davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-01-18

promis" To return when the job II done.
which they uniformly do. And for this
work hc causes them to I've regularly
paid: he retains their wages for them
until the term of their Imprisonment
has expired and then hands the money
back to them.
The men are encouraged and inspired
10y this treatment. and the ncighbors.
among whom their work is done, seem
disposed tn take n helpful and cbopcra-
tive view IF the enterprise. If the
n,ighl'ors-thc communicates noth-
ing by this system, and il the convicts
gain 10y il. why should IL not he made
the general practice? Convicts in Ne
hraska are the same sort Of people as
those at Atlanta.
Warden Fepton is progressive. but
most other wardens are not, and there
liz no certainty that future war,lcns of
Nebraska prisons will be: therefore he
has not solved the problem for good and
all: something more than the benevolent
or wise ideas Of any individual is needed
for that. Mr.. Fenton has absolute power
power. therefore. to give or withhold
favors ms he may choose. Enlightened
legislation would deprive him and other
wardens of absolute power and make IT
mandatory to treat prisoners as he is
doing voluntarily.
Moreover. IL men will go of and work
without guards for three weeks at a
stretch and then return uncompellcd 10
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-01-18


in the way Of laborers than our prison
could supply.
The thirty-four foot wall surrounding
the buildings, mile in circuit, built
Of cement, had been completed before
my time. read in report of the war;
den that its existence was due to his
enterprise and that he looked upon II
as a worthy monument to his activity
and intelligence.
At every hundred yards or so OF its
length IL was strengthened by n tower
containing accommodations for a guard
day and night who watches with his
rifle in hand ready to shoot down any
prisoner who seems to be acting sus-
piciously. No such shooting by a tower
guard has as yet taken place to my
knowledge and none ever will on tn.
prcteNt suggested. for the wall Is also-
lutely unscalablc: being five or six fee.
thick. il is impenetrahle, and its found =, =
tons going down six or eight feet be-
low ground. II cannot ,,e beaten by tun-
Melting. vet the towers and the guards
are there.
But the polnt il that the wall itself
IL quite preposterous and unnecessary.
Escoue for prisoners was unite as diff.
cult before il WAS built as after. There
are n hundred guards in the neniten.
tiarv, one for every eight prisoners.
all armed and eager for action: every
article of n prisoners clothing bears
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-01-18
III a w t h or n e

one or two capable Irish ar Italian
navvics would have done i'm the same
time. Then thc>gang disappeared: the
open trench and the pipes remained in
statu quo and the weeds gradually re-
suncd their ancient sway. So far as
| know work has no; been resumed
there since.
1t is n typical example; even such
work as IL done IL done in such n dis
continuous and futile way that it Is
impossible for any one doing ii to feel
any interest in 1t or stimulus to do it
we'll. Time. toll and money are fritz
tered away. with nothing definite or
substantial tn show for it. Intermittent
and barren tasks are doubly oncrous.
The ovcrscors may not hc to blame:
they may he incompetent: they may lie
hampcrod 10y the ignorance. inconlc-
tcncc or voluntary policy of the prison
authorities. the consequences at all
events are disastrous. If Il handful If
hearty, clever, driving men were given
control Of the various Industrial opera
tions In the prison the results would
seem magical.
There is dry rot or something worse
everywhere: and it is difficult to he
licve that anything Is gained by 1t either
for the convict or for the country. II IL
to bc sure punishment for the former.
and a had form of punishment. hut 1t
would he grotesule to assume that II il
inflicted 10y design If our lawmakers.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-01-18

