The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1913-11-26
'SAt The Reformatory At
Frankfort.
STRIPES ARE NOW ABOLISHED
Strong Help the Weak and
Task System Is a Bene'
fit to All.
PRISON IN THE FIRST RANK
The Louisville Times says:

INC LOuioNiiC c"yS'
'The Prison From the Inside"
was the title of an inspiring ad-
dress by Judge A. J. G.. Wells, war
den of the Kentucky State Peniten-
tiary at Frankfort, before large
and attentive audience at the Wom-
ans Club. Judge Wells, because of
his intimate knowledge Of the sub
ject, his broad sympathies and
. sound judgment, is considered one
\of the foremost penologists in the
United States. and the success of
his administration since taking
charge of the Frankfort institution
last February amply supports this
view.
The Frankfort prison is nearly as
large as that at Sing Sing, N. Y,
and at present about 1 ,440 convicts
are confined there, or nearly twice
as many as at Eddyville. A dis
tinct change of the attitude of the
I. prisoners toward the institution
within the brief regime of Judge
Wells was manifested in their &C
ttion in offering reward of $129.5O
for the capture of an escaped trus-
ty, whose breach of faith they con-
sidered blot on the general record.
Mr.. Wells first action upon as
suming charge, was to order the re-
rrloyaI of the stripes and the sub
stitution of an inconspicuous uni
form. The second order provided
that prisoners being tried in the
prison court should have fair
hearing and the court should be
conducted after the manner of Coun-
ty Courts. He prohibited swearing
at or striking of convicts by guards
] and officials on the basis of push
and not pull" The prison records
showed yearly average of 10000
lashes applied as punishment before
he took charge. This mode has
been abolished entirely, he pointed
out.
Zone of the most far-reaching re-
FORMS" said Mr.. Wells, was the es-
tablshment of rule permitting a
prisoner to see the warden at any
time to present grievance. This
has been altered to permit the con-
\ Wet to send the warden a note
(which must under no consideration
be read by the messenger or any
guard or official. | get about 100
of these letters daily, which present
grievances, suggest changes, criti-
else or compliment guards and fell
low prisoners. By thus convincing
them that they can be heard, they
are made less desperate.
1--WE no longer shave the prison.
\ ers' heads. Dice games are not al
lowed and the pool tables removed.
No one is placed In confinement ex-
cept on his own decision; that is,
he is given chance to do hard Ia
Dor, and IL he stubbornly refuses he
is placed in confinement until he
changes his mind. If that be five
minutes or five hours. Assistant
wardens move about the shops to
study the temperament and dispo-
sition of the guards and ways of i'm
proving the prisoners condition.
Each shop is supplied with a
white flag as sign of a perfect rec
ord. If fight occurs in that de-
partment black flag takes the place
of the white. yellow flag for i'm
morality and pink one for any
other misdemeanor. Departments
keeping the white flag for thirty
days get special recognition.
II found that under the task sys-
tenn the stronger and more skillful
finished their work by IL o'clock In
the morning and some did not get
their task completed by closing
time. at 4:30 o'clock. ] called for
Volunteers among the strong to as
sist the weak, with the promise that
II all the work was finished by Sat
urday noon they should have half
holiday. More than half responded.
with the result that ever since we
have had a ball game. sack races
and sports each week. those who
have helped getting seats in the
~grapd stand. In bad weather the
<nen go TO the auditorium for NOV
49, -