William Casper Heilbron

“ Warden Wolfer is one of the best prison men in this country and the enviable reputation Minnesota's penitentiary has attained is due entirely to his long and successful experience in handling criminals. He has headed the Stillwater institution for nearly twenty years and has conducted the affairs of the prison in a sane and business-like manner. Under his unceasing vigilance the institution has emerged from a non-paying to a profit-earning enterprise, and today it is one of the best self-supporting institutions in the world, for, in our opinion, Europe has nothing that can compare with it. ”

“ As a rule, the parole breaker heartily regrets his misstep, and frequently will make good if given another chance.”
“The parole embodies those ethical principles of conduct that make for normal life and good character. Rationally and constructively applied, it builds up and encourages manhood and at the same time it discourages a disposition to yield to weakening impulses that lead to wrongdoing. ”

“ Always take your library book with you when moving from one cell to another. Bear in mind that all books are charged to you and that you will be held strictly responsible for their preservation and safe return. The catalogue and all books charged to you must be accounted for on the day of your parole or discharge from prison. You will not be allowed to have a library book in your possession or in your cell except those that have been regularly charged up and come to you through the regular channels. If you find a stray book in your cell you must turn it over to the Librarian at once. ”

“ An afflicted prisoner one day stepped up to the deputy warden, respectfully gave the customary military salute, and, with a solemn face that would do credit to a judge about to impose the death penalty, remarked: “Say deputy, I have a complaint to make.” “All right, proceed,” said the deputy. “Well,” continued the prisoner, “there are about five hundred inmates who pass my cell every day going to and from their work and each man throws a bedbug into my cell. ”

“ It is dangerous to permit a mad dog to roam at large, and the same is true of the prisoner whom the custodians of the state turn loose on the community, whose every fibre beats stridently for revenge upon those who have subjected him to brutal treatment. Roughly speaking, we feel safe in saying that seventy-five per cent of the prisoners are susceptible to moral suasion and any appeal made to them is taken seriously.
Our modern penology is not the effervescent dream of unbalanced minds, but the result of exhaustive research by many of the best prison authorities in America and [pg 6] Europe. ”

“ THE PRISONER IS ASSIGNED WORK By this time the new arrival is, in all probability, wondering what will happen next, but he is soon enlightened. Work in one of the various departments will be assigned him, for instance, presuming that the shop where he is to be employed is the twine factory, he is turned over to the guard of that particular shop. This officer instructs him very minutely as to shop rules and duties that will devolve upon him, and usually accompanies his instructions with some good, sound advice as to how to best get along with the least possible trouble. ”

“ The prisoner, after his bath, is again brought into the cellhouse and the captain has one of the inmate barbers clip his hair and shave him. If the new arrival belongs to the respectable class, wearing a mustache and dressed well he will hardly recognize himself if he should chance to look into a mirror. In a few moments the proud American citizen has been supplanted by the convict. Those who belong to the so-called “criminal” class are not affected upon donning the prison uniform, but it is different with the first offender. ”

“ SOLITARY CONFINEMENT. The mode of punishing infractions of the prison rules at the Stillwater penitentiary consists of standing the prisoner on the inside of a cell door; putting his hands through the bars, and handcuffed on the outside. He is kept standing in this position ten hours during the day, and then let down during the night; is allowed only a single slice of bread and a cup of water each day while undergoing punishment. There are no beds in these cells, nothing but a plank on which to sleep. ”

“ If he is a proud, sensitive man the change is great enough to almost wrench his heart strings asunder. Many a new arrival, spending his first night in his cell, with its iron bed, whitewashed walls, scant furnishings, iron floor and the dimensions of the room only five by seven feet, has been known to break down completely. ”

“ The prisoner appeals to the pardon power because it is a lawfully created power to entertain his appeal, which is based upon his opinions concerning the justice of a sentence as opposed to the injustice of the trial court's imposed sentence. The appellant is not after pity, but expects justice. He has a right to the benefits of the law, and has a right, not only to ask for, but to demand justice. ”

“ THE BINDERY There is a bindery department in connection with the Mirror office and the prison library in charge of a life prisoner, who learned the business while in the institution from a well qualified short-time inmate. He repairs all the library books, binds the state magazines and attends to the binding of all the printed books, blank forms, etc., issued in the print shop. He is frequently called upon to bind books and magazines for the various state institutions, is a very competent man and performs his work in a neat and durable manner. ”

“ There is today a more broad, more tolerant and a decidedly more civilized sentiment towards the inmates of penal institutions. It is universally recognized that the prisoner of today becomes the citizen of tomorrow; this fact must be conceded. Every effort is, therefore, made to assist them who have a keen desire to lead an honest life. ”

“ Great advancement has been made in the treatment of those who have been so unfortunate as to be segregated from society in general and the publication of facts instead of fancy will be the means of clarifying the atmosphere considerably as to what is just and humane and of the greatest earthly benefit to men and women who have, either through ignorance, accident, design or viciousness, fallen from grace and become the wards of the commonwealth in a prison or penitentiary. ”

“ Most assuredly so, especially if he is employed at honest work and his every action shows determination to lead an upright life. He has sinned against society, it is true, but without question he has paid the debt of his transgression a hundred fold by his imprisonment. ”

“ PRISON NIGHT SCHOOL The prison that now neglects to provide suitable educational facilities for the instruction of its inmates is considered behind the times. A great many inmates of penitentiaries are illiterate, and the prison night schools afford an excellent opportunity to acquire the fundamentals of a good education. This department is under the supervision of the superintendent of public schools of Stillwater, who is assisted by a corps of teachers chosen from among the inmates. ”

