Spoke of prison discipline. Best way to reach a man’s heart was through
his stomach. That it was very necessary to give attention to the
appointment of the officers, in order to impress the men with a care
and cleanliness. The criminal should have a time to sing if he chose,
and should be assisted in fitting himself for life-work in the world.
The dungeon cells are sufficient punishment for any infraction without
resorting to a paddle. Said he could not imagine how Massachusetts
could have a fixed commutation for life sentences, except they use the
Life Ins. Co.‘s approximate longevity table, like age 34 to serve 25
years, age 40 to serve 16 years, and so on. Good discipline has the
effect to remove criminal desires.
Both T. E. Ellison, Fort Wayne, Ind., and Gen. R. Brinkerhoff, of
Ohio, remarked that the wardens and superintendents summoned daily the
overseers, guards, etc., to discuss the wants, needs, and peculiarities
of convicts, in order to be in touch of all his employees, and to the
prisoners by the overseers.