dcrcr is sent to jail FOR III, or a bank
burglar or white SLAYER or financial
crook for his specified term. d. W., not
sit back in oar chairs and clear our
Threats with a s,lf-satis'ied hem and
There's one scuundrcl has gpt his de-
s"rts, anyway"
Had it been your brother, father son.
or yourself. would YOU employ such LAM
suage? Would you not rather say,
III the whole truth w-r. known. this
could not have happcncd"? Eut every
case is special case Ia III" victim. And
which Of ny who has not l,.. n a convict
in prison has the right to declare that
prison is III" I'd, s,rt' Of any man? We
do not know what We are talking about.
Was l""kinr "at Of III" window of
III" isolation building one day, with the
runner, Ned. h'sid" me, | dd my writ
ing there. and h" was a>siy ed for duty
To the same building. Ned t. whom !
have already referred, Wa q rhnughtfui
young man, and often sa.l word that
went To- the ccntr" Of IT,. subject We
had n business, Of course. 10 y" con-
verslng Together hut N" lUard was ab-
sent for tho moment.
We were watching the coEy.cts form IN
the yard for the march 10 their several
pli''S pl b't'l'il non, lDt'' Ms II 'l'NIl"
row Of them down there in front Of us
being marshallcd to go To- the stone shed.
about nifty Yards away. There they
would remain till evening", chipping
away at blocks of granite, and breath
ing the dust created by their labor
The stone shed men W." mostly re.
crutcd from III" su-ca,l'G hard cases
among the Convicts; the work was hard
and rapid fire guards VIZ" ga rally
picked To tax" care Of th,m, \ man
had been shot to death th,r" about five
years before hy guard, on No. better
grounds than that III. man had not
moved quickly enough in g'spons" to an
order. NJ action against ~" guard was
taken, and h. Is still on duty in the
prison perhaps he know 700 much.
The stone shed men pg,rar" tn" stone
used IN the construction If the build
ings already mentioned; and they are
also employed at times, 10y nu r"Gulation
To be found IN any Of tn books, Ia do
odd jobs for members -. thu prison
force: as when, for exam l., they We're
required to turn out a monument for
the wife or other rela,!V- # a guard
who had died and for whom u" was I'M
able to provide suitable memorial az
his own expense. For Whatever pur-
pose the stone work j. drg", legitimate
Continued on FOhrth PAGE
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-01-18
BEHIND PRISON WALL

vets are not human the insanity which
so constantly follows upon prison idle
ness or unemployment should correct
you.
Others may describe the horrors, al
most understandable. of contract labor in
prisons. ! saw nothing of that at At
lanta--typc of another wild prcad sys-
tenn Of prison work-thoL n I heard
enough about 1t from men who had
undergone it in State prisons. Iut dur
ing the few first days of my imprison-
ment / saw building gang at work
Ito call 1t work. upon a new wing des-
tined to contain dormitorics for the in
mates. 1t was to be a seemly structure
Of granite. massive and well propor-
toned. But after three days work on
1t was stopped and was not resumed
until a week before I left this prison.
six months or so later.
Meanwhile ] read in the congress
siondl Record the report of n debate In
the House in which on the authority Of
a Texas Representative charges Of graft
or waste were laid against persons con-
cerned In the erection Of this building
which seemed incredible. but of which l
was able to find no refutation. The
hospital building is open to the same
criticism, and another. which 7 believe Is
designed to be the laundry, had got no
further at the date of my arrival than a
square hole in the ground and when I
left had been furthered by a single
course OF stone or cement laid round
the hole. \ New York contractor, graft
or no graft, would have had all three II
them finished and in commission in the
same time and with no better material
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-01-18

the prison. what is the use IF making
them return to the prison at all. or Of
having any prison for them to return To-?
IL not their conviction prison enough
for most Of them? And for such as
prove inoorrigihlc, or are criminal de-
generates. ought not pathological care"
instead ~ penal slavery, to be provided:
Prof. MarchiafaNa, physician to the
Pope. said recently: Eighty per cent.
If youthful criminals are children Of
drunkards." That Is serious indict-
mont Of alcohol; but il indicts no less
the policy which Furnishes Victims Of
disease as II they w"r" delibcrat" and
freely choosing indicators.
Before leaving sick folk out of the
argument, | say that, III view of Mr.,
Fcnton's experiment. ana others like il,
conviction is prison enough for most
persons who have shipped a cog in their
moral machinery. Means could readily
be found To make such persons rr,oc
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-01-18

