Evening journal., 1915-03-16


tion from personal experience and if
/ had been allowed to address the Leg
islaturc when the pillory was abol-
ished such measure would never have
been passed.
Many reforms are TO be introduced in
the whipping OF convicts. TO make tho
punishment more efficient by increas-
ing The shame. The value OF the
whipping post is not i'm the number
OF force of the blows, out in the
shame OF being whipped in public. DO
like they do III Maryland. fog wife
beaters in private and you will not
only kill the efficiency of the lash.
but you give birth TO a spirit OF re-
venge in the heart OF the convict
There is no shame to be whipped in
private I'm a corner of the Jail by a
guard, who often is no better than the
convict himself Al least. u is the
sentiment Of all prisoners; they say
that prison guards are loaiers. who
cannot work but who use political
pull 10 get "A cinch. In Delaware IL
is different with the public whipping.
A convict is so ashamed of himself
that he has nc room ror a grudgc
against tho man plying the lash.
II is impossible for any one TO dc
pict the worst suifrrings of a convict
a. the post unless ne Is one of the
,ictims. Outsiders. not even the war
den. know what Is taking place, he
cause mon in general and criminals
in particular are not sincere. Strong,
healthy men, criminals who sleep on
hard floors. fighters, etc, make mis-
erahle display at the post Some have
received worse blows in their life,
yet they scream before the lash
touches them. they twist into convul-
sions, etc. merely TO gain sympathy.
If. after the whipping you could visit
them, you would find them laughing in
their sleeve, at the show they gave
at the post. / am talking from OK
perience. Some good persons visited
me in the New Castle jail and were
so sorry that I was going to receive
the lash. As I wanted some tobacco,
gained their sympathy by showing
great fear OF the lash. When tie
day came. had prepared myself 10
give a sad demonstration at the post
but as / had not counted on the pill
lory, by plans were changed. The
pillory had done such a good reform
work that when I had TO face the
post, ! received the lash like a man
without tremor.
have not been the only one 10 de-
ceive charitable persons. This has
been done and is done today in every
prison of the United States. Men
show repentance. cOntrition. even
pray with the ministers. merely TO
receive some favors and as soon as
they are released. they return to a
life of crime.
You cannot read the criminal unless
you are one. The criminal is skepti-
cal, he sees spies and he will not
confide in any one unless IL is a
bona fide convict All other attempts
are fruitless. The great trouble OF
today is to study all these important
questions in a cozy, comfortable par
lor. This reform is going too far, We
are going to make our prisons sO
home-like and comfortable, that the
men out of work will commit a crime
to be boarded by the State. You can
not blame the wave of crime in New
York. What can the poor fellow risk
| when he is down and out? When IN
| ragged clothes, shoes taking water
no underwear. no overcoat, he is freez
ing and starving. He is tempted b.
a purse, a gold watch, or a diamond
There is a chance. If he can ge
away with the plumber, he will hav,
some money to dress himself, TO ca
and to hire a real clean bed, not on
of those cots full OF vermin. If n
fails. nc will be sent 10 the peniten
tiary, where he will get a good bath
be given some good warm clothing
assigned To a clean cell with A spot
less bed. he is always provided Will
books and an electric light in his cell
During the week he Is entertained
with lectures. motion pictures, plays
etc. Can you blame him TO try {,
get your watch? No.
We have too much false charity.
In the penitentaries OF New Yorl
and Chicago and at the jail of NeV
Castle, have been visited by man
OF those charitable persons but the
did me no good. The pillory save
me. After leaving the penitentiary @
New York, ] returned To my board
ing house and told them | had bee
on a western trip; they believed m'
went on Broadway and other mai
streets, unconcerned, each time
would meet a friend II was the sam
excuse of a western trip and no on
doubted me When ! left New Cast,
Il was a different story. I did nc
20 on Market street. Wilmington.
was too afraid to meet some one. {
say. Il saw him i'm the pillory an
at the post" As ! had been expose
publicly. ! was ever afraid to me'
in Philadelphia and New YORK. me
TO point their finger at me.
, Unless ! stop. ! would bother yo
! with a hundred pages. As I do n,
wish to take up too much of you
time / believe that these few pag,
will convince you that / have gaine
a very valuable experience whic
could be used 10 save the post at N
Legislature of 1917 and To show goc
results as to induce other States (
copy old Delaware.
One very important reform IS
show the judges that they are sondin
many new criminals to perdition /
remitting the lash on a first oifcns
This is the time to strike the heaN
blow. A man is arrested While
iail waiting for his trial he has TN
n ghost of post before him. Tho iudl
$ RENTS the lash and as the criminal
. agreeably surprised, he comes to Il
. conclusion that a criminal life is n
5. so bad after all. He then listens
other convicts and he gradually pc
fects his criminal education, TO
ready to operate ri his release. II q
Judge wants TO show leniency. let hi
remit the lashes of the Old unredeei
able convicts. the ones that nothii
e can save. The lash on the back
these old cOnvicts is a waste of tir
and energy. while the same lash h