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Show HUMANE JAILS. Tho "Alta IndcpendenL" Switzerland ban been vying with America In nn effort to establish tho most comfortable Jail In the world. Tho prison of Thorborg, near tho town of Wnsson, Is a perfect paradlso for convicts, who uro allowed to do just as they please, even to tho extent of visiting tho cafes and places of nmuscment In tho tow,n. Tho warders of Thorberg, according to recent revelations, nro particularly amlablo and obliging, especially to tlioso convicts who hnvo money nnd nro prepnred to spend It generously. Thero Is no difficulty In getting wines nnd tobacco In such a case; hot rolls and coffee for breakfast; n good dinner, din-ner, ending with liqueurs and wines; nnd permission to piny cards, or go for an excursion Into tho mountains. In tho lnngungo of tho seasldo landlady, land-lady, Thorberg Is a lovely homo away from homo. In American prisons, thousands of convlctB nro housed In comfort nnd remain In demoralizing Idleness. Dr. Samuel J, Harrows, tho secretnry of tho Now York Prison association, has told how at Iluffnlo, for Instnuco, In tho prison with 300 Inmates, "tho men woro lolling In their beds, playing cards or checkers, warm nnd well fed." Iluffalo, however, must give way to Mlchlgnn In tho matter of treating Its lawbreakers with every consideration nnd kindness. Not content with abolishing abol-ishing tho death penalty, Mlchlgnn permits tho Inmntos of tho state prison pris-on at .Inckson to mako up nOilctlc teams, nrranges contests with outslilo organizations (tho games, It Is to bo presumed, taking placo Inside tho Jail), establishes debating societies nnd theatrical companies, nnd It lias , even been known to Induco n dram to f glvo a performance for tho amuso- it mont of tho convicts. What Is moro, tho Jnckson ponH-tlary ponH-tlary also rojolces In n convl' . nowspaper, nnmed "IJroadon uu which latoly Issued Its first anniversary anniver-sary number. Tho profits, which nro I phnrcd by tho 700 convicts, must bo I considerable, for tho proprietors own tho printing plnnt unencumbered, and ontrlbuto labor without wnges. Tho papor's lis of subscribers Includes many ox-jonvlcts and other persons i throughout Michigan. All tho 700 , convicts nro entitled to contrlbuto to :'. Its columns. Prisoners nro nlso pormltted to sub- scrlbo to any good nowspaper or mag-f mag-f nzlno thoy wish, nnd oxtonslvo uso Is I " mndo of this privilege. Tho stato has t provided nn oxcollent llbrnry, con-I con-I talnlng tho best nnd latest books of I roforonco, history, sclonco, fiction, I etc., and, besides, bonevolont people I from all parts of tho states havu sent I books, tho collection nt tho present I tlmo amounting to mora than 18,000 I magazines, to which new ones are ft constantly being added. California, too, provides many comforts com-forts for tho Inmates of tho state prison pris-on at Itcpressn, situated on the cast bank of tho American river, 112 miles northwest of San Francisco. Tho convicts may associate with one another an-other Just as much as they please, tobacco to-bacco Is furnished by tho stnto, and on Sundays nnd holidays tho prisoners prison-ers hnvo tho freedom of tho prison ynrd, whero they enjoy wrestling bouts, baseball games, nnd other athletic ath-letic fents. Occasionally a vnudovlllo porformanco Is given. Tho performers perform-ers and audience nro all convicts. A convict band of twenty-four Instruments Instru-ments furnishes concerts on Sundays. Plenty of Interesting reading matter Is provided, whllo the prisoners hnvo freo uso of an excellent library. |
