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NEW SERIES NUMBER 40

THE JOURNAL OF PRISON DISCIPLINE AND PHILANTHROPY

PUBLISHED ANNUALLY

UNDER THE DIRECTION OF “THE PENNSYLVANIA PRISON SOCIETY.” INSTITUTED MAY 8th, 1787.

JANUARY, 1901.

OFFICE: STATE HOUSE ROW S. W. CORNER FIFTH AND CHESTNUT STREETS PHILADELPHIA, PA.

CONSTITUTION OF THE PENNSYLVANIA PRISON SOCIETY.

When we consider that the obligations of benevolence, which are founded on the precept and examples of the Author of Christianity, are not cancelled by the follies or crimes of our fellow-creatures, and when we reflect upon the miseries, which penury, hunger, cold, unnecessary severity, unwholesome apartments, and guilt (the usual attendants of prisons) involve with them, it becomes us to extend our compassion to that part of mankind who are the subjects of those miseries. By the aid of humanity their undue and illegal sufferings may be prevented; the link which should bind the whole family of mankind together, under all circumstances, be preserved unbroken; and such degree and modes of punishment may be discovered and suggested as may, instead of continuing habits of vice, become the means of restoring our fellow-creatures to virtue and happiness. From a conviction of the truth and obligations of these principles, the subscribers have associated themselves under the title of “THE PENNSYLVANIA PRISON SOCIETY.”

For effecting these purposes they have adopted the following CONSTITUTION:

ARTICLE I.

The officers of the Society shall consist of a President, two Vice-Presidents, two Secretaries, a Treasurer, who may be an undoubted first-class Trust and Safe Deposit Company, regularly chartered by the State or national authorities; two Counsellors, and an Acting Committee; all of whom shall first be nominated as suitable by the “Committee on Membership in the Acting Committee,” a standing committee of that body. They shall be chosen by ballot at the annual meeting of the Society to be held on the fourth Thursday in the First month (January) of each year, and shall continue in office until their successors are elected.

No person shall be placed in nomination for officers of the Society, or as a member of the Acting Committee who shall not have been previously appointed by a standing committee of the Acting Committee called “The Committee on Membership in the Acting Committee.” A majority of the whole number of votes cast shall be required to elect any nominee.

In case an election for any cause shall not then be held, it shall be the duty of the President to call a special meeting of the Society, within thirty days, for the purpose of holding such election, of which at least three days’ notice shall be given.

ARTICLE II.

The President shall preside in all Meetings, and subscribe all public acts of the Society. He may call special meetings whenever he may deem it expedient, and shall do so when requested in writing by five members. In his absence one of the Vice-Presidents may act in his place.

ARTICLE III.

The Secretaries shall keep fair records of the proceedings of the Society, and shall conduct its correspondence.

ARTICLE IV.

The Treasurer shall keep the moneys and securities, and pay all orders of the Society, or of the Acting Committee signed by the presiding officer and the Secretary, and shall present a statement of the receipts and expenditures at each stated meeting of the Society, and an Annual Report at the annual meeting in the First month (January).

All investments and re-investments shall be made by the Treasurer only with the advice and consent of a majority of the members of the Finance Committee of the Acting Committee.

All bequests and life subscriptions shall be safely invested, only the income thereof to be applied to the current expenses of the Society.

[CONTINUED ON THIRD PAGE OF COVER.]

NEW SERIES NUMBER 40

THE JOURNAL OF PRISON DISCIPLINE AND PHILANTHROPY

PUBLISHED ANNUALLY

UNDER THE DIRECTION OF “THE PENNSYLVANIA PRISON SOCIETY.” INSTITUTED MAY 8TH, 1787.

JANUARY, 1901.

OFFICE: STATE HOUSE ROW S. W. CORNER FIFTH AND CHESTNUT STREETS PHILADELPHIA, PA.

THE

PENNSYLVANIA PRISON SOCIETY

(FORMERLY CALLED THE PHILADELPHIA SOCIETY FOR ALLEVIATING THE MISERIES OF PUBLIC PRISONS.)

Place of Meeting, State House Row, Philadelphia. S. W. Cor. Fifth and Chestnut Sts.

