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VVWWW.'SN'iWS ® Wv. ’ tV* *0 jV'W iR^^p ssj&g&p-:: £JE| s V * >f < .vA * * . <* 1 • •/ » * * #■ ” .f»* ^ ityv^iii*. * "▼>jc* • ;•' S^l^LX*a. piap Lrl^\8l naSiiF^wr 1 BHp -yf jy^ ." •*- v& yy%>, fsS <■> *» *«7 w.' tfy ‘K^Vhj* i i-?j JJ ^STffjfyy •“ • t %T-, Tj,* if._ —~^t^r ‘ £,5??- '* "■■ y X8 vik _> flt/ ^u J vyy - 4J, IIS ,*• • ^ »; « . «.\\ VJ.V /;. y~£‘ M fe ■’•**%' ‘^W - .', 'V^w * * V .vsvrv.t. -*».. • iBX- a. • . D. H. Beig - • , . - • • •* * ' M ' . ■ I). H, Berg. f - . P \ S&77 Cl£flst. THE MEN BEHIND THE BASS OR. Lights and Shades of Prison Life METHODS OF REFORM CONSIDERED FROM A CHRISTIAN STANDPOINT. ALONG WITH SOME OPINIONS OF DISTINGUISHED MEN AND WOMEN, WHO HAVE MADE A STUDY OF CRIMINAL LIFE. N I I \ REV. H> SANDERS, F->r Forty Years a Mii of the North-West Indiana Conference now of LaPorte, Ind. CHICAGO, ILL. S. B. SHAW, PUBLISHER, 212 W. Chicago Ave C*W Copyright, 1903 BY R. H. SAND HRS OCT ^ 8 1990 COPY_ Dms\0^ iJMQ i l <2 1st n PREFACE. The character of the following work is so fully told in the table of contents that but little remains to be added by way of preface. During the wardenship of Charley Harley, Geo. A. H. Shidler, and the present warden James D. Reid, I have been frequently called to supply the place of Chaplain in the Indiana State Prison. During my visits there, which at times were extended in¬ definitely, besides conducting religious services, such as the Christian Endeavor meetings in the school room of the prison, and preaching in the prison chapel at the regular services, I was given at all times the privi¬ lege of visiting the prisoners in their cells, where I spent many Sabbath afternoons. In this way I was brought into close personal contact with the men, many of whom told me of the unfortunate circumstances leading up to their incarceration, and expressed earnest desire to be helped back to a better life. I became deeply impressed with a sense of their sad condition. Many of them, I felt, were not at heart criminals, but rather the creatures of unfortunate circumstances. I was also impressed with the thought, that the outside world did not understand, or knew but little of the real nature and condition of many of these men. These impressions led to the production of this volume. In its preparation, aside from my own ex¬ periences and convictions, as related in the book, I have given the opinions of other prominent workers in prison reform, such as that of the Hon. Charlton T. Eewis of national fame, Rev. D. T. Starr, D. D., Chaplain of the Ohio Penitentiary, Amos W. Butler, secretary of the State Board of charities, Indiana, and others gathered from the prison reports, of both State and National conferences. The chapter on Prison Problems consists largely of quota¬ tions gathered here and there from the sayings of men familiar with prison work, as is also the one of Illustrative Incidents. The leading design of the author in the presentation of this humble volume to the public, has been to awaken a deeper interest in behalf of the one hundred thousand prisoners of this country, and thus lead all who have the best interests of humanity at heart, in the Spirit of the Divine Master, to put forth more earnest efforts for their rescue. Also, to seek to aid, and help to provide means and methods, by which the large class of unfortunate children, in our large cities and elsewhere, may be saved from entering upon, and continuing a criminal career. Should this imperfect effort contribute in any degree to¬ ward bettering the condition of the prisoner, and saving the unfortunate from a sinful life, the wiiter will have received his reward. INTRODUCTION. Here is another new book. It is the product of a true heart, and of a thoughtful brain. It has a mission. It will do good. Some books are the products simply of the pens of professional book makers. Their mission, if they have any at all, would seem to be an effort to exploit a theory, or work a pleasing showing of some strange fancy of the writer’s brain. No duty is pressed home to the conscience. No great truth is set forth. Convictions which have to do with life and its mis¬ sion are not recognized. After reading such volumes the reader lias no consciousness whatever of any sort that he is enriched by added moral strength, or intellectual power, or high souled purposes to live a life of devotion to all best things, and above all else to have a character so true and unselfish in all its ways and aims, that its highest expressions of beauty in itself, and of usefulness to other lives, will be found in its full and complete abandon to God, and its all comprehending and perfect love of God, as Saviour and