South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1913-10-06
DUNGEON CELL
IS DESCRIBED AS
INFERNO CIRCLE
Thomas Mott Osborn Too Weak
to Tell of His Experiences
After Spending a Week in
the Auburn, N. T., Prison.

AUBURN, y. Y, oct. 6.-Thomas
Mott Osborne. chairman Of the New
York state commission on prison re-
form after spending a week In Au
burn prison as an inmate for the pur-
pose OF studying the prison system,
ended his self-imposed term sunday
afternoon.
Mr. Osbourne was pale and tired
and showed the marks or his ordeal,
but ne was enthusiastic over the sue
cess Of his experiment which included
a taste OF every experience possible
for an inmate 10 undergo aside from
electrocutiOn.
He even committed misdeeds Sat
urday OF sufficient moment to cause
his Incarceration in the dungeon"
cells. and he lay or his back in the
prison jail from o'clock Saturday
until o'clock Sunday morning his
ration consisting OF three gills OF
water and three slices of bread
Sunday he declared that this part
Of his experience took him into the
'tnnermost circle OF inferno" He
is positive that the fruits Of his weeks
stay in prison will be valuable to the
commission.
System is Cruel.
Il am more than ever confirmed
in my previous opinion" he said.
is
unintelligent. ineffective and cruel.
In many respects the material well
fare of the cOnvicts is we'll looked
after.
While it is not advisable for me TO
attempt TO formulate any detailed
criticism Of the prison system at this
time. because 1 am tired and bewil-
dered. there are one or two things
that il may be well to mention while
they are fresh in MIND
The prison system is a form OF
slavery. The great truths enunciat-
ed by Lincoln and others against
slavery are equally applicable to pri-
son slavery. IL takes from the con-
Wet his own initiative and freedom
OF action and he becomes an irres-
pOnsible automaton, unable 10 guide
his own destiny when ne returns to
the outside world.
"As one instance of the unintelli-
gence Of the system there is the at
tempt 10 drive prisoners from the
normal uses Of their senses of sight
and speech. After seven DAYS of
marching and marching,
am utterly unable to tell you about
the appearance of the men of my
company and can Ony describe the
haircuts of about twenty men who
marched and sat in front of me.
Unable to Speak.
Whenever my left hand neighbor
good looking and agreeable young
fellow. wished 10 share his portion of
sugar for pOrridge. he would simply
pass it over TO me and utter sugar
in the softest undertone. In fact. TO
learn to speak without moving the
lips and to catch the sounds of words
so uttered is one of the things a new
convict tries TO acquire
Another unintelligent aspect is the
way the system inevitably tends to-
wards making punishment for small
offenses the same as for great of
lenses. There is no difference for In
stance between the offense of man
who speaks in the shop and a man
who tries 10 kill his keeper with a
crow bar Both are treated to the
dungeon. I obtained from my night
in the punishment cell a glimpse in
10 the lowest circles of inferno and
IL will be best for me not to try to
analyze my impressions of it at this
time.
Amazed at Courage.
II was amazed at the amount of
splendid courage, fine feeling and
neighborly interest displayed BY the
inmates toward each other. What
cruelty it is TO forbid a man to write
more than one letter a month. He
has been perhaps carried away from
wife and family. His friends are full of
sympathy He is plunged into this
strange and lonesome prison world
and then by a refinement of cruelty
he is denied the privilege of writing
What Is gained by such restrictions?
Il hope 10 translate these expert
ences into something of great value
To convicts. TO myself and to the
people of this state"