There are some forty score men be-
hind the bars who would rejoice Ia he
allowed to put these grounds in order
and who under proper guidance could
do the job in month. 1t would he II
useful work, It would benefit the men
both In the doing and in the accomplish
ment and II would he an excellent adj
vertisement Of the penitcntiary for the
visitors who daily stroll about the en-
closure; Yet months and years 90 by
and nothing whatever is changed.
One day in midsummer I saw a gang
OF negroes digging n trench in front of
the southern gate and cutting ont n
heavy growth of weeds and undcrbrush
on the slope above. Drain pipes were
carted out and dumped in the vicinity
Of the trench and tire" ar four of
them were laid down in it.
This went on for three or four days.
the whole gang Of ten or a dozen men
not achieving in that period more han
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-01-18

nizable at need and they would have as
great a stimulus to rcnd,l themselves
free from that stigma a. they have now,
and far better opportunities FOR doing II.
They would have their families with
them. or within touch. ana they would
no longer be slaves and II they had
been slaves to their own passions and
propcnsitics the cxpcdiency OF breaking
such chains would bccom" far more OBJ
vious than 1t ever can bc when n guard
and warden are always round the cor
ner waiting to club ar dungeon them for
infringement Of n whiinSic., prison rule
1t does not help man t. h. manhood
To see his Keepers acting constantly the
part Of tyrants and .ortdr,rs.
This Is perhaps Il novel doctrine. be.
cause. as the editorial writer in the
saturday ErcHiup Post remarked the
other day: The truth l., that at least
two times ont of three, We send a man
to Jail because we do not know anything
rational to do with him and will not
take the pains to find out" We lack
imagination Ia devise NOR" effective
treatment. ana "" are Wonderfully ig-
norant ~ To what prison treatment
really means. And this Indictment lies
not only against til" pubic AT large
but against the Department of jus
tice and the Congress who pass their
judgments and infiict their penalties
without in the least understanding what
they are doing to human bodies and
souls like their own.
Jail is the conventional ana tim, hon
orcd nostrum. which is administered
with glow If moral self-cstecm. and
no more Thought about II. When y muir.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-01-18
COnvicts engaged in street paving.

1t cannot be that the Government de-
lihcratcly PROPOSES to destroy convicts.
mind and body; on the contrary. WE
must suppose that II wishes to reform
them and render them again useful
agents in the community. There IL no
way to do this better than To give them
honest ana productive work while In
jail 50 that they may acquire the habit
Of such work and u" encouraged 4"
pursue IL when they get out.
i'ut in order to induce them to work
economically it is Indispensable To give
them continuous. intelligent and mani
testify useful work and to pay them for
doing 1t. II can he and it is don" in
some jails even now.
Warden Fcnton Of the Nebraska State
prison has been putting his men on the
,.nn"r system and sending squads Of
them out to work ON farms or for con-
tractors. without guards or other pre-
cautions. sometimes for weeks at n
time; all he asks at them is their
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-01-18