At the 114th Annual Meeting of “THE PENNSYLVANIA PRISON SOCIETY,” held on the evening of the First month (January) 24th, 1901, the Editorial Board (appointed to take charge of the Journal and papers and the Annual Report), consisting of REV. R. HEBER BARNES, CHARLES M. MORTON, JOHN J. LYTLE, REV. H. CRESSON MCHENRY and REV. GEORGE A. LATIMER, presented the draft of the Annual Report.

The Society directed the Editorial Board to print 5000 copies, and to make such alterations and additions as they thought proper.

The report to be signed by the President and Secretary.

JOHN J. LYTLE, _Secretary_.

Editorial Board for 1901: REV. R. HEBER BARNES, Chairman; CHARLES M. MORTON, JOHN J. LYTLE, REV. H. CRESSON MCHENRY, REV. GEORGE A. LATIMER.

Persons receiving the Journal are invited to correspond with, and send any publications on Prison and Prison Discipline, and articles for the Journal, to the Chairman of the Editorial Board, 600 North Thirty-second Street, Philadelphia, Pa., or to the General Secretary, Philadelphia, S. W. cor. Fifth and Chestnut Streets.

👉 JOHN J. LYTLE, Office S. W. cor. Fifth and Chestnut Streets, Philadelphia, is the General Secretary of the Society, giving especial attention to the Eastern Penitentiary.

👉 J. J. CAMP, Agent for County Prison, appointed by the Inspectors, acts under their direction, and aids the Prison Society.

👉 FREDERICK J. POOLEY is Agent for the County Prison, appointed by the Prison Society.

OFFICERS OF THE SOCIETY FOR 1901.

_President_:

CALEB J. MILNE.

_Vice Presidents_:

REV. HERMAN L. DUHRING, D.D., GEORGE W. HALL.

_Treasurer_:

CHARLES M. MORTON.

_Secretaries_:

JOHN J. LYTLE, FREDERICK J. POOLEY.

_Counselors_:

HON. WM. N. ASHMAN, HENRY S. CATTELL.

_Members of the Acting Committee_:

William Ingram, Rev. William S. Neill, Rev. Joseph Welch, Leonard N. Walker, William T. W. Jester, Joseph C. Noblit, P. H. Spellissy, Deborah C. Leeds, Miss C. V. Hodges, John H. Dillingham, Rev. Robert W. Forsyth, Joseph Hill Brinton, John Woolman, George Guest Williams, Rebecca P. Latimer, Dr. Emily J. Ingram, Thomas B. Watson, Rev. Floyd W. Tomkins, Wm. Scattergood, Mrs. Horace Fassett, Rev. Wm. T. S. Lumbar, Mrs. P. W. Lawrence, Rev. H. Cresson McHenry, Randolph H. Chappel, Mary S. Whelen, Esther Strawbridge, Rev. Michael Zara, Isaac Slack, William F. Overman, William F. Schwartz, William Koelle, Rev. John Moncure, Charles F. Cripps, Rev. R. Heber Barnes, J. Albert Koons, Harry Kennedy, Rev. Geo. A. Latimer, Lindley H. Bedell, Catharine M. Shipley, Dr. Wm. C. Stokes, Samuel L. Whitson, Layyah A. Barakat, J. Henry Bartlett, George R. Meloney, Rev. J. F. Ohl, Rev. Joseph J. Camp, Walter Crossing, William E. Tatum.

_Visiting Committee, the Eastern State Penitentiary_:

Charles M. Morton, Rev. Robert W. Forsyth, Joseph Hill Brinton, Rev. H. L. Duhring, George Guest Williams, Rebecca P. Latimer, John J. Lytle, Thomas B. Watson, Rev. Floyd W. Tomkins, Leonard N. Walker, Mrs. Horace Fassett, Rev. Wm. T. S. Lumbar, P. H. Spellissy, Rev. H. Cresson McHenry, Randolph H. Chappel, John H. Dillingham, Esther Strawbridge, Rev. Michael Zara, Mary S. Whelen, William F. Overman, William F. Schwartz, Isaac Slack, J. Albert Koons, Charles F. Cripps, William Koelle, Lindley H. Bedell, Harry Kennedy, Rev. R. Heber Barnes, Samuel L. Whitson, Catharine M. Shipley, Rev. Geo. A. Latimer, George R. Meloney, Layyah A. Barakat, Dr. Wm. C. Stokes, Walter Crossing, Rev. J. F. Ohl, J. Henry Bartlett, Rev. Joseph Welch, Rev. William S. Neill, William T. W. Jester, Joseph C. Noblit, William E. Tatum.

