The New York herald., 1920-01-18

leptically inclined or psychopathic cases
In other words, the Bedford staff is given
many women to educate who are abso-
lutey incapable of education under exist
ing standards and facilities there.
The officials point out that some OF
these prisoners should be sent elsewhere
for treatment and that, to handle others,
notably psychopathc cases, nurses and
experts are sorely needed They are also
clamoring for funds to enable the institu-
ton to employ psychologist and a psy-
chiatrist to mentally examine and CLASSIFY
inmates. Most of the employees the re-
forrnatory now has are miserably under
paid.
The mental status of a prisoner who goes
on the warpath determines, in a measure,
whether she requires punishment or
merely restraint. Some get rough during
periods of mental responsibility. while
others carry on through sheer deviltry.
The irresponsible must be treated and the
devlish chastised
From general appearances many OF those
who have testified against the methods
Of punishment, including handwriting and
dipping their heads in water to calm them,
are just mischievous
Some inmates have said that, with their
hands handcuffed behind their backs. they
were suspended or STRUNG up" by the
hands with their feet off the floor. This
the officials all deny.
1t is worthy of note that none OF the
attendants who testified in denial of al
LEGGED crueltes asked to be covered up
This incident is unmportant, perhaps, only
so far as 1t shows the character Of some OF
those behind the assault on the manage
ment.
! AS to girls being strung up" when
handcuffed, and in the manner described.
four expert surgeons have informed Com
missioner Kennedy that it couldn't be done
without inflicting torture and serious in
jury to the person so abused DR.. Amos
o. Squire, former naval lieutenant and
head physician at Sing Sing. had it tried
on guard there. The suspended guard
not alone writhed with pain but over
turned so that he was in the position of
standing on his head
/ Expert opinion. at least, contradicts Bed
ford prisoners who say they were punished
for misconduct in this fashion. The aver
age layman sometimes forgets that some
criminals have a loose regard for the
truth. In prison life when inmates testify
they usually exaggerate and often lie. II
they had conscientious scruples they
wouldn't be where they are. II any pris-
loner was ever strung up" off the floor
around Bedford, not one of its officials
has been found to defend such a barbarous
torture as this would be.
The wonder is that the officials handle
this class of prisoners as well as they do.
The bulk of them have always been ac-
customed to having their own fling and are
drawn from that element which const-
tutes a sinister phase Of the big cty's
gay night life.
Bedford prisoners gave a demonstration
of self-goVernment without discipline over
three years ago. Then they broke a ton
and a half Of window glass In single
month, smashed crockery and wrecked
furniture and equipment galore
Soon as some punishments were intro
duced the vandalism pretty generally
stopped. If reasonable punitive measures
are again abolished. officials cannot tell
how they are going TO maintain order.
Frankly. they say they do not know