davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-01-31
UNJUST GUARDS
D|SCHA Ar GE
IS ASKED
Men and Religion Forward Move
ment Points Out Disgraces
in Convict Camps.
Continued from Page I.

physically and mentally and grows
sullen, YOU are accomplishing moth
ing in the world but the absolute
hrutalizauon u that man.
Such treatment will make no man
repent OF what he has done. Nor
win 1t improve his mind and engender
in him a spirit and desire to do bet
Ter II will not make him better
citizen the DAY he gets out OF prison
than he was the day he went in. on
the contrary az "A citizen. ne VIII
emerge much poorer citizen than
when he went in
when little child does wrong in
this day and age. de we thrash II
within an inch of its life? or do we
teach the child that what it has done
is wrong. and show it why and how
Il is wrong; and point out the way
20 what Is right?
And when the child does not
profit by what has been told 1t time
after time, DO we then abuse it2 or
do we have the child tested TO ascer-
tain lust wherein its mentality is eff
fclent and deficient. and then in
struct it. or care for It accordingly?
Why uot Lift Them Up7
why isn't grown man or woman
entitled 10 the same consideration?
Why don't we perfect a system in
this state whereby men and women
who have committed crimes may be
tested out and taught and encouraged
and educated and built mentally.
morally and physically so that when
they are turned out upon the world
they VIII be fitted TO take up some
useful work in the world, instead OF
being dragged further down the
scale?
What we want in Georgia. and
everywhere else, is not model prison
ers, but betters citizens.
Depend upon It. we are not get
ting better citizens by permitting our
law to sanction such a harbarous
practice as logging,
I'VE are not even getting model
prisoners. The prisoners under the
fiogging system have everything to
drag them down and nothing to hold
them up lot only while they are in
prison, but after they go out again
10 face the world
Does the ignominy OF stripes. the
impressing upon a man Of the utter
disgrace and humility of his position
in prison have a tendency to make
him act or feel any the better as
man than he was before he entered
prison and after he committed the
crime that sent him there?
The Way to Accomplish.
Il am a firm believer In discipline
believe men and women convicted
OF crime should be disciplined strict
~ Their infractions OF the rules
should be punished by the withhold
ing OF their privileges, such as smok-
ing, visiting. leisure, reading and the
like They should be placed upon
their individual honor to some ex-
tent also
Thereby things would be sc-
complished with the convict that
Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-01-31

that the hunks are side by side. and in
reality constitute one broad bed. This
Is an open violation Of the prison rules
Of the State
Except at Bellwood a negro camp.
the prisoners at night are chained to
their hunks, despite the fact that the
buildings are lighted and guards are
continually on duty. on Sundays and
holidays the Convlcts are confined in
quarters chained TO their hunks. Only
at the white camp and Bellwood are
they allowed the liberty of the build
ing
when guard marks a convict for
the lash. the whipping boss asks no
questions, no investigation is made as
TO its necessity. the convict is given
no hearing. This is the practice. in
violation of the explicit rule of the
state Prison Commission that the lash
should be used only as last resort.
The lash is the only method of dis
cipline resorted to. although the law
provides other means OF discipline, to
wit: graGes, merit marks and good
time Every prisoner. good and bad,
is given good time thus destroying
its value as an incentive to good
conduct. The reason for this is tina:
whipping is the warden's simplest re-
course. other methods require study,
| furethought and the keeping OF accu-
rate RECORDS.
Go to Freedom in Rags.
| Although the rules are plain
| enough. conyicts are seldom furnish
| ed with suits OF clothes on the eXpi-
ration Of their sentences. They usual e
/ ly return to freedom In rags.
so little consideration is given the
| convict that ha a ~
thing but M will between him and
his keepers. which means increased
| expenditure in guarding. the degrade
ton of prisoners and guards. and Z
continual menace to the public, be.
cause the prison camps. as now adj
ministerad, can only be schools oil
corruption.
In view OF the foregoing and the
encouragement We have always re-
ceived from your body in our effort.
70 set before you what we deemed
for the countys welfare. we submit
the following suggestions TO remedy
these evils:
"First-Ar county employees II
charge of convicts whose conduct IL
office has been unrea soning and bru-
tai should be removed.
Women Guards for Women.
"Second-The deputy and guards a
the women's camp on the almshous,
property should oe replaced by WON,
en-. in line with the program YOU
board has adopted for white femal,
prisoners
"Third-Inasmuch as there are so,
| colored prisoners in this county. s
number almost equal to the inmate,
" the Federal Prison there should b,
an honor camp for colored prisoners
promotion to which will be an add
uonal incentive 10 the rest TO keeI
Within the rules and give their will,
ing, unst'uted service
"Four'h Chains should be abolish.
ed, both al night and by day So. too
: the lash All this is entirely feasibl,
Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-01-31
REFORM To FIT CONv|CTS
FOR USEFUL LIVES URGED
BY PRISON PAPER EDITOR

