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prison one…fourth of their time will be deducted。 This will give them but 

eighteen months of actual service。 What can they accomplish in so short a 

time? The contractors care but little for them; since their time will expire 

before they can master a trade and be of any service。 Had these youthful 

offenders   been   given   a   term   in   a   county   jail   or   reformatory;   would   not 

justice   been    satisfied;  and   there   would    have   been   more    hope    for  the 

prisoner      as   to  the    future。   HE     WOULD        NOT      HAVE      BEEN       A 

PENITENTIARY CONVICT。 I hope soon to see the day when the great 

State of Missouri will have a reformatory institution which will receive the 

wayward       youth    of  that  great   commonwealth;        and;   after  keeping    and 

training them for a time; will send them out into the world stronger and 

better men than   when first   received。 So   far as   reformation is   concerned; 

the Missouri penitentiary is a dismal failure。 



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                                 CHAPTER XVIII 



                                 PRISON DISCIPLINE 

     The Missouri penitentiary ranks among the leading penal institutions 

of the country in matter of discipline。 The rules and regulations are placed 

in the hands of the prisoner as soon as he enters。 If an inmate obeys these 

rules and regulations he will be let alone; and will go through his term of 

service without being punished。 If he becomes unruly and disobedient he 

will be punished; and that; too; very severely。 

     Each prisoner is allowed one pound of tobacco a month for chewing 

and smoking purposes。 In this prison the inmate is permitted to smoke in 

his   cell。   This   is  the   only   institution   with  which   I   am   acquainted  that 

permits smoking。 The prisoners seem to enjoy their smoke very much; and 

I do not see but that it is just the thing; for if a person on the outside takes 

comfort from the use of his pipe; much more will the man who sits in the 

solitude of a felon's cell。 If a prisoner violates a prison rule his tobacco is 

taken away from him for a time。 The majority of the inmates will obey the 

rules of the prison through fear of having their tobacco; taken away from 

them。    Each    prisoner    also  has   access   to  the  books    of  the  library;  and 

another   mode   of   punishment   is   to   deprive   the   offender   the   use   of   the 

library for a time。 This; also; has a very salutary effect。 Another mode of 

punishment;   is   to   place   the   unruly   convict   in   a   dungeon   and   feed   him 

nothing but bread and   water。 The prisoner on   entering this dreary  abode 

must leave behind him his hat; coat and shoes; and in this condition he is 

required     often  to  spend    days   and   weeks    in  solitary   confinement。     The 

dungeon   contains   no   furniture   of   any   description   save   a   night   bucket。 

Prisoners do not remain in these dark holes very long until they promise 

obedience。 It is one of the most successful modes of prison punishment。 In 

case of a second or third offense; and sometimes for the first; in case it is a 

bad one; the offender is liable to receive a flogging。 

     This is one of the few penal institutions in our country where the cat… 

o'…nine…tails   is   used。   When   a   prisoner's   conduct   has   been   such   that   it   is 

deemed advisable to whip him; he is taken from his cell and led to a post 

in the rear of one of the large buildings; out of sight of the other convicts。 



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His clothing is then removed; with the exception of his shoes。 These are 

left on his feet to catch the blood that flows down his limbs。 In this nude 

condition he is tightly bound to a post with chains。 Standing at the post; in 

a   helpless   condition;   he   receives   the   lash。   The   whip   consists   of   several 

leather   straps;   or   thongs;   at   the   ends   of   which   small   pieces   of   steel   are 

fastened。 Every blow brings the blood。 I have been told by reliable persons 

that;   at   times;   prisoners   have   been   so   severely   flogged   that   the   blood; 

flowing down their limbs into their shoes would fill them and run out over 

the tops。 This seems barbarous in the extreme; and my humane reader at 

once  cries out;  〃It   should not be   tolerated。〃   In   Missouri this   flogging   of 

human beings in prison has been going on for more than fifty years。 After 

the punishment is over; the prisoner; half dead with fright and pain; is led 

back to his cell; where he remains for a day or two; that he may recuperate。 

He throws himself down on his 〃bunk;〃 and remains there for hours; the 

blood still flowing from his lacerated back。 Often the blanket on which he 

lies; sticks   to his   bleeding   back; and   a fellow  convict is asked;  often; to 