_Visiting Committee, the Philadelphia County Prisons_:

George W. Hall, Mary S. Whelen, Mrs. Horace Fassett, William Ingram, Frederick J. Pooley, Rev. John Moncure, John Woolman, Rev. Joseph J. Camp, Miss C. V. Hodges, Mrs. P. W. Lawrence, Rev. William S. Neill, Catharine M. Shipley, P. H. Spellissy, William T. W. Jester, Layyah A. Barakat. Deborah C. Leeds,

COMMITTEES OF THE SOCIETY FOR 1901.

_Visiting Committee to Chester County Prison._

WILLIAM SCATTERGOOD.

_Visiting Committee to Delaware County Prison, and the Counties of the State at Large._

DEBORAH C. LEEDS.

_Visiting Committee, the House of Correction._

LINDLEY H. BEDELL, MARY S. WHELEN, WM. T. W. JESTER, REV. WM. S. NEILL, DEBORAH C. LEEDS, JOHN WOOLMAN, REV. JOHN MONCURE, REV. H. CRESSON McHENRY, CATHARINE M. SHIPLEY, LAYYAH A. BARAKAT.

STANDING COMMITTEES.

_Library._

LINDLEY H. BEDELL, FREDERICK J. POOLEY, WILLIAM INGRAM.

_Accounts._

JOSEPH C. NOBLIT, WILLIAM F. OVERMAN, THOMAS B. WATSON.

_Membership in the Acting Committee._

JOHN J. LYTLE, DR. WM. C. STOKES, GEORGE W. HALL, J. HENRY BARTLETT, REV. H. CRESSON McHENRY.

_Finance._

REV. R. HEBER BARNES, JOHN J. LYTLE, CHARLES M. MORTON, GEORGE W. HALL, LINDLEY H. BEDELL.

_Memorials of Deceased Members._

REV. GEORGE A. LATIMER, REV. JOHN MONCURE.

_Aid and Employment of Discharged Prisoners._

ISAAC SLACK, REV. HERMAN L. DUHRING, REV. JOSEPH WELCH, WILLIAM KOELLE, CHARLES F. CRIPPS, F. J. POOLEY, MRS. P. W. LAWRENCE, MRS. HORACE FASSETT, REV. WM. S. NEILL, MISS C. V. HODGES.

_Police Matrons at Station Houses._

DR. EMILY J. INGRAM, MARY S. WHELEN, MRS. P. W. LAWRENCE.

_Editorial, of the Journal._

REV. R. HEBER BARNES, JOHN J. LYTLE, CHARLES M. MORTON, REV. H. CRESSON McHENRY, REV. GEO. A. LATIMER.

_Auditing Committee._

REV. R. HEBER BARNES, LINDLEY H. BEDELL, GEORGE W. HALL.

TABLE OF CONTENTS.

PAGE

Twentieth Century View of the Public Mind 7 Reformation of Prisoners; Change of Sentiment 7 The Eastern State Penitentiary 8 Parole and Indeterminate Sentence 8 Acting Committee Work; Official Visitors 9 Prison Agent; Care of Discharged Prisoners 9 Philadelphia County Prison, Moyamensing 10 “ “ “ Woman’s Ward and Work 11 “ “ “ Annex, Holmesburg Junction 11 House of Correction, Holmesburg Junction 12 Juvenile Offenders, and this City’s Cost of Crime 13 Police Matrons; Needs of a Woman’s Reformatory 14

REPORT OF GENERAL SECRETARY.

General Work and Observation 15 Correspondence and Work of the Acting Committee 16 The Eastern State Penitentiary, Relief of the Discharged 17 Silent Teachers; Cases of Interest 18 The Officers 20 Philadelphia County Prison and Annex 20 Some Cases of Interest 21 Chester County Prison, Delaware County Prison, and others 22 Statistics of Visitations to Prisoners 22 Police Matrons 23 In Memoriam, Henry M. Laing, late Treasurer 24

GATHERED FROM REPORTS AND OTHER SOURCES.