An eclo of the recent agitation that
has resulted in reforms at the Atlanta
Federal Prison is heard in an edito-
rial, under the caption, "Pampering
Prisoners" that appears in the Feb
ruary issue Of Good Words, the
monthly paper published by the pris-
oners
The article is a plea for better con-
ditions in prisons and the adjustment
of certain features, especially the con-
Wet lease system that prevails in
some States, as the browning curse
of the prison system"
1t appeals also to the people who
oppose all efforts to better prison con-
ditions and send the convicts out into
the world equipped to take up their
battle again with hope of success, in
stead of sending them out hardened
and depraved, with no thought other
than revenge on society for the indig-
mites they have suffered.
What Taxpayer Thinks.
II bitterly inveighs against the tax
payers who are antagonistic TO re-
forms because they cost money and
would be "pampering the prisoners.
Ideas antagonistic to prison re-
FORM" says the editorial, ARE, for the
most part, advanced by demagogic
politicians, narrow minded journalists
and ignorant or vicious officials. But,
regardless Of their origin, these IDEAS
find a fertile field in the mind of the
average taxpayer, who asks himself
why should he be taxed to keep vio-
lators of the laws of the land in COM
fort?
They decide with but little thought
that they should not be taxed, and
when a new and advanced idea for
the real reform of prison affairs is
mentioned they oppose it.
Here and there, but of the great
general public comparatively few, you
will find a man who will ask: What
are prisons for? Are they for re-
venge or reformation? Are they for
the purpose of aiding a fallen man or
for the purpose of damning him for
ever? Do they make worthy members
of society, or enemies of law and or
der?
Ask No Luxuries.
This thoughtful man will consider
the enormous expense the State goes
to in protecting itself from the Grim
inal, and he usually decides that the
present system Of handling the pris-
oner, in the majority of prisons, Is
radically wrong. But how can it be
remedied?
He certainly decides in this connec-
ton that men convicted of crime
should not be pampered and live II
luxury, and from the prisoners stand
point Good Words can say that pris-
oners are the last people in the world
who wish to be pampered."
In its appeal for a change in the
viewpoint from which prisons are re-
garded by the average man, the arti-
Gle says:
Evil deeds committed by a nor
NAL man carry with them their own
lmmutaDle punishment, and the very
acme of suffering is often reached be-
fore the term in prison commences
even if it is in the worst of prisons
Let our jails, then. be hospitals
Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-01-31

Typewriters rented 4 mos,
SIS up. Am. Wig. Mch. Co.
Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-01-31

