New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1849-03-10

Sirg siLR ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS osZ OIL
Clinton .................... i4s is more Il
Tot.l..................l44 49, l..I75
With regard 10 the Abolition of Foggng in the PRS
ons, the Report holds the following language
The Legislature OF this State, By the l05th section Of
the Of Dec a l47 prohibited the infection Of any
blows uhsiever upOu any cOHvict unless Ia sefce-
fence or 20 suppress revolt insurrecton. The
it IL believed bad been in use as instrument Of dis
cpne and punishment al least 10 all State Prisons
from tue period of their foundation until that time Il
vss time honoTed, antiquity hsllowed ns.rumen;
Al Auburn It appeared 70 have been the principal re
Of the Board Of Inspectors and Keeper, for the
maintenance Of discipline aud the enforcement OF labor
and though fatal quences bad 10 instance
perhaps mOre-been sscribed BY public opinion 10 the
abuse of It's exercise it Maintained its position the
affections Of the Prison officers and continued its sctv
ty In the enforcement OF Prison rules Al Sing sing
from 18th Of Oct l-i6, 10 let q Dec l-47 eghiysiE
convicts were punished with six hundred and three
ashes This was under a system 81 discipline claimed
to be mild aud iorbesring than that Of previous
years
The most disastrous consequences 20 the discipline
and fiscal prosperity Of the Prison 10 arise from this
dscontnuance OF the cberished practice oil personal
Asgellstion snticiy ated and predicted
The Inspectors Of state Prisons entered upon their
duties with determination 70 give a mild system OF
discipline without the iutctiOn Of blows iu and fair
trisl To this they not ooly disposed by motive.
Of humanity but impeled By the nequivocs voice Of
public opinion aud bound BY the prohiotory clause Of
the law before referred to Though entering upon the
experiment with q new 80; Of officer" in charge
Of the Prisons they rejoice 20 be able say after the
experience Of year, that II has proved snfWsiy SIC
e,s.fd Disturbance and disorder have not resulted
from the oisconnuance Of the use OF the coL Lashes
not necessary n the good government gf PTsoHs
Il believed thst in neither Of state Prisons has
the discipline been relaxed but the contrary sshib
lite an evident Improvement. Men labor more cheer
fully perform greater amount Of work. lees frequent
y violate the rules and become more humanzed rather
than brutalzed In their feelings while the necessity for
Dticting punishment az all, becomes greatly diminish
ed sing Prison during the months OF January
70 November inclusive Of the present year the tolai
number of punishments WIS 3Jl During the same
months of lo47. II was 1872 showing diminutiOn OF
3sl-considersbly over one half At Auburn from Jan
70 to Dec. l., lslS the total number Of punishments
2-2 We hod records Of previous yesrs
with which TO make a comparison.
Nor has this change been followed by those discs
trous consequences 10 the fiscal condition sud pros
pects of the prisons which feengly and De
plorsbly apprehended. The test 10 which appeal
confidently referred has been applied The new
contracts for the labor and services the have
been made. II the Auburn prison has call on the
Legislature within three yesrs for pecuniary aid 10
carry its operations 1t will not be in consequence OF
the diminished value Of convict labor. All the con
tracts at the Auburn prison. except one have been re-
le at average advance previOu, prices Tor con
Wet labor Of over 80 per cent and I'VE contracts ~
Sins Sing PRISON have bren re-let st considerable
though les, aversge advance IL Ia by claimed
that this gratifying advance in convict wages has arisen
~hollyperhsps not partislly-irom the change IN The
system OF discipline. But II does show concutvely
that the value Of convict labor in the estimation Of con
tractors has not been diminished by the dsuse of the
cat S instrument of punishment.
