Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1921-04-29
HONOR SYSTEM SUCCESSFUL
Every Man on Personal Parole Day
and Nieht in Delaware Prison..

guards are few and rules are rarely
broken; where life-termers work un-
guarded outside the prison walls and
where punishment, when needed is
decided on and administered by the
prisoners-thiS is the New Castle
Workhouse, in the outskirts Of this
city, where a remarkable experiment
in penology is being carried out by a
warden who believes men the world
over are being driven to crime by ex-
listing prison methods.
The New Castle County Workhouse
this month relates q Wilmington, Del
aware dispatch rounds out its first
year under the direction Of Mordecai
S. Plumner, the warden who \insti-
tuted the "honor system in May 1920.
There are today 337 prisoners, slight
ly more than half of them colored.
Mr.. Plummer believes that crime is
q mental affliction and that men can
be 'cured" by proper treatment. He
believes that IS per cent. of the men
in prisons are morally sound and that
only per cent. are "incurable." It is
his theory that kindly and human in
terest shown in prisoner inspire him
with the conviction that society is his
friend, not his enemy and that he will
respond by becoming useful member
of society. In recent address to the
states legislature in behalf of a parole
law similar to the end enacted in Wis
consin, he declared:
Most jails are schools of vice. hot
beds Of disease, leprous, foul and i'm
moral, where abnormal conditions per-
vert and unbalance the mind, where
men become mere elemental beasts and
where initiative and energy is sap
ped"
In the carrying out of Warden
Plummer's theory, the internal affairs
of the workhouse are administered by
the prisoners themselves, through an
honor committee" of eight men,
whose chairman is a man serving
eighteen years for manslaughter and
which includes on it's membership
three "life termers." There are var.
d. .is,:s4 sub committees on cleanliness
morals. recreation and other matters.
T. prisoner who breaks rule is re-
ported. tried by the committee, which
sits every ui':!ll. ;.m,i punishment met
ed out. This takes the form of partial
withdrawal OF privileges and, in eX
treme cases ostracism by the other
prisoners, which it is declared, is the
punishment felt most keenly. The cul-
prit is represented by counsel at these
hearings and may appeal to the war
den, but rarely docs.
There are now only six guards in
the institution. These are in the main
stationed at the doors and carry the
keys. The prisoners have their meals
and recreation without a guard pres
ent, do their work unguarded and
leave in patches for work on the sur
rounding farm with one of their own
number in charge. In the tailor shop,
$50 men work all day Ions under the
sole supervision of men selected by
themselves.
The prison is scrupulously clean.
The men have band Of % pieces.
a glee club, two baseball teams and
dramatic societies. They are allowed
visitors 1t any time when 1t will not
Interfere with their work, and may
be seen in the corridors near the en-
tancc conversing freely with relatives.
Gifts are not restricted. '"They can
bring them dynamite if they want"
said the warden. ut wouldn't be
used"
In the main corridor is a store where
candy. tobacco, SOAP, toilet articles
Gncluding razors) biscuits and novel
ties arc sold at cost.
The prisoners work eight hours a
day and have from $50 until S p. III.
for recreation, in addition to having
free access to the yard or recreation
rooms during the day when tasks are
finished ahead of time or are tcmpor-
arily lacking.
Only six prisoners have attempted
to escape under the honor system"
Three of these were recapturcd and
punished by their fellows.
On the Saturday half holiday, base
ball games are played, with outside
teams sometimes present, and many
spectators. On Sundays. church SER
vices Of every denomination are held,
in fact the honor system" is based
on the Bible. Warden plummer says,
and it is 10 religious influence he looks
for his results.
The PRISONS work is not finished on
discharge. The warden's first task is
TO find the prisoner employment with
a firm which will overlook his prison
record and help him along. ~ local
shipyard has employed scores of dis
charged men. The former inlnat"
comes to the warden frequently for
advice and assistance, sometimes fl
nancial.
- The business portion of Great
Falls, Chester county, sustained 4