Change of Treatment Urged--State N. Y. 25 State Prison Dilemma 27 How to Deal With Wicked Men 27 Where Death Penalty is Needed 28 The Lock-Step 28 Grading and Classifying of Prisoners 29 Reclaimed Criminals by Parole Laws 29 Proposed Marriage Reform 30 Contract; Price-Piece; State Account 31 Convict Labor on State Farms 31 Road Making for Convicts 31 Industrial Reformatories 32 Massachusetts State Reformatory, Concord 32 Illinois State Reformatory, Pontiac 33 The Juvenile Court of Chicago 33 Sloyd Work; Novel Punishment 34 The Whipping-Post 34 The Bertillon System 35 Results of Treatment of the Insane 36 Havana Prisons, Cuba 37 Australian Prison Reform 38 Prisons in Old Paris 38 Model French Prison 39 Siberian Banishment 39 Norway Prison 40

REPORT OF THE NATIONAL PRISON CONGRESS.

Address of Welcome, Governor George K. Nash 41 M. W. Beacom, Welcome from Mayor, John H. Farley 42 Response by Hon. Frederick H. Wines, LL.D. 42 Address, Captain Edward S. Wright, President of the Congress 43 Annual Sermon, Rev. Ward Beecher Pickard, D.D. 44 Annual Address, Albert Garvin, President of the Association 45 Joseph F, Scott, “Civil Service in Prison” 46 Address, Chaplain Wm. J. Batt, Concord, Mass. 47 Address, Chaplain Wm. A. Locke, “Prison Methods” 47 Address, Chaplain D. R. Imbrie, “Decade of Prison Reform” 48 Hon. F. H. Wines on Dr. McKim’s Book 48 Chaplain J. F. Orwick on Prison Sunday 49 Oren C. Painter on Prisoners’ Aid Association, Baltimore 49 Address, Hon. Samuel J. Barrows, “International Congress” 49 Address, Hon. C. V. Collins, N. Y., “Education Among Criminals” 51 Address, Prof. Chas. R. Henderson, “Sociological Side of Reform” 52 Judge Martin Dewey Follett, “Criminal Law Reform” 53 George Torrance, “Preventative and Reformatory Work” 53 Dr. H. E. Allison, N. Y., “Preventative Heredity of Crime” 55 Captain C. S. Tremby, U. S. N., “Discipline in the Spanish War” 55 Mrs. F. A. Morton, Mass., “Elementary Practice in Education” 55 Address, Rev. August Drahms (Cal.), “Crime in Civilized Countries” 56 Hon. F. H. Wines, LL.D., Washington, D.C., “The U.S. Census” 56 Place of Next Congress Meeting and Entertainment 56 Address, José F. Godoy, Sec’y Mexican Embassy, Washington, D.C. 57 Address, Hon. Eugene Smith, N. Y. City, “The Cost of Crime” 57 Joseph F. Scott, Mass., “The Indeterminate Sentence” 59 Testimonial to Z. R. Brockway, late of Elmira Reformatory 59 Address, J. Warren Meade, Auburn, N. Y., “Prison Discipline” 59 Memorial Tribute to Three Departed Members 60 Wm. Chamberlain, Mich., “Discipline in State Penitentiary” 60 J. Warren Baily, Mass., “Discharged Prisoners” 60 Amos W. Butler, Indiana “State Parole” 61 Prof. R. G. Henderson, Chicago, “Psychological Laboratory” 61 Mrs. D. C. Leeds, Phila., “Woman’s Prison or Reformatory” 62 Complimentary Resolutions; Closing Remarks 62

JOURNAL OF PRISON DISCIPLINE

ONE HUNDRED AND FOURTEENTH ANNUAL REPORT 1787. OF 1901. “THE PENNSYLVANIA PRISON SOCIETY.”

In the beginning of this Twentieth Century the public mind seems to have given more thought to the reformation of the prisoner, and his care after he goes out, rather than to the security of bolts and bars to hold him for the limited time. The march of progress is to treat him more like a man capable of being partially educated and taught some craft that he may follow when the sentence is ended or when paroled.

To this end, the statute law of our Commonwealth allowing only a small per centage of convicts to be employed, has been a drawback to progress, until all the Boards of Inspectors and Wardens (influenced by public opinion) have had the courage to use their better judgment. Convicts in our penitentiaries should, if physically able, be required to labor, both on the grounds of health, and of sound public policy, and such labor should as far as practicable, be such as will aid in paying the entire cost of their keeping. Military discipline and prison discipline--and still more, prison science--are essentially unlike, for one deals with men in the mass, while the other individualizes to the finest possible point.