Az. men are not paiu LOT what 'hey
w. h"'e'er Piont Nh contract
i,'',' men 'o'i Ho''
NV, ''e po'" va ''e 'o'''."''o'S' W
n'p "s.u W uetr'! aie Cost u
.ne.r Keep 10 ''e community W again.
- =. - n',ue 10 appear 70 go INTO 'ht
',y,in ,hs na>, ,,,.,,''', w. ~, ,,,,,,, '
svs,cr, ~ tmos wbich ~ ,,r,,nnsr c,r
.scono
In shor, nriso, labor f.. .l,,o ,,,.,
MI .,,,o ,.I,r -, . u..,,,,, rin, ,hor
va. .yor ,r,c,is.,d Il, ,,.,,,.a .,o,,r,
times For an Snu,h.rn ,L,n,,,innS
,hougb slaves w.r. ma, ia ,n,,.s ,h.,
gn, w,cos, yvnr,r, In nn", 60 anJ
i,Ioing ona ,nni,nrn,l,n IN hur,oro
,r,,tn,en, inc,n1inr ah,y. al, ,ho con-
n, nionshin -, ,h.ir n.,,..s AMI ,a,,i,ia..
and they were able in many instances
:, Inv themselves into ,r,,I,n, ,ios,
NJ ~, n.or,,.s n,,r.,.,.ar han go
kr,wn VII, !, WINS ,n ~, ,ra... hi
raca for g.rer,,Inrs unl,nn,cr haI
rs.n slaves in ,h,',r n,., ,'',,r,r,.. ,ha,.
h,d r.,..r i.oor ,r.. o,,,vnms 49,.
Until S,o,.s ra,..r had .a,,oo,,or
uars urcnnsciors n, anu a;srroos -,
,h.,r cond,,inr ana w. nc ha,n,, ~.
ev.r in ,b.ir l,vas ,h.,, had haon or
were capable of being. hammer indeed
| han most negroes are in tho c,m.
| mun;ty To-day In ali resnects their
| condition COMPARES favoroblv with ina,
of our half million annua, nr,son slaves
monufacturcd deIiherateIv out ~ n,,r
,wn flesh and blood.
,,.oa o. ,o,,ou,,,,.. A.. ,,,,.,,,
| +. i' wy S"n -
-. - -, 10. ,,',,.,
-. ~, '"u n,i ouM q" @ ,o,,"s,n w ,Sa
oar,"n,arir" ,ha ',r.ann, ", ,h, ,orn.
m. farming in rho nrison grounds o1t
| side tho wa,Is and ,be wnrk NJ cIearinp
and GRADING an tho ar.o which tho walls
enclosed and / mary.lIed M tho dsnro.
nor,Ion
Eipht hundred man MANY NJ than
skilled in this or that industrial en-.
n,,,,n,.r, MOS, n, thor, nbys,coI,y on ma l..
Lilo 30 an,;,,, ,ahor ard oi,,ns, aiI n,
| ,h.r, aacar 20 wnrL 70 g,,,an in,.IIiyont
ana usefni wor,, IN do mt n f.w ,no
;n,a,,ac,uoi,y and aduc.,iono,,,, .,,,,;nnad
- Man ana direct Jnd,,s,rrai ,nsra,inns
ara vet With al, hi. .roo, ,o,on,IoI
| 60. a., onn,mond oil Tho, NC oo,uai,,
ACKNOWLEDGMENT ,,iah, ha,.a h.a,, a.. a,
u.o,I or n.t,ar h,, a cnrnorars Guar, y,
willing and we'll manag.d man
r,'
.''e e,o',," W"s'e VI su." ma
49, .,, aeaa, -. H., $500, ''ia
vi " W '"p
pa 49, "'n ' "'1' a. on" ''s
nv. ~, $50 .,, m :. -, asn.u ". ISL
a, ' .ns n,'" "S"n. m'ss 20 i''. .l
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-01-18
THE Toll. OF SLAVERY

An Indictment of the Widespread Sys-
tenn of Prison Work of Which Atlanta
Penitentiary Presents a Type; Sys-
tenn Which Is Described as Killing
Manhood and Mind Through Its Lack
of Incentive and Aim
Evening star., 1914-05-17
A Travellers Luggage.