for human weakness and depravity
and send forth their patients strength
ened instead of weakened for the
further battle that awaits them.
Problem Is Complicated.
1.-The whole problem of prison pun
ishment IS a complicated one, but the
sentence which Dante inscribes over
the gates of Hell-"All hope aban-
don, We who enter here!"-should not
be written over the doors of our pris-
ons This inscription can be left off
with 'pampering prisoners!'
THE idea prevails in most prisons
that they are for the purpose of pun
ishment and getting even, instead OF
retaining those unfortunates who
have fallen by the way; and with this
idea in the minds of prison officials
prisoners are not made useful mem
bers of society, but are made con-
firmed and hardened criminals.
THE writer has no thought Of
'pampering' when he suggests thai
prisons should be regarded as a place
for Withholding a man temporarily
from the companionship of evildoers
and from his own worse self. Why
should not the object of prisons be tC
preserve and build up rather than t
destroy the prisoners manhood anC
Self-respect; to teach him that po'
tentialities for good are dormant anC
may be awakened in him, and to af-
ford him every available means fol
their awakening and development?
Give Convicts Fitting Work.
Instead of despair and resentmen
as cell companions he should be giver
rational hope for the future and intel
ligent interest in practical means fol
rehabilitating himself.
Then his hours of solitude will no
be spent in cursing his fate and plot
ting his revenge on his enemies-rea
or imaginary-but he will take stool
of his own instruments for useful co
operation with the worlds work, il
polishing those he finds that he pos
sesses, and in acquiring such as would
complete his equipment.
Here the prison authorities car
come to his aid by supplying hin
with work commensurate with ant
! suitable to his special powers an,
proclivities, and paying him for hi
WORK SuCH wages as Will give nm
heart to do 1t as well as he can, anC
will leave a visible residue after thu
cost of mis- own support has been de
frayed.
Reforms lnaugurated.
''The library should be arranged 81
as to furnish special books and course
of reading in various branches o
| science and industry. He should hav,
| substantial and palatable food, AM
the sanitary conditions should be o
| the best
Good Words also announces tina
| Warden Meyer has put into effec
| several progressive ideas recently
among them being the granting to tn,
prisoners the privilege of spendin,
their Sunday afternoons in the yard
| The day will be a prisoners day,
| and a committee from among then
will have it in charge.
The granting of this privilege
| which the prisoners have sought TO
years, followed the circulating of ;
petition which was signed. with bu
eight exceptions, by all the men il
the prison.
Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-01-31
Steel Cars Save l25
As Train Is Wrecked

JOLIET, ILL, Jan. BIN a rag.
ing blizzard the Chicago and Alton,
Midnight Special was wrecked near
Lockport early to-day, Seven Pull.
man cars left the rails. One car
turned on its side. One hundred and
twenty five persons had miraculous
escapes from death. Steel cars savel
them. No one was killed and only
two passengers were seriously hurt.
Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-01-31
Girls Home Matron
Bars Out Julia Flake

ELGIN. ILL. Jan. 31.-Carrle Ste
phenson. superintendent OF the State
Girls School. SAYS she will appeal to
Governor Dunno, IL necessary to pre-
vent the sending OF Julia Flake TO
the school. The girl. who conspired
With her stepfather TO kill her mother.
was ordered sent to the school by the
Mercer County Court.
The girls at Geneva" said she.
have committed no serious offenses."
Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-01-31
10 Firemen Hurt as
Piano Plant Burns

NEW YORK, Jan. 31,-Fifteen fire
men were hurt and $250,O0O damage
was done in a fire which burned the
plant of the Walters Piano Company
and damaged Public School No. "a
in East Sixty third street early to-
day
Most of the injured were burned
when tank of varnish exploded. So
intense was the heat that 800 fami.
lies in nearby tenements were routed
from their beds
Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-01-31

never has been and never will be ac-
complished with the flogging strap.
Il believe we are about TO be rid
OF the floggng system in this State.
II is high time, too. believe the
Grand Jury want and will have a
thorough investigation of what has
been going on. No one is more pleas
ed with this prospect than myself. !
believe the practice will be stamped
out as the result OF disclosures made
and those that probably will be made
by the investigation. Certainly the
disclosures form an ideal basis for
fight to eliminate legalized fiogging
from Georgia
II hope the newspapers viii take
it up and fight IT out They can force
the changing OF the law and | will
do all l can to help, as viii every
right thinking citizen IN me State OF
Georgia"
Unbearable in Camps.
Here follows. in fun, the report OF
the Men and Religion Forward Move
ment to the Fulton County Commits
sioners
I'VE take the liberty OF pointing
out certain evils existing in the con
yict camps Of Fulton County. with the
confident belief that you viii apply
the remedy
The night boxes for human refuse
stand in the aisles OF the hunkhouses
| throughout the night and remain until
| me men are taken to work At times
/ the odor from these boxes. especially
at the morning meal II unhesrable
| Observance OF the Prison Commission
rules would remove this disgusting
state OF affairs.
THE men battle in hogsheads cut
IN two. on the average OF eve men Ia
the tub. with no change of water, and
| without towels No care is taken e
have diseased convicts battle in sep
arate vessels
prisoners are allowed to write but
one letter a month no matter what
their conduct may have been.
Their food, though sufficient IN
quantity is poorly prepared and with
little variety. This results I'm the men
buying food privileges. which amounts
10 nothing more than petty graft foi
The recipients OF the money
In most " Fulton's seven canp,
the sleeping quarters are so crampet
Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-01-31
GLASSES ADJUSTED.

