New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-09-08
Former Superintendent of Elmira Reformatory
Saw Horrible Practices of Bygone Gener'
alton Rejected for Humane Methods
of Our Own Time.

THE presence Of Burley was the cause
OF much anxiety and so disturbing that
awakened in the small hours OF every
night to inspect personally the corridor
where he was confined and TO note the
vigilance OF the patrollIng guard. That
the utmost watchfulness OF this prisoner
was needful is evident from the following
recital OF a coincidence OF provision and
event:
"Once, at the usual midnight or early
morning hour OF NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
dreaming I know not-there came sud
denly and plainly into my mental view.
as through a wicket in the wall, seen.
in which the prisoner BurIey. surrounded
by guards, was in process Of being mana
cled.
The vividness Of the vision, together
with my habitual anxiety about Burleys
safe custody. made il very impressive at
the time but my disregard OF dreams
coupled with engrossing cares, soon drove
the recollection quite out OF mind.
Not many days had passed, however
when business called me 20 the street
fronting the river quay, where, apparent
Iv avoiding recognition, I saw among the
pedestrians a Scotch clergyman OF De-
troit who had been admitted 20 VISIT
Burley for friendly spiritual ministrat!ons
without a shade OF any suspicion
from our familiarity OF acquaintance
urged myself upon his attention until he
could no longer avoid a recognition
when. TO my surprise and subsequent In
dignaton, nc suddenly turned and az
preached and unbosomed his trouoled
mind BY making a confession.
He said that in his interviews with
Burley he had betrayed our confidence
and disgraced his Office OF religious
leader. and now felt himself 10 be de-
graded. lie had been the medium OF Sc
cret communications between Burley anc
his confederates on the Canadian shore
and was himself cognizant OF plot 10
rescue Burley by force and. II necessary
for the rescue. to make a general jail de-
livery from the house Of correction
THE DREAM FULFILLED.
"on returning to the prison I directed
that Burley should be placed IN lrois
An hour or two afterward, on essusns
passing the wicket windows in the guard
room door. with no thought Of my MD
night vision, I saw exactly what IH'
vision had forecast-the prisoner BurHT
surrounded with guards and having rev
tiers riveted on his ankles.
For the sake of further Secu''U
against a possible rescue, United StA'o
soldiers. detailed from the garrison a.
Detroit, patrolled the outside premises
day and night during the remainder 0'
Burley's Incarceration there.
He was finally released and went hom'
to Scotland, where he wrote a book "
is American experiences during our wa.
in which he included an abusive accom-.
Of his alleged unnecessary seventy o.
treatment by myself at the house OF cor
rection.
This account of the prisoner Buriey .
suppose, a. hitherto unwritten incios"'
Of the war
One incident connected with Profess"
Mayhews psychological lectures 70 NV
prisoners shows, says the author the v
terest awakened in what is ordinarily
teemed an abstruse subject. ana SuSse'S
the great possible value OF the le0o''
feature in a reformatory system WIZ.
even the uneducated and low grade Q,
men and women such as were cofinlls"
for gross vices and minor offences. ln'
Is the incident:
ION duly appointed lecture evehihs
owing 10 delayed trains. because OF U"
dreadful storm raging, the arrival OF VI,
lecturer was delayed, and was lhoe.
given Up as impossible, when unexpec.so
ly he reached the prison at o'clock. i"s
prison was closed for the night ana
the prisoners were in bed, as was !"
quired by the rules.
However, in view OF their interest,"
lectures. as an experiment, | arouseu 70
men from their beds. summoned the Va
GERS, Illuminated the auditorium ana gS'
cred the whole prison population thers -
that unreasonable hour.
METAPHYSICS AND THE CONVICT
when Professor Mayhem advance
upon the platform to begin his aoo,
he was received with round after run
VI thV near tlSsl dppiduSe' o"S ..A
hour the prisoners listened with hus"s
and closest attention to that late ms"
discourse upon the philosophy OF ouf sY
scious and unconscious mental process
At the conclusion renewed applause
pressed the enjoyment and great sA"'
faction OF the men.
THE most valuable moral precep's W..
inculcated, and lasting impressions 49,
made. A wide field OF striking iiiusu
tons was used from the exhaustless ss0's
house Of Professor Mayhew's MIND. nv
lectures abundantiy demonstrated the ~. u
portant truth that the successful puss
address to such uneducated ana ~
posedly exceptionally obtuse mfnds sno
be on topics from an elevated p
clothed in simple language and wen nv
trated."
The foundation, development ana
csatinusd q. seventh psss.