assist in removing it。 Many a poor fellow carries with him through life the 

scars which were made while a convict in this prison。 One day while I was 

working   in   the   coal   mines   of   the   Kansas   penitentiary;   a   fellow…   convict 

showed       me   his   scarred    back。   He    had   served    a  term    in  the   Missouri 

penitentiary; and while there had been severely whipped。 His back told the 

story   too   plainly   that   his   whipping   had   been   a   severe   and   cruel   one。   It 

would seem that the day of the whipping…post had passed away; that the 

doors of our advanced civilization were shut against it。 

     Many of the prison officials claim that it is the most healthy mode of 

inflicting punishment; that to place a convict in a dungeon and to feed him 

on bread and; water is far more injurious to his health than to give him a 

good   〃paddling;〃   and   it   don't   require   so   long   to   do   the   work。 The   same 

results are reached more quickly。 Others claim that it is impossible to have 

good prison discipline without resorting to the lash。 This statement is not 

correct。 There is no better discipline to be found in any penal institution; 

than   that   in   the   Kansas   penitentiary;   where   no   prisoner   ever   receives   a 

stroke     from    a  whip。    The   laws    of  that  State   forbid    it。  In  our  humble 

judgment it would be the best thing that the Missouri Legislature could do 



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at   its   next   session;   to   prohibit   any   further   use   of   the   lash。   Sometimes   a 

paddle   is   used;   with   small   holes   bored   in   the   end;   and   every   time   this 

paddle strikes the nude flesh; blisters are raised。 Again; another instrument 

of punishment in use is a thick; broad; leather strap; fastened in a wooden 

handle;   at   the   end   of   which   lateral   incisions   are   made   that   give   it   the 

appearance of a saw。 There is no trouble in raising huge blisters 〃with this 

engine      of  warfare。〃      All   these   modes      are   barbarous;     and    should     be 

forbidden。       Whenever       severe     punishment       becomes       essential;    let   the 

prisoner     remain     in   the  dungeon;      living   on   bread    and    water    until   he 

promises;      in   good    faith;   to  behave     himself。    A   great    deal   of   useless 

punishment can be avoided if the officer in charge of the prison discipline 

is a humane man and a good judge of human nature; and no other should 

be permitted to fill this important position。 We must not; however; be too 

hasty   in   condemning   prison   officials   for   harsh   treatment   of   those   under 

their charge。 They have some of the most desperate men on the face of the 

earth    to  deal    with;   and   at  times    it  becomes     a  necessity   to    use   harsh 

measures。 Notwithstanding this is all true; there are but very few human 

beings but what have white spots in their otherwise darkened souls;  and 

often a   word of kindness does   more than   a   cruel blow  from  a   merciless 

officer。 

     The     excellent    discipline    of   this  institution    is  due;   in  the  main;    to 

Captain Bradbury; the deputy warden。 He is beyond doubt; one of the best; 

and    most    experienced       prison    men    in  the   United    States。   He    has   been 

connected   with   the   Missouri   prison   for   thirty…three   years。   The   warden 

looks     after   the  finances     of  the   institution;    and   it  belongs     to  Captain 

Bradbury       to   hold   in   subjection     the   two    thousand     criminals     that   are 

crowded   together   in   that   small   prison   enclosure。   This   celebrated   deputy 

warden is a Virginian by birth。 He is sixty…two years of age。 He served in 

the Mexican war; and now draws a pension from the Government; because 

of   his   services   there。   If   a   prisoner   conducts   himself   properly;   Captain 

Bradbury will treat him as humanely as he can under the circumstances。 If 

he    becomes      willful   and   unruly;    the   Captain     no  doubt     will  take   great 

pleasure in giving the offender 〃a good paddling;〃 to use his own forcible 

expression。 This official is a strong advocate of corporal punishment。 He 



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claims that a 〃little loosening up of the hide〃 of an obstreperous prisoner 

does   the   said   prisoner   a   vast   amount   of   good。  Among   the   convicts   the 

deputy   warden   is   austere。   He   is   never   se

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