New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1847-02-25
NEW.YORK TRIBUNE.
lDeferred.l
Stag sing State Prison.


I'll. hls earnings Of the Prison during the
zoe, h. ve fallen short OF its expenses by only
,sso The deficit the previous year was SIC los 50.
r.. change has been effected mainly by rigid
NV IN expenditures. 1t will be impossible
tie 20 increase the earnings of the prison until
,,y,r.I contracts made in s43 have expired. Under
ne contracts each prisoner earns only 80 cents
,.,S,y No contract has been made by the present
p,,d Er less than 80 cents, and 1t is believed that
.s,.sft.r employment for all sound men can be OBJ
.,u,d At 40 cents From twenty TO thirty OF the
l.nsle prisoners are employed in button making at
a0eents per diem.
An ,npropriation OF 100000 was made by the
AT LEGISLATURE for introducing the Croton water
70 the prison by tapping the aqueduct which passes
,s,oogh the prison lands The work has been iound
more formidable than was anticipated and VIII re-
oo;rs farther appropriation Of $4,000 to complete
H. An the force that could be spared from exist
ng contracts has been employed In this WORK. Its
Importance cannot be oveuated.
A change in the law Of ls42 is recommended, so
q 20 limit its restriction upon convict labor to those
ranches OF industry, the chief supply Of which,
IN the consumption OF this State, is imported from
,.tiopt the State Of New- York. instead OF, as at
rr.,ent, to the manufacture of articles Of which
he chief supply for the consumption OF the country
,simported from tcithout tie Un,fod States" The
reasons fa such change are forcibly stated
The whole number of prisoners in the male prison
m the 23d Of November last was "a of whom 81
we're natives Of the United States, and 239 foreign
ers The number in the female prison is 20. Ap-
psnded to the Report Of Mr.. Eldridge, the Keeper
II the r1ale prison. are a number of statistical tn.
Hes Of great interest and value, prepared with
much labor and care.
The officers Of the prison consist of lnpectors
Keeper. 26 Assistant Keepers 1 Agent I Clerk
Physician, Chaplain. / Matron, Assistant
Nrhous and 81 Guards
Each prisoner on entering the prison, is kept IN
solitary confinement, a. hours without books or EN-
pOynen, at the end Of which time he is visited by
the Chaplain whose duty it is to give him such
advice and instruction as may be adapted 10 his
circumstances.
The discipline OF the prison. during the past
rear II Is said has been tall OF encouragement. At
90 time since its foundation. say the Inspectors,
has the subordination of the conyicts been more
complete, and never were occasions for appealing
TO force or terror so rarely presented The I'M
prOvemen,s in discipline are in measure attri-
buted TO important changes in the rules for the go
vernment Of the prison. The most important of
these changes relates to the administration OF pun
ishment Formerly the power to Judge the offence,
to determine it's appropriate penalty, and to ad-
minister that penalty on the convict were all
vested in each assistant keeper by which 1t hap
pened that this officer united IN himself the very
dscOrdsnt functions Of complainant witness, law
sver, iadse and executioner This unnatural ALI
snce Of powers in comparatively irresponsible
hands naturally and inevitably led to abuses which
dshed the vigilance and suthorityo the Inspectors
To remedy these abuses if possible. and to secure
entire impatali,y and cooness in the ministrstion
OF the PRISON penalties, the duty OF determining
the quality Of every offence and its appropriate
punishment has been devoved upon the principal
lesPer exclusively. By the operation OF this rule
toe ocer who is witness to any offence, is required
TO certify the facts in his own handwriting, to the
keeper and the exact Gme of sending in his report
rOpsent any questions of veracity arising be-
wosd bsia,sl 10 the due authority of the assistant
keepers in their respective departments, this re-
pct BY an assistant keeper is made conclusive
evidence Of all the facts il contains, and the punish
ment is regulated according TO the offence charged,
without respect to the evidence OF any convict in
connection herewith. This punishment, together
with The exac, time of its infection, is registered
immediately thereafter The records OF these facts
are reviewed monthly by the Board Of Inspectors,
who Judge from them whether there be any dspro
p0Hon between the offence reported and its pun
snnent sad who have in them guide to their in
}A1es into the fitness and discretion of the officers
to whom the discipline OF the prison is entrusted.
Tbs system has been in operation since April last,
aud has proved eminently successful HARMON
klpRiDeE Esq keeper Of the male prison. saws in
his Report:
have always endesvored with as little delay as pos
soS 70 meet every infracuon Of our discipline with
- And OF punishment the nature Of the and the
.ac'er OF the convict seemed to require and with
NsNlo improve and elevate his condition and promote
ne sest Interests ot the Institution
- hSlensnse has strengthened me in my conviction
na' mid though nrm and decided mode of govern
,uenh Is Tar more etectusl on threeousrters or per
"sss S'ehesnihs OF our conyicts both In reforming
ana enforcing obedience than any system OF severity
'ns mas hitherto been prscuced IN prisons
me coa'iets are permitted by resolution Of the
70 receive waits from their relatives as often as
SO 80 ~ ak months Several interviews OF this kind
=. !, 49, Na.y IA ne presence OF officer, and many
' Tou. eie OF me most interesting character.
a'o received Tor the conyicts. and they
a. - ..1ast oy The ChsPain OF myself They
eso permitted TO have letters written ior them and
'arge Portion Of the Chsplsin's time 70 at
tend 10 these duues - Wv ' " "
- sAe Hveay o. books belonging to the male prison
- @ sVVos ~ younss OF which about la5 arc in
e.Sef ana vel adapted to the tastes and cspaci-
- :. 'nS 'noN cultivated OF our inmates. About rs
- es are excellent selec tons but are much dcfsced
constant wear. The remainder are nearly worn GU,
snu, Tor use and beside are for the most part de-
80. ~ sns1,est and Comparatively improbable to the
II " saoefs Tor whom they designed
insn.~ naiu-y say that scarcely any more bcnehcent
can Dc brought 10 bear upon the minds OF con
~ hAn b giye them access 10 good selection Of
~ sl'a which their minds may be occupied in their
~ nouts, while confined In their cells Ii 10 equally
rsSessAy 10 prcss the importance OF enarging and
IN. s oeI collection at the earliest opportunity.
oeI OF conycts IN prison on the 30th day OF
- .se', $40 and tnose received during the fiscal
-, eosnt 10 l,o2l and with this number COL viola
ro,,s o11efeni grades and character have been com
- ~ sha nave been punished In the following man
"a, 90 OF the Violations have been punished with
~ making an average of9 lashes and Traction
sss,s, eseS Us have been punished with solitary con-
- - were put IN tee shower bath 10 with ball
20 easln llo hsve been sdmorished senr,ved ~ to
wv mo eePu,ed Of books-makins IN the scsre