No Eyeglass Mounting is comfort o.
able unless ii is properly adjusted
to the nose. Come in and we Will
take pleasure in trueing up and ad-
jusiing yours. Ask for an Eyeglass
Cleaner. 4. X. Hawkes. Co. Opticians,
IA Whitehall.
Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-01-31

deposited it elsewhere was by a con-
sent agreement. None such was
made, and l do not feel that | should
have violated Che la in this or any
other case"
The review. [volume] (High Point, N.C.) 1908-19??, 1914-09-10
GAVE BACK LEMAN'S SWORD
German Conqueror OF Lie9e Forts
Courteous to General Who Brave
" Defended Them.

Lon1on.-The correspondent of Reu-
ter's Telegram company at Amsterdam
sends a story, taken from the Aachner
Post, telling Of the courteous treat
ment General Leman, commander OF
the Liege forts, received at the hands
of General Won Emmich of the Ger
man forces.
General Leman," the story runs,
was found by the Germans nearly
suffocated under the ruins of de-
stroyed fort. The German officers
treated him with the greatest friendli-
ness. and took him before General Won
Emmich, to whom the Belgian handed
over his sword"
In recognition of General Leman's
brave conduct in hopeless situation,
General Won Emm1ch returned his
sword to him, and after short rest
he was taken, with other captive off,
GERS, to Aix-les-Chapelle and thence to
Cologne.
The review. [volume] (High Point, N.C.) 1908-19??, 1914-09-10
RE1ORT THAT CARRIED STING
Summer Girl Quick to Notice VuIner-
able Point In the Armor Of
Her Adversary.

In discussion of the divorce evil
Judge Matthew L. Hendricks said at a
q dinner in Cleveland:
THE truth about most divorces is
that both parties are to blame. One
party is never all good and the other
never all bad-both are to blame-and
that fact, of course, makes philoso-
phizing and generalization difficult
For the average pair of divorces
are like the two pretty summer girls
at Atlantic City. These two pretty
summer girls were quarreling.
"Well, anyhow said the first girl,
7 don't sit round till all hours with
the boys playing poker
THE second girl glanced at her com
panions transparent blouse and skirt,
the very latest transparent blouse and
skirt from Paris, the kind of blouse
and skirt which are more popular than
ever among the young and beautiful,
despite the furious protests of 100000
elderly clubWomen. Then, still star.
Ing at that blouse and skirt, the sec.
ond girl entered this quiet defense:
You show only your hand in
poker"
The review. [volume] (High Point, N.C.) 1908-19??, 1914-09-10
norwegian Ships Lie Idle.

Christiania, Norway.-The effect Nof
the European war on Norway's mer-
chant marine business Is shown by
the large fleet of ships laid up in the
various Norwegian ports. About two
hundred ships of large tonnage are at
anchor in harbors along the coast from
Bergen to Christiania. In Christiania
harbor more than fifty large ships have
been laid up in the last two weeks,
and along the docks are tied up IS
smaller passenger steamers whose
routes between England and Germany
have been discontinued.
The review. [volume] (High Point, N.C.) 1908-19??, 1914-09-10
Haywood Offers Big Fair.

