The corner cells on either side of the lower deck are the dreaded “Black Holes,” in which prisoners who had been guilty of some breach of discipline or fractious conduct were punished by solitary confinement lasting from one to one hundred days. These small and tapering torture-chambers measure only two feet eight inches across. The doors fit as tight as valves and close with a “swish,” excluding all air except what can filter through the perforated iron plate that was placed over the bars above the door, in order to make the hole as dark and oppressive as possible. A stout iron ring is fastened knee high in the shelving back of the cell, and through this ring the right wrist of the prisoner was passed, and then handcuffed to the left hand; the consequence was that he was thus prevented from standing upright or lying down, but was obliged to stoop or lean against the shelving side of the vessel as it rolled to and fro on the restless waters of the bay. Starved, beaten and abused as they were, the wonder is that so many of even the prisoners were able to endure punishment as they did.
In 1857 the disclosures that had been made of the brutal and inhuman treatment meted out to prisoners created a fierce outcry in Australia, amounting almost to revolt against the English Government, and resulted in the abandonment of the hulk system. For some years later—from 1860 to 1868 the “Success” was used as a women’s prison; then she became successively a reformatory ship and ammunition store, and later all the prison hulks were ordered to be sold on the express condition that they were to be broken up, and their associations lost to the recollection of the residents of Melbourne. By a clerical error, however, that condition did not appear upon the terms of sale of the “Success.” Hence she became the only British convict ship afloat. It was not until 1890, however, that she appeared before the public as an exhibition ship. In 1892 a gang of Sydney, N. S. W., residents stealthily boarded her to revenge themselves for the outrage on their pride caused by the exhibition of their ancestors, and all the figures were mutilated beyond repair. The figures were replaced, but in order to make their work more certain she was again attacked, scuttled and sunk in Sydney Harbor, but after the lapse of some years and at enormous expense her owners raised her, and since then she has been on exhibition not only in the Antipodean colonies, but has circumnavigated Great Britain and Ireland twice, and been shown five times in London. Her visitors have numbered over 15,000,000 people, and have included the King of England, the Prince of Wales, the Prince and Princess Henry of Battenburg, and other members of the royal family, the German Emperor, Captain Dreyfus of Devil’s Island, Lord Charles Beresford, the late Mr. W. E. Gladstone, and other “notabilities.”
In 1912 she attempted what was perhaps the greatest feat in all her remarkable career—that was, to make the passage across the Atlantic under her own sail, unaccompanied by tug or steamer. The shipping world was aghast when the voyage was projected. “Impossible,” said every man that ever sailed the seas in ships, “that this century and a quarter old hulk could brave the spring hurricanes of the western Ocean!” Lloyds refused her insurance, the British Government refused her clearance and sea-captain after sea-captain refused her command, but finally a stout old skipper, Captain John Scott, and a gallant crew of adventurous souls under the command of Captain D. H. Smith, the owner, hoisted sail and took her out of Glasson Dock on the very day that the ill-fated “Titanic” sailed from the port of Southhampton. For 96 days she battled bravely, her staunch old hull defying the crashing gales and mountainous seas and at length made port in Boston Harbor with a crew, worn out and half starved but bravely triumphant, to the applause of press and public, who likened the splendid feat to the epoch-making voyage of Christopher Columbus.
Since then the “Success” has exhibited in Boston, Providence, New York, Asbury Park, Philadelphia and is now being shown in southern seaports.
PROGRESS IN MASSACHUSETTS
By Warren F. Spalding
Secretary, Massachusetts Prison Association, and Member State Parole Board
The legislation actually enacted during 1913 constituted but a small part of the progress made in prison reform. A combination of circumstances caused a reference to the next Legislature of many measures which had the hearty approval of the leaders in both branches. The reorganization of the prison commission, late in session, led to the postponement. It was felt that the new board should pass definitely upon the proposed legislation.
Governor Foss outlined in messages to the Legislature a program for prison reform, the spirit of which is likely to be the basis of future Legislation. The most important of his recommendations is that the State assume the control and administration of all the county prisons, on the ground that crime is against the State and not against counties, and that the care of criminals is a function of the State. This would make it possible to classify both prisons and prisoners.