The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1828-03-05
WORCESTER:
WEDNESDAY. MARCH s, 1895

STATE PRIsoN. This hitherto fruitful source
of difficulty and embarrassment to the Govern
ment, appears still to be in great need of better
regulation At the close of the year ending
Sept. 30 1926, there was balance of income
for the year, in favor of the State, of $9,7l9T7,
and 1t was confidently expected that the result
IN future years would be equally favorable.
But when the Governors message was COM
municated to the Legis AZURE at the commence
ment ofthe present session, the appalling fact
was announced, that, for the year ending the
30th Sept. last, instead of balance in favor of
the State, there was deficit Of $6,392:56 re-
quired from the treasury of the State, to pay
the expenses of the institution, making differ
ence in the two years of more than sirtcen
thousand dollars against the state.
This state of things has led to an investiga-
ton ofthe affairs ofthe prison, by joint COM
mittee of the Legislature, the report of which
is now before us. After minute examination
the committee come to the conclusion, that the
reduction in the value of hammered stone will
account for So, 523 of the deficiency, and that
$3,875 more may be accounted for, by the state
not being charged sufficiently high for the
hands in their employ, still leaving sum OF
about $4,000 to be assigned to other causes,
chiefly abuses, not to say frauds, in the man
agement of the concerns by some of the un
der officers of the institution.
There is no provision by law, on the subject
OF stint and over-stint, yet an allowance for
over-stint work has been made by bylaw OF the
Directors in order to provide the prisoners at the
expiration oftheir term, with the means ofpres-
ent subsistence and of furnishing themselves
with suitable clothing Under cover Of. this
regulation, so proper in itself, the committee
say, they are satisfied the greatest abuses have
been practised Subordinate officers have been
allowed to prescribe the STINT to award to the
convlcts the value of their over-stint, and then
to enjoy part oft in the profits, derived from
the sale, to the convicts, of articles, the use of
which is prohibited by law In consequence,
the stint has been much too low and the over
stint money has been spent instead of being
saved till the prisoners discharge
The amount paid out for over-stint the last
year, was ti1e thousand tlco hundred and eigh
tyrone dollars, which has not been fully ac-
counted for; neither have the profits which
have been realized by those, who have furnished
supplies to the convicts Mr. Lane, the Com
mlssary admitted that he had gained from
$4OO to $500 per annum, by the sale of articles
to them, but he had no book from which the
extent of his dealings, or the amount of his
profits could be shown.
The committee further state-t that Mr.. john
son, overseer of the Stone Shed, in addition to
his salary as an overseer, has been allowed
commission of 5 per cent. ON all sales of stone
work. which, for the haF gear ending Sept so,
amounted to nine hundrcd and cighty-seren
dollars They say that transactions of a rery
questionable character have been proved
against him, and recommend that he be no
longer retained as an officer of the prison.
Such is an exhibition of the manner in which
some of our public officers perform the duties of
their stations. Between stewards and tenants
the landlord has Jared miserably the last wear
torthey have not only run away with his profits.
but have brought him in debt some thousands of
dollars The committee have reported bill
making such regulations in the institution. as,
it is believed will secure the state against fu-
ture impositons.