Litchfield enquirer., 1845-06-12
REPORT OF THE DIRECTORS OF THE
STATE PRISON.

| To the Honorable General Assembly, Of the
State of C0mnectScsn 10 be holdem at
Hartford, May, ls45.
The Directors Of the Connecticut State Prison
| respectfully REPORT:
That the condition Of the institution continues
highly prosperous both in regard Rits finances and
its Discipline. The number OF prisoners now in con-
inement is one hundred and ninety seven. Fifty
seven have been received during the past year for
ty five have been discharged BY expiration Of SEN
tence; three have been pardoned by the General
Assembly, and four have died. The number of
Deaths it will be seen is much smaller than it has
been since the year lS41. In 1912 there were ten
deaths; in 1s43, eight; in 1874. twelve. tits diff
cult to account for the increased mortality of these
years but the Directors feel it duty to suggest
the enquiry, whether it has not been owing to de-
ficiency of diet, either in quantity or quality. We
find that on one occasion, large quantity of fish
was purchased by the late Warden, at 3-4 of one
cent per pound. Over six thousand pounds of beef
have been consumed during the time when the
greatest mortality prevailed; for which only one
cent and one cent and half per pound was paid
and on another OCCASION, large quantity of fish
was bought for one cent erpound 1t is impossi-
! BILE that provisions bought atsuch price should
be otherwise than damaged, land the effect Of such
diet could not but be in the highest degree dele
| terious The use of provisions of this character
has been entirely discontinued by the present War
past years has been in any degree owing to their
use, has been wholly attributable to other causes
we are not prepared to say; but since change in
this respect has taken place, death has happened
in the prison. Of the four deaths which occurred
the past year, during the late Warden's term OF of
fee, three resulted from disease, and from acct
dent, under the following circumstances "A pris-
oner was sent on Sunday. the 18th day of August
last, to the cove in Connecticut river, at consid
cradle distance from the prison, TO water and wash
! horse belonging to one of the keepers by SWIM
ming the animal in the stream. While thus en-
ployed. not being acquainted with the channel of
the river, he ventured beyond his depth, and was
thrown into the water and drowned. After having
been half hour in the water, his body was recov-
ered but life utterly extinct. and all efforts
used for his resusctatiou were unavailng. No
comment whatever il necessary upon this statement
| of facts. We know ofno Justification which can
be offered for this unnecessary exposure and conse-
quent loss ofthe life of aconvict.
The number of female convicts now in confine-
ment is eighteen. Theseare under the supernten-
dence of amatron, and no communication 10 permit
| ted between them and the prisoners of the other
sex. Among the female convicts discharged DUR
ing the past year, was the mother of the child born
i in prison during the year 1912, which was the
result of an illicit intercourse between one OF the
| former watchman, and female prisoner, confined
for the crime of adultery and employed at that time
4 in the Warden's kitchen. The mother and child
left the institution the 26th day of December last
Under the present regulations of the prison. it is
hoped that the possibility Of repetition of such Of
4 fences is entirely precluded. .aa=.a.sa..A.
I The Reports Of Me Wdrdens herewith transmit
ted shows that the prison is free from debt, and
that the profits of the institution for the first nine
mouths of the year ending March 31st 1S45, amoun-
ted to the of &c., 10 80, and for the last quar-
ter of the same year, to the sum of ~, 1923 3d. ma
| king the sum of $S,30l SO. The last mentioned
oll xrvn
average of other portions of the years yetit will be
seen that the profits accruing therein, are some-
what greater proportionable than for the remainder
of the year. This fact furnishes satisfactory evil
dence, if any were needed, that the finances of the
prison will continue to be quite as prosperous in
former years. The institution is now under the
management of Elisha johnson, Esq, who was APP
pointed Warden of the State Prison on the first of
January last, in the place of Amos Pisbury, ESQ.,,
who has for several years held the office. In ma
king this change the Board OF Directors were nlu-
enced, as we'll as by what they believed to be the
wishes Of great majority Of the people, as by their
own views of the public interest In appointing
successor to the late Warden, it was our object and
desire to select man who combined the necessary
qualifications for so reponsh lie station. The ex-
petience Of the last three months, has satisfied US
4 that our confidence in the present Warden has not
1 been misplaced. AS strict and yet mild and hui
name disciplinarian, and az Thorough and efficient
business man, he has few superiors. Under his
| management, the most perfect subordination has
prevailed in the ,prison-the profits have increased,
and the health of the prisoners has evidently i'm
proved-no death having occurred for the last three
| months. Since the date of our appointment, we
have made frequent visits to the prison, required
by law. With the exception of the unfortunate
ard as we think, wholly unjustiable loss OF life of
one Of the convicts, as before mentioned, and one
instance of characterization. in which the prisoner
violentlv assaulted one of the OyePspers. both Of
which events happened under the late Warden,
since removed, nothing has occurred at the prison
which requires our special interposition, The bu-
sness transactions of the institution are in great
measure explained in the Warden's Reports here
unto annexed. There are some circumstances,
however, which do not appear IN those documents,
which we feel bound to lay before the legislature
Early in March last, a draft, drawn by Mr.. Pilsbu-
nv. the late Warden, upon one OF the contractors in
! New York, dated December lst, 1874, for the sum
of $7l6 81, was returned protested. On examna-
ton of the hooks of the prison, 1t appeared that the
draft was only credited to the State as amounting
toNB499 35. The difference is supposed to be ex-
planned by the fact that the private business OF the
i late Warden was blended with that of the State.
and the sums due to each, were drawn ior together
in the capacity of Warden; thus subjecting the
State to take up paper not properly belonging to
the institution sThe draft was subsequently paid,
thus relieving the State from liability or loss -
but believing the affair required investigation,
of the Directors applied to the bank, where the
draft discounted for information respecting the
discounts of any paper which the name of Amos
Pilsbury or Elisha johnson appeared as Warden
The directors of the bank declined giving US the re-
qured information, on the ground that the accounts
of the prison had been kept in the private name Of
Amos Pilsbury and that the rules of that institu-
ton did not allow accounts OF private nature to be
examined by third persons; OF course we have not