“ It is an event that so greatly excites the average outgoing prisoner that he hardly knows what he is doing, and in many cases his nerves are in such a condition that he is unable to sign the receipt for the money that he receives. The inmate in the forenoon is notified of his release, and is immediately taken to the tailor shop, where he dons his discharged clothing, is given any personal belongings that may have been in his cell by the captain of the cell-house, who inspects them in order to ascertain whether or not he is the owner thereof. ”

“ The prison night school is in operation eight months during the year, and is well partronized, many inmates receiving their first instructions in reading and writing during their period of service. To the ambitious man there is plenty of opportunity for self-improvement, so it can readily be seen that no one need wholly waste the time that he is compelled to serve for infraction of state laws. When school is not in session inmates are granted permission to have all the school books they require in pursuance of studies. ”

“ If he behaves himself, complies with the rules and performs his work in a conscientious manner he will have no more difficulty than he would anywhere else.
Modern penology has many bright laurels to its credit. What is meant by “modern penology” is that era which ushered in the good-time law, whereby a prisoner is enabled by meritorious conduct to reduce his original [pg 5] sentence to a marked degree; the parole and grading system, which permits the release of a first offender at the expiration of half his sentence ”

“ Citizens—even those who have visited penal institutions—obtain but a very scant conception of the method and manner in which they are conducted by a casual observance upon the occasion of a visit. “Convict Life at the Minnesota State Prison,” however, is written so that all may gain a proper conception by reading it, and the illustrations materially aid in that respect. This book will be the means of doing a great deal of good in removing false notions regarding inmates and it ought to enjoy a large sale.— (Prison Mirror, July 22, 1909.) ”

“ The fire alarm system of the prison is as nearly perfect as human ingenuity can devise. There are two hose carts, and frequent experimental runs are made in order to keep the department to a high state of efficiency. At these runs the men go to the fire house, take out the hose carts and make as quick time as possible to the nearest hydrant where the supposed fire exists, the hose is attached and all preparations made as if a real fire were under way. ”

“ It is not the custom to subject the inmates of the Stillwater penitentiary to this form of punishment for trivial offenses, but it is applied to those prisoners who attempt to escape, who destroy property, or [pg 118] who indulge in fights and who display a general negligence in regard to their work.
On entering the punishment cell the prisoner is searched thoroughly and given a third-grade uniform. After the punishment is over he is kept in the third grade for thirty days, and by good conduct at the end of that time he is admitted to the second grade. ”

“ These newspaper men are creators of public opinion, and it would seem possible for them to calmly, impartially consider the subject instead of disseminating personal ideas immature in reasoning and founded on the erroneous conception that every person in prison has received a fair, impartial trial and that the sentences must be warranted upon the trial court's proceedings. ”

“ One escaped, one gave state's evidence and the other is now serving a term at the Minnesota State Prison.
Warden's Office
DIMINUTION OF SENTENCE The following law will give the reader an idea of the “good time” the prisoner earns during imprisonment, and is another powerful incentive toward good conduct. Few prisoners permit themselves to commit violations of rules, the gravity of which subjects them to punishment. A man may be deprived of good time for refusing to obey an order, fighting, insolence to guard, foreman or fellow-prisoner. ”

“ Whenever a convict shall pass the entire period of his imprisonment without an unexcused violation of the rules or discipline, upon his discharge he shall be restored to his rights and privileges forfeited by conviction, and receive from the governor a certificate, under the seal of the state, as evidence of such restoration
DISCHARGE ALLOWANCE In some states there is little or no provision for aiding the discharged prisoner, and in some states when parole is granted his prospective employer must first send railroad fare before he is released. ”

“ As an educational feature of the institution the Chautauqua circle is accomplishing excellent work and deserves the sincere patronage and commendation of the prison authorities.
BAND AND ORCHESTRA Like the majority of the better-class prisons, Minnesota's penitentiary has the honor of having within its walls a well-equipped band and orchestra. They are in charge of an experienced citizen-music teacher, and have made [pg 78] remarkable progress since organization. About nineteen members compose the band, mostly men who have a long time to serve. ”

“ Scathing lectures are often given those asking pardon for the undeserving, by the members of the board. “Do you think fifteen months is too much for a man who shot his wife? It was not his fault she did not die,” the chief justice recently told some friends of a man who had hunted up and shot a wife who had left him. “If my sister were outraged by a man, shooting would be none too good for him,” the governor recently told a smooth-tongued attorney who was making a plea for a man serving a long sentence for a heinous crime. ”

“ The band gives a concert each morning during the summer months and also during drill exercises, which take place in the yard every Sunday immediately after chapel service. Concerts are also given in the park on holidays, when the men are enjoying outdoor freedom, which the inmates appreciate very much, helping wonderfully to break the dull, routine monotony of prison life. The band and orchestra cost the state very little, its instruments are paid for out of the fees received from visitors, who pay a twenty-five cent admission to see the institution. ”

“ Two men are constantly employed in whitewashing the cells and the interior of the cell house, and another's time is wholly occupied in exterminating bedbugs, which are quite plentiful and possess large appetites.
The captain makes a tour of the galleries each morning and inspects each cell to see that everything is in order. If a cell floor or other articles are in a slovenly condition the inmate is reported to the deputy warden, whose duty it is to administer a reprimand for negligence. ”

“ Each prisoner has the privilege of seeing the warden at least twice a month, who adjusts all differences of opinion between the guard and prisoner, or between prisoner and foreman. Every complaint of unjust treatment is investigated thoroughly by the warden, and equitable measures are employed to remove the bone of contention. If the guard or foreman is at fault a dignified but forcible lecture generally produces the desired result. ”