Lord. But here is a book that comes to us with a solid and well defined purpose. Its author has been with men of varied and varying experiences. He has had great oppor¬ tunity to study men in all sorts of moods and convictions, as they have appeared in sorrow and with dreaded lore- bodings, under the sufferings of an aroused conscience, and the tortures of a never absent fear. He has had opportunities such as come to very few men, to study motives in men when under temptation to commit offences against laws Divine or human. He has so well studied the principle and the questions underlying the relations of the criminal classes to the State, and also the treatment these classes should have meted out to them by the State, that he has been able to produce a book on the varied phases of all the questions arising therefrom, that will in its suggestions and teachings commend itself to the judgment and conscience of thoughtful men. Many a valuable lesson can be here learned, that can¬ not be found elsewhere. CONTENTS, CHAPTER I. THE MEN BEHIND THE BARS, WHO THEY ARE, AND WHY THEY WENT THERE. Personal Experience — Nationalities Represented — Various Religious Beliefs—Different Political Preferences, Social Posi¬ tions and Occupations Represented—Men of all Ages—Prison¬ er’s Prayer for Loved Ones—A Mighty Army, 100,000 Strong— Memories of Childhood Days—Prisoner’s Recognition of the Au¬ thor—Power to Say No—Causes and Cost of Crime. CHAPTER II. HOW THE PRISONER IS RECEIVED, AND HOW INITIATED INTO PRISON LIFE. Registration—Numbering—Bath—Donning of Prison Suit— Receiving Cell—Assignment of Work—Talk with Warden— Chance for Promotion—Solitary Confinement for Disobedience— Effects of Punishment—Christ’s Example—A Child’s Reproof. CHAPTER III. THE INDETERMINATE SENTENCE. The Teaching of Christ—Advantages of the Indeterminate Sentence—Need of Non-Partisan Boards—Different Treatment Needed for Different Individuals—Objections Answered—Penal Codes of our Ancestors—Opinions of Leading Prison Workers— Help to Self-Control and Obedience. CHAPTER IV. THE PAROLE LAW AND ITS WORKINGS. Legislation Secured—Change of Names of Prisons—Organi- aztion and Work of National Prison Congress—Connection of Indeterminate Sentence and Parole Laws—Use of Booklet, “The Parole Law and Its Rules”—Grades of Prisoners with Differences in Privileges and Dress—Parole Regulations—Parole Agreement —Statistics. CHAPTER V. GOING BACK TO PRISON AND WHY. Testimony of Geo. V. Vance, an Aged Prisoner, and Others 10 CONTENTS. —Some Hardened by Years of Evil Influence—Many Brought Back through Drink—Others Discouraged through Obstacles En¬ countered—Need of Christian Sympathy and Help. CHAPTER VI. METHODS EMPLOYED FOR THE REFORMATION OF PRISONERS, UNDER THE INDETEMINATE SENTENCE, ALONG WITH SOME SUGGESTIONS OFFERED. All Prisoners Not Criminals at Heart, Illustration—Sympathy a Potent Factor in Reform—A Heart Melted by a Kiss—Cruelty and Failure of Former Prison Methods—Prisons Changed to Re¬ formatories by Methods Advocated by Z. R. Brockway, Mrs. Ellen C. Johnson, and others—Special Points in New Method. CHAPTER VII. HOME AND ITS INFLUENCE ON THE FUTURE OF THE CHILD. Prisoners’ Ideas of Heaven as Related by Themselves—Heaven is Home—The Influence of the Home—Ratio of Criminals In¬ creasing—Criminals not Born but Made—Definitions of Home. CHAPTER VIII. THE BOY CONVICT’S STORY. CHAPTER IX. HOW UNDER TRYING CIRCUMSTANCES WE MAY INFLUENCE OTHERS FOR GOOD. Story of a Life Convict. CHAPTER X. HOW I BECAME A CONVICT. Left an Orphan—Adopted by his Father’s Friend—Went to Chicago—Formed Bad Habits—Became a Gambler—Resolved to Reform—-Entered Medical School—Tempted by Church Deacon to Engage in Speculation—Lost all—Re-entered School and Grad¬ uated—Went to Alaska—After return Robbed—Falsely Charged with Crime—Sentenced—Reached by Kindness—Converted— Comments by Author—Paroled. CHAPTER XI. A NIGHT IN A MURDERER’S CELL. Last Hope Gone—Confession of Crime—Prayer by Author and Prisoner—Sketch of Prisoner’s Life—Story of Temptation and Fall—Claimed Forgiveness of Sin—A Third Season of Pray- CONTENTS. 11 er—The Midnight Hour—Went to the Scaffold, Singing—Execu¬ tion—Comments by Author. CHAPTER XII. A convict’s burial. A Poem. chapter xiii. a mother’s love and prayer. CHAPTER XIV. A DAY OF STRANGE CONTRASTS. Description of Sing Smg Prison—Description of Prisoners— Report of Religious Service—Church Service—A Contrast Drawn —A Prayer. CHAPTER XV. MRS. ELLEN JOHNSON’S LAST REPORT BEFORE THE NATIONAL PRISON CONGRESS. Establishment of Women’s Prison—Account of Methods— Probation and Grades—A Difficult Case—Privileges Given—Rec¬ reation—Objects Kept in View.

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