Waynesville.-The Haywood Coun-
ty Fair, which is to be held October
s, 7, Sand 8, bids to be the most
successful in the history of the asso-
citation, not only in the attractions for
the midway and races, but in an edu-
cat;onal and social way as we'll Ac'
cording to information given out by
the secretary, special stress will be
placed upon the livestock exhibits, as
this feature las been eliminated from
to Western North Car n;la Fair
which is held at Asheville, making thu
Haywood F.:: the only Que in western
Nerth Carolina having q livestock
show. This means material increase
for the Haywood Fair in the showing
of horses, mules, sheep, cattle and
swine.
The review. [volume] (High Point, N.C.) 1908-19??, 1914-09-10
CATAWBA WILL MAKE BIG EE.
FORT TO SAVE HER SMALL
CROPS.
DISCUSSED AT A MEETING
Hickory Sends Committee to Char
Iotte-NeWton.M Getting to Get In
formation on Their Plans.

H1ckory.-Although Catawba coun-
ty does not produce as great bulk
OF cotton as some of the other coun-
ties of the state, yet with a great
many of our farmers it is the princi-
pal money crop, and with some of the
larger farmers, whose crops are
more diversified it constitutes rank
ing crop when the value Of it is taken
into consideration. AS with cotton
farmers everywhere in the South the
war in Europe will have detriment-
al effect on the expectation and con-
sequently lowering of the price, Ca
tawba farmers realize this and are
starting movement loking to the
establishment of a bonded warehouse
for the storing of the cotton raised in
the county.
At a meeting Of representative far.
mers, business men and bankers and
manufacturers held here the matter
was discussed quite freely from the
various standpoints, including the cost
Of storing, the number of bales
likely to be stored, location of ware
house, character of building and
means by which the farmer could Sc
cure an advance on his cotton. Mr.. A.
G. Shuford, who has been visiting
among the farmers of the county for
several weeks getting their opinions
on the feasibility of having such a
warehouse was present and said he
was convinced the greater number Of
the cotton growers would take advan-
tage of the warehouse If they were
given an opportunity, and many Of
them, he believed, would take stock
in such an undertaking.
A committee consisting of A. c. Shu-
ford, chairman; J. D. Elliott, K. c..
Menzies, W. B. Gather and T. F Con-
nor was appointed to go to Charlotte
and see how Mecklenburg county han
died the warehouse there. A mass
meeting was called to be held in
Newton Saturday at which time the
committee will make their report.
The review. [volume] (High Point, N.C.) 1908-19??, 1914-09-10
Off to Fort Worth.

Charlotte-Messrs. T. B. Parker of
Wake, ]. r. Reeves of Lee, w. J. Shu.
ford of Catawba, E. S. Millsaps of Ire
dell, J. F. Cameron of Kinston and
DR.. r. L. Gidney of Cleveland left
recently for Fort Worth Texas, to at
tend the annual convention of the Far.
mers' Union as Representatives of the
North Carolina division. President H.
@. Alexander could not attend owing
to the press of business in the state
as result of the conference in Raj.
eigh on the price of cotton and hence
he sent his alternate, Mr.. Cameron.
The review. [volume] (High Point, N.C.) 1908-19??, 1914-09-10

There is scarcely neighbor around me
'shodoes not use your medicine. Mrs.
~ JOHNSON, R. No. a, Box 30, Prince
ton, Illinois.
Experience of a Nurse.
Poland, Myth my experience as q
,nrse certainly think Lydia E. Pink
hsm's Vegetable Compound is a great
nadicine. wish all women with fe-
mole troubles would take it. I took it
when passing through the Change Of
life with great results and always re-
commend the Compound to all my pa
tents if l know of their condition in
time. l will gladly do all ! can to help
otbers to know of this great medicine. I"
Mrs. HORACE NEWMAN, Poland, Her.
Hmer Co., N. Y.
If you are i'll do not drag along until
an operation is necessary, but at once
hke Lydia E. Pinkham's Vegetable
Compound.
Ifyou want special advice write
lydia E. Pinkham Medicine Co.,
(confidentiaD Lynn, Mass.