Z VEN a careful trunk packer may not
/. know some of the secrets which are
worth knowing. The French woman
woman puts in three First she begins
with the dress skirt. which Is always
placed in the bottom of the trunk. At
each end are strips Of tape securely
tackled along the edge. and to this tape
the skirt Is pinned with long hat pins.
both at the belt and at the hem. which
prevents it from slipping to one end.
Handkerchiefs. belts. neckwear and other
small articles are placed in labeled boxes.
In some trunks there is a tray for shirt
waists and they are separated from one
another with strips of canvas hooked with
metal hooks into metal rings on each
side. The waists are pinned top and bot
tom to the strips. Stockings are rolled
and used instead OF tissue paper for
stuffing the sleeves. A trunk packed in
this manner IS secure. can be carried
thousands Of miles, arriving in good con-
dition at the journeys end.
The problem Of hand luggage Is an i'm
portant one. When buying bags and suit
cases make lightness the chief essential
See that the frame is strong. Better get
a cheaper one and buy often than one
with trimmings and straps of leather to
add to your load. Often there is not
time to get a bag checked and 1t must
be carried The fiber suit case is a boon
both strong and light. An umbrella is a
troublesome thing to the traveller and for
this reason the collapsible kind Is the
best for the purpose.
Evening star., 1914-05-17

John d. Rockefeller, was a member OF
the building committee; so was Henry P.
Crowel president of the Quaker Oats
Company
Others in the congregation are Cyrus
Fl. Mccormick, president of the 1nterna-
tional Harvester Company; Mrs. Nettie F.
Mccormick widow of the inventor;
lanes B. Forgan, president of the First
National Bank of Chicago: Moses J.
Wentworth and Thomas d. Jones. cap
jtalists. and David 3. Jones. president
of the Mineral Point Zinc Company.
The church pays its pastor nearly Slo.-
Ouo a year. has an assistant pastor,
pastor for Persian church and another
Tar a Bohemian church in the city and
maintains a corps OF enlpioses II haS q
membership OF l,ooe
The commissioners who will represent
me Presbytery of Washington city will
Lave Washington Tuesday at noon
They will be accompanied by Rev. t.
+ Davis stated clerk of the presbytery.
the ust including Rev. Edward n. Kirby.
nastor of the Rallston, Va, Presbyterian
Church: Rev Thomas &. Clark, pastor
of the Takoma PARK Presbyterian
Church: Rev j. w Wightman and
Messrs. Howard Clements OF Western
Church. j. Z. Deets of Neelsville, Md,
Church, and Alexander Davidson OF
Garden Memorial Church.
Rev. DR.. Wallace Radcliffe pastor OF
the New York Avenue Presbyterian
church. who has some prominent COM
lnittee work TO dispose of early in the
assembly, leaves tomorrow for Chicago,
while Rev Paul Robinson Hickok, pas
tor Of METROPOLITAN Presbyterian Church.
who Is to address the assembly May
- will not leave the city until Friday.
Evening star., 1914-05-17

, If it is touched with q little grease. and
then apply cold cream ~ almond oil to
the throat, working il wpll into the skin
with rotary movements and leaving IT
on during the rest. Lie DOWN then with
out a pillow. the head a little lower than
the shoulders that the skin of the
neck will be stretched tight. Do the deep
breathing with this. as the throat is both
rounded and hardened with breathing eX-
ercises. and on getting up wash the skin
with little hot water and pure soap. rim
sing at last with tcpid water doctored
with little benzoin
If the throat is much stained with high
collars or dress dyes. after taking off the
grease rub il with the cut side of fresh
cucumber rind. leaving the juice on some
ten minutes. With all use of the head
don fail to remember that one thing will
improve the throat and another injure it
holding the chin high is the sovereign
trick for preventing the rapid formation
of the scragsiness that invades all human
throats after forty. So don't Slouch your
head over on the chest when you are do
ing nothing: keep the chin so much out
that the drop will he at the back of the
head. Along with the benefit to the shin
of the throat that this simple trick gives
the poiSe is a becoming ou,. for the head
ttoryrigEt. 1al4b
Evening star., 1914-05-17

