all in his power 10 have
them leave him as reformed men
rather than incorrieible criminals.
There IS an old adagc which says
4 spare the rod and spoil the child"
but Air. Wood. however often he may
have written IL in his Copy-boOk when
"a boy, does not think it should be
made 90 apply 20 offending convicts
f who break the prison rules
In other words. DC is his intention
GO do away with roEgine as a pun
ishmcnt- Hereafter this form of dis
cIpline viii De seldom rcsorted e.
save in asgraNatcd cases.
10 Is ana open secret that thc cat o.
ninC tails-cr. more strictly spcakinE.
ca hig leather strap-has worked over
time in days agone az the penltcn-
{ rary.
and So is not denied that this puni-
tive medicine has served arr excellent
purpose On some cases bat there are
many who believe that the scourginE
was carried Co am uuiustihGhl extent.
The records OF other administra-
. lions tell an unpleasant story OF bar
rei and lash methods. I'm one man
f regime. the total OF nogEings for
/ SINGLE month was l>5- while AIR.
Wood. for corresponding period. re-
. duced the total 20 four.
some Pretty Rough Chaps
I'm justice Go the present superin-
tendeut's predecessors. 10 must be said
that there were officers who thought
10 absolutely Impossible 70 do away
with the whippinE. They had 90 deal
with the worst classes OF criminals
some OF whom were little better than
brutes and So vicious that nothing but
corporeai punishment could hold them
boz check.
Sir Wood. however. Thought the ex-
pertinent of more leuient methods was
worth trying. And it can truly De-
4 said that DO has succeeded beyond his
T most s1nEuiCe expectations. The dis
cipiiue today is just as good as IL ever
was az the prison and everybody
nreathes easier.
Offenders now are punished by iso-
.ation in detention cells and the more
uugracious felnus are segregated from
the others. Where there is nobody o.
. + fEht they. of course. cannot exercise
f their heiiicose propensities.
Apropos of the fighters it should De-
. said that they have always been al
f helr worst on sundays. This has
4 been due 90 the fact that the men
4 have little 90 do that day. and. as they
. / ri iUEie together freely. they often find
reasons 90 quarrel But since the new
system has been inauEurated., the Sab
I baths az the penitentlary have been
more peaceful than ever before.
Mr.. Woods course is being wide
. 4 IS commended. and the more humane
methods he has adopted are not likely
90 be followed hy reNersIon 60 the
system which prevailed SO long.
The present superintendent who
vas elected 20 mn the unexpired term
ht The late Evan F. Morgan. even if
not reelected. viii have nearly two
? years more in ofhce-au 90 This year
and an o. 1911.
/ when he WAS chosen by the prison
/ board DE was himself "a member 0i
hat body. and many criticisms were
. heard. While there was no law AKA inst
. This procedure 90 was censured cutie
vigorously io certain quarters. Bui
none can deny tnat The present super
rlrnoent le ma kile good record
'n1 mat bis adm. listration th.s laf
'ns proved emiuert'N successful
RetaIIntory Measures.
Following the complaints about OBJ.
election ~ ST. Moui--or. rather. rht
lct 20 the board in making one of tIaiI
~ number suprri4t eaoent---tle r..1'
Fa- raised tfat Richmond was -.c
greedy tu fre matter OF public .a...-
tt- t.at Do was never intended FOR hr-
n pave nils position. An effort ra.
made ro ret thc LEGISLATURE 90 pass q
o,-i-n-- 70 prevent e. repett or
d s--l acts lhls enorf falI ed
Governor Garu. however. indfre. tly
- tonk cuElifarce OF the matter bv np
4 rninfire tfFo ouf-of- Richmond m-r or
F. red These non-residents are j. 81
Morris. 90 Blackstone. aud r. Ge-alf
~-~attor. 90 Petersburg
I'D 60 that time. all the member 81
b. Pc BOARD had been chosen from mer
some curiosity s. felt as TO the f-rt
= q --I- No GOO zen Pc comes up for re-
/ election iu January. 1919 A few
. months ego o. might have been pre-
p 1icted that re would De a dead-sa
3D. loser, bgt tne contrary opinion now ls
entertained. Ira fact. ~ seems pre.t3
vel understood that n his record tnn.
z unues Eooo. he viii be reelected with
I OGt trouble
q ar. WOOD has always been an en-
.h4siastlr EuppOrte~ OF Governor Naur
and enjoys the full confidence % -hs
--BecurtNe The scticn or the iaft@i
N uamnE two nor residents as mem
Ders 20 the boa "a pas Ia no way meant
clap 90 the eucumbent