Thirty-five years ago there was almost a complete indifference in the public mind concerning the reformation of prisoners, but now, the progress of the times seems to be fast changing sentiment, and leading onward to the requirements of a stated law making our penitentiaries more of a reformatory nature; prisoners classified, merit of grades, and employment in manual work for health. No doubt many of our prisons and county jails would require inexpensive additional buildings for reformatory plans; this would give work for many of the convicts under proper direction. It may be said that at the Eastern Penitentiary there is no room for additional buildings; but where there is a will, a way is generally found, though the space might be a little cramped and exclude a part of the current of air over the roofs of the present plant.

THE EASTERN PENITENTIARY has at this date, January 1st, 1,115 prisoners in 750 cells, which cells are intended for one prisoner each. So we see how our long-cherished cellular or separate system of Pennsylvania (still on the statute book) is fast passing into the congregate, though all foreign countries are even now following our former plan as the best.

Our prison Wardens, Chaplains, and Official Visitors by their oft personal visitations in the cells, have done faithful work endeavoring to reform the morals of the men, but after all, only a small percentage can be determined as really reformed from crooked ways, for many return a second or more times. Much of the kindly suggestions and godly teachings are lost to the official visitor by having to address two or more in a cell at one time, at the Eastern Penitentiary. Therefore, the sooner we arrive at the introduction of the Reformatory System, (known as such) and applied to all our penal institutions, the more hopeful for all our charges and benefit to the community in general.

The Reformatory System has four main principles as established in Massachusetts. 1st. Classification and advancement by merit. 2nd. Education and Sloyd work. 3rd. Trades and manual training. 4th. Parole and care of those discharged.

This State has not yet introduced a Parole System, though such a law has twice been passed by the Legislature and vetoed by different Governors. At the beginning of this century, the bill appears for the third time, but it is not intended to affect those now in custody.

An Indeterminate sentence law is still a future possibility of the new century. At the last National Prison Congress of Wardens and State Delegates held at Cleveland, Ohio, Sept. 1900, the Indeterminate Sentence System, was unanimously recommended.

The Official State delegates of this Prison Society present at that Congress were, Mrs. Deborah C. Leeds, John J. Lytle, and Rev. R. Heber Barnes, whose report will be found further on.

The matter of a House of Detention, for our first-class cities, juvenile prisoners between 8 and 16 years, has made but little progress, and it still awaits consent to appropriate one of our unused school-houses for that purpose.

The inequality of sentences often come to the knowledge of the Acting or Visiting Committee, both at the Penitentiary and the County Prison; and we often wonder that our Judges do not adopt some uniform length of sentences, especially for first imprisonments for minor offences.

The Acting Committee of 50 of this Society, and who are official visitors to the Eastern Penitentiary and County Prison and annex, have been untiring in their efforts to reform those whom they have visited in their cells. The monthly reports show that members of the Visiting Committee have made the past year 731 visits to prisoners at the Eastern Penitentiary on 15,616 prisoners, and at the County Prison and Convict Dept. Holmesburg, 848 visits to 6,191 prisoners.

Our female members visit the female prisoners in both institutions. Kind-hearted willing souls are found among the subscribers of our Society, who are willing to freely give and have spent their time and money for the recovery of those who have stumbled and fallen. What we need most is a classification of prisoners, that all may be employed in some work, and a merit system. The nearest approach to a merit system now is a shortened term or commutation for good behavior, and every man receives his pardon from the Governor which restores him to citizenship.

Eastern Penitentiary Board of Inspectors have done wisely in the sanitary improvements of the institution the past year, under the direction of our esteemed warden, D. W. Bussinger. The place once so cold and cheerless, has been brightened up and made scrupulously clean, and the foul draughts of air are no more. The fronts of out-buildings have been rebuilt and present an appearance of firmness and stability. The cells are kept neat and clean, and the food is much better, being in a larger variety, and by careful economy, at no greater cost. When you reach a man’s stomach with good things, it seems to brighten up his countenance; every visitor realizes this. The men have daily exercise in the yard, for health; and an instrumental band has been formed of those in the bakery department, and allowed in the rotunda two evenings in a month to entertain the entire population of the institution; they have become very creditable performers.