The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1913-08-13
Declares Mrs. Beauchamp
OF States COnvictS.
EXISTENCE IN PENI!ENTIARY
Is Not What II Used To Be
Present Management
Is Commended.
BETTER PRISON LAWS NEEDED

Lexington. Ky, Aug. 9.-In an
interview to-day Mrs. Frances r.
Beauchamp, president of the Ken
lucky w. c. r. T.. and militant
fighter for prohibition and prison
reform in Kentucky, discusses the
prison system of the State without
mincing words.
She declares that many of the
men are not criminals at all. but
under the influence of legalized
drink they have committed deed
that they loathed when sober" She
commends the present management
OF the prisons and points out i'm
provements that have been made.
Mrs. Beauchamp says:
NO darker page disgraces the
annals of Kentucky than our prison
laws and the record of dark days in
the State Penitentary. The con-
vict-leasing system is the worst pos
sible hindrance to the working out
of any reform. And in Kentucky
it has done its worst: even yet ii
has it's grip on the prisoners, con-
tracts existing which do not expire
until 1919.
1.-The prisoner is made cog in a
wheel of machine which turns out
a shoe. He may stand ten hours
day, six days in a week. at a ma
chine, which simply presses the
counters for the heel of a shoe, and
the more adept he becomes as an
operator of this machine, the less
chance there is of his ever securing
any other piece of shoe to work
on.
LET the State give these fellows
a chance, and she is giving them a
small chance through the admins
tration of the present prison board.
The lash has been abolished; the
stripes have been abolished: the
wretched fare has been abolished;
the convict leasing system shall be
abolished.
'These men. the States moral
cripples, will one day be placed on
farms and work on public roads.
Meantime, humane officials are do
ing all the law allows. The first
step is the graded suits: the men
have neat gray suits. the honor
men have blue caps. Only miscon-
duct on the part of the prisoner re-
duces him TO stripes.
"The parole system is good as far
as 1t goes.i but should be extended
to life and long-term men. While
the men are on parole. they are un-
der the direction and supervision of
the Prison Commission. They must
report once a week and may be re-
called at any time. They are not
permitted to use intoXicants or he
guilty OF any immoral conduct. This
training in self-control will help
them to build character.
"Of the score and more prisoners
interviewed. all testified that the
guards no longer used profane and
obscene language: that the prison
ers were no longer threatened and
abused by guards under the infu-
ence of liquor The guards are not
allowed TO borrow money from
prisoner or TO gamble with a pris-
oner. They are not allowed to beat
or abuse the prisoners, and not al
lowed to strike prisoner except In
self-defense. The men universally
testified that the warden's Forum,
Sunday afternoon, contributed
greatly to the better understanding
aud resulted In better conditions.
The prisoners feel they can have a
square deal" and that while the
warden requires and enforces ODE
dience to prison law. at the same
time he sees that they have the pro- =
lection of that same law
"The long-dreamed-of night
school, which was to- follow the
lighting. is at last realized. and 500
of the l,f20 prisoners avail them
selves OF the privilege. The school
was only started last spring. and a
number have already learned to
read and write. Glasses up to the
fourth grade have been organised.
and eighteen white boys are taking
stenography.
at is the hope Of the prison au-