The attention of the Inspectors has been called TO the
fact OF a Committee Of the New York Prison Associa
ton being denied sdmitsnce the Sing Sing Prison on
tn 18th of July last and their claim to the RICH, Of en-
trance unattended By any officer thereof and TO take
such action they thought proper The Inspectors IN
ders,and that tree rendered that Committee
by the Warden of the Prison any part Of the prem
A. al vii tarH
ties for prosecuting any inquiries they gh desire but
that said Warden declined surrender for the time
being the whse power OF the Prison into their HANDS
and permit them 70 proceed wholly unattended by any
II is authorities These facilities not Satisfactory
TO the Committee and proceedings by mandamus we're
commenced land are sill pending 10 enforce the re
cognitiOn of the powers thus claimed
The Inspectors consider that injurious results VII
ensue from the OF this authority By the Prison
Association which is claimed under the sixth sec
ton of its act of incorpoTsonsnd Suggest that IL
powers be accurately defined and limited by the lie
s.laure ths be held responsible for the consequrn
ces OF its action sud the Inspectors and officers OF th'
Prisons be relieved rom thstresponhoiiiy
Some modification in the arrangement Of the Prison
D strict. is recommended AT present, eonvcts from
the hrsi and second Judicial Districts must be sent 10
the Sing Sing prison those from the third and fourth
to Clinton and those from the remaining districts 70
Auburn Under this system, convicts in Sullivan Co
I'd TO Clinton Co in the extreme north bordering on
the Canada line. Other Counties are 80 uuisvorho.y
situated and the result Is heavy expense IN convey
ipg the convicts from these locations 10 prison r.
arrangement of the Prison Districts In reference o. the
location of Prisons and the facilities OF approach 10
them II Ia suggested, may be made with due regard 10
economy and convenience
The supervision of all the jails, County prisons
houses Of detention &C in the State s made portion
of the duties Of the Inspectors by the l-ih Section OF
the Ac, of Dec a. ls47. They are required to Vi''
them make reports Of their statistics and adopt such
osn. and regulations not incons'tent with the laws Of
the state a, they .hsn deem expe3ient sod necessary
IN csrry into eject uniform system for the govern
rnent ana regulation of the County Prisons and the
modification and improvement Of their structure
In accordance with this provision the seveTsi Cooh
ties were duly prop0rtoned between The tnrer nspee
tors Mr. Spencer was assigned 70 p Mr. Com-toes
81. and Mr. Gedney l9-Nes York being Included 10
the latter.
Relative to the modification and improvement Of the
structure Of the Prisons the Inspectors hold the follow
ing language
Aaer examining the Prisons throughout the state
the varsti, In their structure aud arrangement are
found 10 be such tha, uniform system Of mocnea
ton and Improvement se Piled 20 them No gen
era rule sppesrs to have governed 10 the constructor
of our County Prisons, unless was 70 ascertain sh0
dop the greatest possible diversity Of combination ano
srrsus No single architect could possloy nave
conceived the slmOs, innnite variety II could nave
q a
production But one rule seems 20 have been common
10 the whoa-thsi Of secury-snd this not witn0lt s
exceptions Very lew Of them are well siaq;ed Tor To-
purposes for which they Intended and with ~
case Of large proportion u them II u impossioe lo
the Keepers TO observe and carry out the imporan,
provisions of the law in relation 70 the sho
separate confinement of prisoners some Of them ar,
totally unfl for occupancy for prison purposes Al az
ard scarcely any OF Them but msy be improved oy
more or less modltcslion.
The Statistics collected naturally Incomplete THIS
being the first year of the operation OF the law placing
these Prisons under The supervision Of the state 10
soectors There are no returns whstever from nDe
Counties. and those from portion Of the remainder
are quite imperfect
From such materials however as are furnished ns IN
,hi. Report We coudense the following for Ths Tr5~
arburn Prison.-The health OF TINS Prison has
been extraordinarily good during the year But n''e
sickness hss prevailed and but deaths have occurred
since the Isth of January, ls4s Cases Of insanity are
,s 70 De Of occasional occurrence in most instances
they are apparently restored BY treatment In the hoe
nt.-bu, in three instances removal 10 the STATE LII
pr.,c A.ylutn has been found eSPedient
T.s Number Of cOnvicts remaining 10 ibis Ftison On