This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1915 Excerpt:...and committing magistrate to swell the jail population, both parties profiting from the food graft. It has resulted, in many counties, in population padding and in the well-known scheme of placing a man in jail in the evening and turning him out in the morning, and charging the county with six meals. Instances are recorded where prisoners sentenced to jail for 30, 60 or 90 days, and at once released on promise to leave the county, have been carried on the rolls for the full period of their commitment and the county mulcted for their maintenance during the whole period. No one can estimate the evil effects of these practices upon the prisoner himself, for he is cognizant of them. To know that the people are paying for a decent maintenance for him and that he is getting less than half of that which is his due, because of the greed and selfishness and inhumanity of the man elected to have custody over him, is not likely to increase his respect for law or authority. He feels the insult keenly and within his heart grow hatred and contempt for officials and for the public which, knowing the outrage is permitted, lifts no hand to protect either itself or him from the plunderer. No doubt many men elected to the sheriff's office revolt against these practices, but they are so old that they appear to have the sanction of legality. They hesitate to repudiate them, because of the reflections such action might cast upon their predecessors in office. Little by little they succumb and finally accept as fair and honest, what, at first, appeared in its true colors as graft. When this old corrupt practice is made odious and counties correct their methods to make them impossible, then will have taken place in our jail system, a genuine and a radical improvement. A Dungeon In...