The Hawaiian gazette., 1914-07-24
CONNECTS VOTE
FOR PROHIBITION
In Eastern Penitentiary, 1908 Out
Of 147S Vote in Favor Of Prohi-
bition Throughout the State.

. PHILADELPHIA, July G.--out Of
"a total Of LAS prisoners confined in
the Eastern Penitentiary zoos have
signed a petition which will be sub
mitted to the next legislature asking
statewide prohibition.
The petition is nrobably the strong
est sociological argument ever made
against the liquor traffic. Without a
word or even a suggestion from War,
den McKenty the prisoners confined
signed their names and in many in.
stances volunteered to 20 before q
legislative committee and tell how
drink has wrecked their lives.
The Vote was taken on Independence
Day and was made public today On
each petition was an appeal 10 make
Independence Day memorable by sign.
ing the petition.
lit is unique and the most manly
document ever sent from penal insti.
tution,p was the terse comment Of
! Warden McKenty last night. "IC is
an appeal to decent men serving In the
legislature to come TO the aid OF unfor.
Inmates confined in this institution.
Seventv per cent. Of the prisoners
claim that their downfall Is due to rum.
IL is certainly wonderful arguman.
against the liquor trafiic.,' ~
Prison Paper Starts Crusade.
Three months ago the Umpire, the
little paper published by the convicts
started a crusade against drink. Let
tiers began TO come in telling the per-
sonal stories of prisoners who claimed
that were it not for whiskey they
would not now be serving time in
prison.
The editor Of the paper, himself a
prisoner, was so impressed with the let
tiers that he drafted petition and
sent il around the prison for sigma.
lures.
| He said tonight: 81 am greatly
pleased with results. II proves, and
eonciusively too, that the great ma
jority Of state prison conviets were
brought to ruin through the saloon evil
| If the legislature desires evidence We
are ready to supply witnesses. Think
of it, 40 per cent. Of the men here as
sert that rum caused their downfall
Think of the wrecked homes, broken
hearted mothers, wives and sisters.
The Umpire's editor has bulk Of
letters that relate the personal expert
ences of. convicts. Here is one written
by man serving ten years:
/ Writes His Experience.
81 am serving long sentence fol
manslaughter. Years ago became in
| lvolved in a saloon fight. One man wa,
killed. My dear wife was forced Il
suffer worse fate. She has struggled
along with the little ones while hav,
4 been locked up. Her heart is broken
Il but, good woman that she is, she keep
I Iup the struggle for existence Run
caused my downfall. Why should tn,
sociologists and so-ealled learned mel
: who are interested in penology 90 out
, side a prison for facts The facts maj
be obtained in any penal institution,
Another prisoner writes:
''I have signed the petition.
only wish that some strong man in tn
/ legislature will push the bill for stiti
wide prohibition through. Any MAJ
} with spark Of Christian charity in hi
| heart should visit this institution
| hear the stories Of prisoners and thei
! 70 out and swat the saloon keeper
) An interesting phase Of the vote cor
4 Germs the women prisoners. Thirty
l three ont of total of thirty-fve wer
requested TO sign the petition. Not on
r refused and many volunteered to al
!. pear before a Legislative committee an
!. offer evidence in support of the argt
4 ment that the liquor traffic is respor
e Isible for 20 per cent. of crime.
p e. ~ 4 -. =