The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-02-08

| in penal annals as the acme and ideal
| of modern humanitarian ideas upon the
| reclamation of convicts through gentle
ness and love, and full stomach.
found opportunity to study some of
those historic scrolls and was so much
| impressed by them that I caused sug-
| gestion to be conveyed to the warden
Instead OF sending all the menus to
Washington and to admiring friends in
| the Atlanta neighborhood let one or two
OF them be placed at each meal upon
the tables Of the diners to the end that
| they might be stimulated by the persual
Of these literary masterpieces to choke
down their outlets the actual garbage
which was furnished in the name there
OF. But the warden's views seem not
| to have been in harmony with mine on
this occasion. ] am glad to learn, how
ever. from certain graduates of the in
stitution since my own departure from
| IL that the food has greatly improved
in quantity and somewhat even in quail
ity.
l need not attempt to fathom the rea-
son. IL ii were Incompatible before
why or how better it? II could hardly
have been done at the instance OF the
old and warm personal friend of the
warden and the Attorney General who
III
guise of Spartan inspector of the al
legged abuses. because. for one thing, the
improvement had set in long before he
made his investigation and the investi-
gator in his report appears to have dis
covered no room for Improvement any
where. 1t must have just happened
one Of those miracles in the way of gild-
ing refined gold and painting the lily
which are so common nowhere else as
in our model penal institutions.
had ample opportunity to study the
subject personally while "A guest at the
prison table and to compare my i'm
pressions with those of my fellow pris-
oners as well as to enlarge them by
conferences with persons employed in
the kitchen and commissary depart
ment. Men who had served in other
prisons-and their combined experiences
covered great many-were unanimous
and emphatic in declaring that the table
at Atlanta was the worst they had ever
known. not only as to scantness OF sup
ply hut as to the unwhoiesomcness or
positively poisonous quality of the food
furnished. But let me tell a little OF
what I saw and knew myself.
When the change was made from long
tables and benches to tables seating
eight and chairs ii was announced that
tablecloths would also he supplied and
napkins. That was two or three years
ago. hut t1hleclo,hs have not yet APP
peared and the eaters still wipe their
mouths on the backs Of their hands in
the good old way. Pepper and salt
were on the table and a bottle of som"-
thing tina, looked like hner and was
supposed To he vinegar. hut was sampled
only by the more reckless or mex
.t.in
vde0 except on rare occasions and 10
diet" prisoncrs-mcn who were re-
strirted to bread and milk and oatmeal
Some beverage that dishonorod the
name of tea was served about once a
fortnight, brown. semi-transparent
iinslng ~ dirty kettles sugarless thin
and bitter. called coffee, came every day:
hut II your stomach rejected either Of
these YOU could hll up on plain water
The latter. however. like the diet"
milk and oatmeal and the drinkables
generally, had to he taken out of metal
mugs covered with white enamel mi
mute particles Of which Clipped off and
mingled with what you drank. These
particles We're hard and sharp. like pure
glass, and they cut and lodged in the
intestines causing with other things
an excessive predisrosition toeappend-
citis-a frequent disease in the peni-
Tertiary.
This was also promoted hy the bread.
winch was made of the poorest grade
Of white flour without nourishing quail
ity, the value per loaf being about two
cents, tho flour was ground in sterl
mills and microscopic particles of steel
were rubbed off into it--this fact I had
from physician who had examined II.
The -four when received at the prison
was frequently fun Of wccvils, most OF
which hut not all were siftcd out before
II was used. The bread was tasteless
and light; 1t was baked in large guam
titles and what was not consumed by
The prisoners was sod outside
1t Is not provided in the prison rcgu-
lations that officials shall he fed at the
expense of the prisoners. Nevertheless.
a separate and superior grade of flour
is purchased at Government expense
and is used To make bread which is
given to the officials: the loaves are
placed in the outer corridor and are
taken away by guards and others every
day. Separate cooks are also assigned
to prepare the officials food on the
prison ranges; the meats and vegetables
are Of a grade much better than is
supplied to prisoners. hut some favored
tion. The higher officials have the best
food the market affords and In such
ample abundance that certain prison
pets, usually negroes. get their main
subsistence from the surplus.
The beef given to prisoners was of
the third grade--the worst on the mar
ket-it IL COW ar bun beef. never heifer
or steer and often it is rotten and must
he treated chemically before being
offered even to prisoners. 1t used to
come on the table in gristly and bony
gobbets, after having lain on the kitchen
ranges for hours. until it was reduced
to a hardness which resisted all hut the
most efficient and vigorous teeth (which,
except with negroes, are rare in PRISON..
I used to compare these steaks" and
other pieces with old hlackcned boot
heels; they were hardly less eatable
and nourishing. Often II smelled 40 that
nature rebelled against II, but com
plants We're liable to be met by COM
initial to the solitary cells.
But groups ~ visitors used to appear
In the dining room occasionally; they
were lined up along the wall adjoining
the dOOr and ware not allowed IN walk