The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-02-15
BEHIND PRISON WALLS

-Ur 'rrancan brotherhood
v.N,. ,uriously indignant over
I.ins lid to by prison officials.
For v.y should criminals whose
,ss N 'Ncjr trade must depend
.sl, .n ... either spoken or acted
,,.,u,f. Nucn they are paid back
,bcr .uNu .a~o coin?
am ir,I.,.d to think that the anon
ma, Orc ulc to some survival in
,s,n,.r. o. ..o old belief that honor
. "a FAIR p.. de- or should exist in
n..,s OBJ, ....,c. although their own
,r,,u, ..u'd Hdmonish them that
n..r. of .-lu~ at least cultivate the
=, and lu...cc uf fighting the devil
..,b dr, ,5- vs., saD, and so far from
o,.r thiunU. II kccping faith with a
,,,t .tl.. Nl" art of deceiving and
so,iN.ukl.. MN ana appear to derive
~, small tul-uW'ut from their results.
Indeed 81, ,udoncN on the part of
.rard ~ ..,r official in a prison to
,.ai homes. ana above board with his
s,rL,, ~ 90 once awaken suspicion
oths tt... Zoo the system and his
.ir,riu,. l'l hc apt To improve the
mrs, oppur' .u.,y Of getting rid of him.
me. todd .ur arts sake merely-for
me, delight q the artist in his fabrica-
r,n. There - fun IN overcoming the
suspicious aiI s,epticism Of some old
amer and .,ruihng him into the belief
mat for uu.' and at last he really is
.,fi.ng tr worthy information-that
IL, Na. Hn.', Succeeded in touching the
elusive hem Il the robe Of truth.
Eu, commonly the official liar has
s.m, practical object in view. This
.hi., Is usually the tightening of the
prison, grp upon the convict. not only
Zoo ,uenp'h,n the bonds which contine
his body lt 20 bring his spirit or soul
Under NOR, complete subsection and to
make hW feel that SO far from moral
reform h,n- the end sought in his in
,arcefai.uu Boz. viii best consult his pri-
yate interests 10y abandoning all
thoughts If dcccncy and honor and
acting " M The officials against the well
far, ana hopes IF his own fellows.
The consequence of the falsehood
policy .u prisons is for one thing that
,he men most worthless morally are
Uniformly those who get most favors
Men uf Uutroken spirit are handled in
ho>,,,, manner and are subjected to a
reglmen calculated either to kill or cure
heir oh>t.naCy and themselves.
you haN, no right to do this-there
$ ne law for it," the convict may pro-
est
The r'ry IS a sheer: What are you
SONG Co do about it?"
What de- You think you wou,c do in
% such ,lrrumstances-write to the
ttrs.s I. ia g.
-r,ssmar. awaken the country to these
.9quu.'~' The warden and the clerk
MIL >m., over your letter and drop il
n the waste basket or will make ii the
bass 81 an adverse report against you
iu TIE OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
nfor'.-.h.llty, insanity perhaps.
or f YOU reserve your protest till
lttr You get out and can Their find
any medium for ventilating it the
prison authorities will promptly and
Sma.Ns.N welcome an investigation" :
mi tA" department will eagerly send
lowu -ume old friend and boon COM
An.ou IF the officials to make strict
. ny"st ,-ation,' without fear or favor
New 80 last the truth shall be known
IF It hIrt whom IT may.
- 'Nc severe and inccrruptible in
per'u' -ues down. and after snubbing
md n-. ~ a few prisoners and taking
not information Of few
SWITCHES and dining and wining with
n, officials and inspecting the country
: n tt. Government automobile he goes
TACK 90 Washington with the reassuring
news that the reports of abuses where
ney were not absolute fahrications were
gross ,Nt-Atrations
Is tH., an imaginative sketch or
olored Oh little or good deal? How
shall j. ." determined? For | am only
Al cN-.,a1.,t and we all know what an
N'cuNy word is worth. | can only
.ugg'~' p 81. for your own individual
.at.Sft '..u 1T any rate, you commit a
bona tJ' ,rme and get sentenced to
.ri-o' nr H. If you survive We can
0oHN'I-, t.r'hcr on the subject. Or
10 Offer colder suggestion yet-per-
als '"' hul If the department HIM
self m-'' 'ako hand; perhaps he
would N.-' rs by breaking a law.
Let hm ". nInicuffed and brought "a
\tldui. .r s,Where-we are not par
."nd .sl there be numbered and L.
) I'G nd ST 10 work. After a ten
'ars 'EH'l.'nte. or if his time be valu-
aht #..r tud day might do, let
I'm N'..' ..- report, and for one will
'.de u. .g
The PRISON policy OF falsehood may
b." Illustrated hy the uses to which the
tr"'e 90" Is put This unfortunate
'ra>Vr. |l- no doubt conceived by'its
.r'nt- 30 .oyc and charity to supply
''un''- wen a stimulus to reform by
r"atd.'- Oh, N for it with early release
ON .WI'.~ .nment. If a mans con
'r' WN" serving his sentence had
zen "r@.'V ana obedient to rules he
va, =" .' 'lr,i after serving about one
'H.rd Of appointed time, but he was
required '.r a reasonable period there
.'.i % r." monthly reports TO the
N-"' a"' ~ show that ne was use