The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-10-06
NIGHT in DUNGEON
is GL|MP Sc INTO
INTERNAL REGION
Thomas Mott Osborne
Emerges Pale and
Haggard.
PRISON SYSTEM
FORM OF SLAVERY
Voluntary Convict Pardons Him
self, and Is Resting Up Prepa-
ratory to Putting His Studies
Into Shape for Report to
State Reform Com
mission.
Especial to The Times-Dispatch.

u.
Auburn, y. Y. October 5.-Thomas
Mott Osborne. who. under the name
of TON Brown" has been spending
week in Auburn Prison to study the
system from the inside. completed his
! BIT this afternoon after undergoing
the limit OF punishment inflicted on a
! convict in State institutions
! Mr.. Osborne spent all the time from
| O'CLOCK yesterday until 8 this morn
| ing In the dungeon" for refusing to
| work, and. pale and haggard. with
several pounds of his normal weight
missing. he declared the night in the
| dungeon to have been n glimpse into
! the inncrn.ost circle of Xe inferno"
| The voluntary convict pardoned him
| self this afternoon, and is now resting
| up preparatory to putting his studies
| into shape Tor his report to the State
| Commission OF Prison Reform, of
| which no is chairman He sal of his
| experiences:
! ~ am more than ever convinced that
/ the prison system Is singuIarIy unin-
! telligent. ineffective and cruel In
| many aspects the material welfare of
the convicts is we'll looked after. l
found the food unexpectedly good the
| cells. while antiquated. are clean and
satisfactorily lighted at night. and tile
| CiVtilinS is cOlntOrtaDiC.
1T is not tine yet for mo TO formu-
late any detailed criticism of the pres
ent system. must allow the matter
| to crystalline. leaving many thrilling
and interesting incidents to arrange
themselves In their logical order
But one or two things ii may be we'll
| to say now.
, Irresponsible Automaton.
+ First the prison system is abso-
| lutely form, pf sIo
truths that Lincoln enunciated apply
| equally to prison slavery II takes
| from the convict his own initiative and
freedom OF action, and he becomes an
| irresponsible automaton, who returns
! to the outside world to find he is un-
able to resume his own individuality
and guide his own destiny.
| One instance of the unintelligence OF
the system is the attempt to prevent
the convicts from normal exercise of
| the sense OF sight and speech.
Whenever my lcft-hand neighbor
hne-looking and agreeable young fell
low, with whom became warm friends
as he was trusty with the run OF
our gallery wished to share with me
his portion of sugar for porridge he
would simply pass it over to me and
| utter sugar in the softest undertones
| In fact to learn to speak without NOV
| ing the lips and to catch quickly the
| sounds OF words so uttered is one OF
the iirst things Il convict tries to ac-
quire. How unnatural this is, and
now 1t tends TO repress every human
instinct, is unnecessary to say
Another most unintelligent aspect
| is the way tho system inevitably lends
toward making punishment for small
ohenses the same as for greater Of
lenses. There is no difference, for in
| stance between the offense of a man
talking in the shop and Of n man who
takes up crowbar and attempts to
murder the officer in charge. Both
are treated to the dungeon OBJ
tanned from my night in the punish
ment cells glimpse into the lowest
circles OF tho inferno, and it will be
best for me not to attempt TO anaiyze
my impressions about II at this time
Wnste of Life.
There is n friEhtful waste OF human
life and ingenuity. because the sys-
tenn is bad that. while there Is
reformation is not used to anywhere
near its measure of possibilities.
Realizing perfectly tho considerable
, number of degcnerates and other undo
sirable citizens included in tho ranks
OF the prisoners, I was amazed at the
amount OF splendid courage. fine feel
ing and netshborly interest displayed
You can realize somewhat the cruel |
~ OF a rule which torDids newcomer
In prison to write more than one let
ter month. Think OF ii, since he has |
been perhaps carried away from his |
wife and tnmily. his friends are fun |
OF sympathy, he is plunged into the |
middle of this strange aud lonesome |
world, and then by n refinement OF
cruelty. he is .cnied the privilege of |
writing. What is gained by such ro- |
strictions?
THE convicts called me Brown, and |
did their best to think of me as one |
of themselves They took my expert
ment In the way I hoped they would |
but feared they couldn't AS march, |
ed to and fro with my company. |
caught an eye once i'm smile. n smile
or a wiak or whispered How goes |
1t. Tom?' from some passing gray |
figure.
when you think that we were in our
cells every night from 5 until tho |
day Sunday. you will admit that the |
punishment is severe. I found that the |
mon did not, sleep well. and of course |
dungeon I managed to got three or |
was In, from 8 o'clock Yesterday after
noon until, early this morning.
Gains New Knowledge
nope 70 tsanslate this experience |
into something of great value to tho |
zen OF tho State of New York. +, have
gained new knowledge of human ma
ture. new fifth In human nature, n |
new aitruism. because have saen 80 I
much In Auburn prison that was rra,. |
cious and brave and splendid in every |
& q believe that more people have been
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