The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-03-03

On Monday evening the Prison Associatsn heid their
anniversary meeting at Metropolitan Hail. Owing 70 the
rain the attendance was thin Among the gentlemen on
the platform were four females Of whom was tho
celebrated Lucretia Mott and another Mrs. Crew. both
Of Philadelphia Judge W. 7. McCorn presided. Rev.
mr. Ferris opened the proceedings with prayer, and Dr.
Russ then read the annual report of the Association 40
follows -
retrospect OF the past-athough not without its re-
grets-affords numerous evidences Oh duy performer,
and of Good plished In former year has the
association been mo, active in the discharge OF It's dn-
tes-n year have SO many claims upon ies charl.y
for discharged prisoners been presented and In no
10 many situations found them In addition 70 these
duties It has devoted much time and Afternoon 70 tnosc
under arrest both in this city and Bfookyn me
ton during the year, amounts to GA viz l2z men IsA
women and $50 boys and girls The receipts Of the IN
279 ST. and the expenditures including $3.50 appro-
prated to building fund a. 2oO-eavng balance in the
Of SIS 81 OF these moneys IS 42s 40 have been expend
for the support Of the Home and for board tools an
agent for services s2sl e6 for clerk hire and 500 for
fees The association regret that has not been
able to extend The sphere Of It's usefulness beyond the
the limited condition Of their finances makes this restrc
ton imperative The duty Of inspecting our city prisons
nesno ali former acts regard to these PRISONS and inn
posnr the duty the State Prison Inspectors who hays
neglected and we believe finally been relieved from it.
T. 81 The srst importance and one which demands the
Immediate deliberate and earnest attention OF the
ature be that these prisons are TO be longer
IN tho MANAGEMENT Encouragement OF pensi0ned
officers without any one legally qualified or permitted
even to investigate their condition. II there is any
thing important in relation to our whole prison system
preserve the inmates from CONTAMINATION anu 0osrup
ton. These not prisons simply Tor me neroenee
offender but oftentimes tenanted by thoeo wno9s
characters arc a. spoless ~ our own; and mus. sacf
be subjected to the Communicating influence 81 veteran
in ermes We may make our state rslson . sisSp,nar
taination arrest the criminal in his first alter.s
steps to crime We must sy prompt and early atsn.Gi
mated at the age Of twenty one, the life Of An int,
estng young man, Who six years ago. WAS trst brOugh
Uaa While there undoubtedly oontbatsd in
small degree, TO the fatal denouement. He himsef
said, while standing on the brink Of feons grave
have come to this" The Importance Of the subject
to demand the immediate attention Of the Legislature
propriety Of making all houses Of detention strct
separate prisons, and establishing district prisons e
eoe, Of the State So oon II a examine closely I'M
the results Of present experience 81 the pa
three years /. Albany and the adjoining counties, seen
to settle the expedency Of the measure both In regard
its moral influences and its economical
This penitentary is made district prison for sever
Of the adjoining counties and during the past year hi
not only supported ITSELF but has hand, over Al
above all expenses, u olS o. The inspectors After
nosncns this fact TIA. .s non.
Of detention the next thing that interests MS y prs
discipline Under this head the confinement Of witnesse
the yos. a. punishment detention for trial, and p
son statistics, are the principal topics discussed.
Of . woman who had been induced to purchase what
called lottery policy, under which she was was cheats
Died to the police warrant vas issued the policy deal
arrested and brought to the City Prison, examined,
held to bail which he procured ana was set 81 noes,
to bail for her appearance TO prosecute but net havi
aa.sed wealth BY crime shs not fortunate ast
accused in nnding friend to ball her and ahe was c.
into prison, and made to expate the crime q dari
to enforce law Of the State By An imprisonment Of FIT
policy dealer was brought on He confessed his gui
was 6ned ten dollars which he Immediately paid, and
discharged The law having no further use for the p
WOMAN the also discharged, but without one e
compensation for her loss Of time and the arrangement
her Affairs, and probably taught by her suaernss ne,
Is there no remedy for this perverson Of egisatit
Must the accuser thus suffer for thecrimnalf Shall
instruments Of torture TO those whom they inter
ed to protecti This Is BY no means solitary e1Amp
me ev Y 50 common Una. II nss passed INTO prove
victed On the subject Of nes several Of extre
hardship are cited and 1t Is finally recommended that
all eases Of fines imposed By our courts every days
/ prisonment should Mquidate given amount
the nne. 40 that the prisoner should have ,
solute relief when the term Of his punishment ]
expired The douche and yoke Instruments Of puni
ment are denounced as contrary to law, and more or
70
oltsry confinement on bread and water is, In al cas-
sufficient to subdue the most refractory The follow
4
ferrng TO the list Of punshments, that they have b.
very light during the past year. There have been
triains oences This fact is the more gratifying to
for is remarked by the oldest officers OF the prison
the discipline was never better" In cases o. detent
done the individual detained-his character IL nju
and besides TIE loss Of liberty, he often subiecte
pecunary loss Of a serious nature Whenever the il
vdual proved to be Innocent 1t suggests the propr
Of making him some compensation for his loss Of ii,
The statistics OF our prisons present many intere
/ rat [
we shall notice ia, that in the city Of New York. al
aso.d'sy IN .Most every the
rance and philanthropy increased from 703 to $780,
27s per oent-that intoxcaton has increased about
comparison Of the prison statistics for the last
years. 1t appears that crimes against property have
the person have increased lao per cent, or from 100
lS4S to 800 in 1852 An alarming feature Of this tr
appalling fact Is that the inc.ease seems to be regu
Of some spasmodic effect. Another case Of alarm
be found IN the fact that the increase has been great
in the highest crimes Thus, We find assault TO kill va
in 1s4s, and 49, So 81. and IS in 1852 three fold
slaughter, in lS4s and then 16, and II In 1882
most fourfold number In 1913 was g, and o. Ii, 81,
SO in 1882 or more than six fold. This rapid and fear
increase Of the most heinous crimes demands the m
serious consideration of the statesman, the phlanth
phist and the Christian al,o the fact that % per
Of the whole number committed to this prison during
past year intemperate. The statistics Of si1t
1907 prisoners 3O06 Of whom imprisoned fer offer
against property and 7S4 against the person On scam
over the tables statistics Tor these several prisons
only remarkable facts that themselves tina
the State Of New York alone there greater numbe
Of bigamy and perjury than in all the other fit
States there being twenty one cases Of bigamy in
York. and only fifteen In the other States and sevent
cases Of perjury to three in all the other States.
average period OF confinement in tho several States
| diminished since within few years. At press
Connecticut seems TO administer the longest period
imprisonment the average being six years, seven mon
| 20 days; and the Eastern Penentiary Of Pennsyva
| the ahortest, Il being only two years. six months
three days There in all these prisons, 1as fema
and 841 colored persons The report then passes TO
consideration Of the subject of discharged convic
| pays tribute of respect to the memory OF their
friend and coadjutor, the venerable Isaac !. Hopp
presents the statistics Of the committee for the year,
OF tie home of the female department and offers sew
cases reform which have been tested by the exper
OF years and clio. es with the assertion, that after
wears Of toll in this uninvtng field of effort the
mittee feel confidence In assuring the public that
least eight tenths Of their benefcaries are saved
| future imprisonment and crime
! Mr. JOHN CocHRAvE moved the adoption Of the REF