Sin never satisfies. All its pleasures
are 'for a season" Then comes re-
morse to eat out the heart and make the
soul hate itself. There is no content
ment in sin Those who live in wicked
ness must go from sin to sin. seeking a
delight that is never found. until repen-
tant, life's direction is changed and the
foot of the blood d-stained cross is reached.
\ =
There is only one place in heaven and
earth where a man may get rid OF his
sins. and that is at Calvarys crest.
There is only one way by which sin $
burden may be lifted, and that IS by
faith in the Lord Jesus Christ
!; * X
We cannot walk the worlds way and
keep company with Christ
Doing ones duty is the only heroism
ANYTHING short of duty is cowardice.
Beyond it one cannot go: yet it is i'm
possible for a person to do more than his
duty. That is why the disclaimer of
modest heroes so often and properly is
II did only my duty" The persons who
become notable in heroism are generally
Evening star., 1914-05-17
Tbougbts for the Dap.

those who have always been notable in
their obedience to duty.
4 4 X r
Many people thronged near to the per-
son OF Christ during the days of His pop
ularity. but only few were by His side
at the time of His rejection. The first
never We're truly close TO the real Christ.
that was Il boon reserved only for those
who were willing TO go with Him through
all the way tha His footsteps walked.
x 4
We cannot enjoy communion with
Christ unless we are willing TO cross the
brook and enter with Him the gloomy
garden on the hillside. II We Will not
have His compansionship through all eA-
periences we cannot have il at all.
4 * : =
1t is a trustful eye that sees furthest
into the heart of God. Ways that are
dark to wisdom are bright to faith.
4 Z
The hypocrite is in all walks Of life.
and even in the lower order OF nature
there are deceptions which may be
classed as hypocrisy. But il Is in re-
ligion that the hypocrite is worst. The
deliberate hypocrite is an odious person.
Evening star., 1914-05-17
THE REST HOUR.

WHEN lying down for this rest, IT is
never wise to have the head too
high, as the pillow. or a very small one,
brings the most restful results to nerves,
and in this position the deep, regular and
conscious breathing required for soothing
the nerves, developing the chest and aid
ing digestion is more possible. And re-
garding the breath that passes through
the lungs. let me tell you that it is the
most important thing connected with the
human body.
Correct breathing reneWs the blood.
strengthens the heart, improves the com
plexion, induces sleep. grinds up food and
lifts the spirits from despair to peace.
Physical well-being depends upon ii, as
do beauty and orderly nerves. Do a little
breathing stunt, then. with the rest hour.
or half hour, every day, seeing that there
isn't thread of clothing to bind any
where and that the spine touches the bed.
A hard mattress is better for this than a
soft one and, of course. there must be
plenty of fresh air in the room, as re-
breathing stale air does more harm than
good with the deep lung exercises. In
cases of over-fatigue, deep breathing for
ten minutes will bring the greatest re-
lief.
For improving the throat whitening
and softening the skin and hardening the
muscles. the lounging moment allows
many opportunities. Put some sort Of
an old loose garment that won't be hurt
Evening star., 1914-05-17

and he is also foolish. For at the root OF
all his pretending lies the assumption
that ne can deceive everybody. Only
rare genius can do this.
Most hypocrites are rated at their true
yalue by most OF the people who know
them But the exceeding folly ~ tht'
hyIaerite consists IN the delusion that he
can deceive God. For religion is essen
TALLY a matter between the individual
and his Judge; and ii hypocrisy does
not avail with God = is a vain thing.
and a reason for punishment. The hypo-
critic blunders at the outset, Tor he FOR
gets that while man looks on the out
ward appearance. God looks upon the
heart 4 first factor in the Christian re-
ligion is the all-knowingness of Jehovah.
God sees everything. From Him there Is
nothing hid. The secret pages OF tho
heart are an open book TO Him.
There is no failure for the firm in which
Christ is copartner.
Christs standards are good for Two
worlds.
+
We must be willing to go Christ : way
if We would wa,k Al His side.
Fear always springs from gncrancs.-
Emerson.