Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1856-12-25

The Ohio Penitentiary.-The re.
port of the Board of Directors
.-Interesting Developments.
The Ohio State Journal, speaking of a
recent report of the Directors and War
dens of the Ohio Penitentiary,' says:
'The present Board is composed of L..
G. Van Slyde, A. P. Stone, of Columbus,
Cyrus Sphinx, of Wayne county, ]. D.
Norris of Clermont, and L. W. Rabbit, of
Fairfield. At their first meeting they made
a thorough examination of all the various
departments of the prison, and took an in
ventory of all the property belonging to
the State, which they found there.
They say, I'VE found many of the build
ings in a dilapidated and ruinous condition,
dangerously exposed to confagration; the
clothing and bedding nearly worn out, and
not in the most cleanly condition; the cells
infested with bedbugs and fleas, the stoves
and heating apparatus broken up, the fire
engine useless for want of repairing, and
the hose belonging to it unfit for usc.' A
considerable portion of the supplies laid in
for food, had spoiled for want of proper at
tention.
They found from an examination of the
books and other sources, that there was
quite large amount of claims due the in
stitution, some of which might be recov-
cred, but a large portion worthless, among
these claims, and the the largest amount is
against ]. B. Buttles, the late Warden
The claim against him is over $4,000. Mr..
Buttles says be is not responsible for the
payment, and alleges that the money was
taken by R. S. McEwen, the late clerk. The
Directors, however, differ from Mr. Buttles
in the construction of the law, and they
hold him responsible, and have commenced
process for the recovery. There is also a
claim against VIM. Burdell of $500 for
convict labor, which he refuses to pay, up
on the ground that the Legislature did not
acknowledge or confirm his contract. Suit
has been brought by the Directors to make
Mr.. Burdell pay up. The other claims
which the State holds are in less sums, but
in the aggregate amounting to considera-
bic.
The reports which have been made here
tofore that the Institution was a source of
revenue TO the State, were simply false.
The prison has always been an expense,
and never source of revenue, The re-
port of last year made by the old Direc-
tors stated that the Institution was free
from debt, which was deception practised
upon the Governor and the people, as the
present Board say, "This statement, in our
opinion should have been qualified with
the explanation that the indebtedness to
individuals had been paid by over drafts
on the Treasury, exceeding thirty thousand
dollars, which the legislature of last win-
ter made an appropriation to pay
What will the people think of an official
document by board of Directors, which
declares the institution to be free of debt,
and when the men who made it know that
more than thirty thousand dollars of their
oyer drafts are lying in the office of Treas
urer of Statee
This report gives the following state
ment in regard to the financial condition
of the prison:
The receipts and expenditures Of the in
stitution for the past fiscal year are as fol-
lows: ...
Total receipts as certified by the Audi
tor of State, sixty-four thousand three hum
dred twenty-four dollars and forty-three
cents, 64,324, ,43-1OO,) )total expenditures,
seventy-three thousand four hundred twen-
ty-one dollars and forty cents, ($73,421.-
4O-1O0) showing an excess of expendi-
lures over receipts of nine thousand and
nlnety-six dollars and ninety-seven cents,
($9,096.97-1OO) Inferring in the pre-
ceeding "official reports" from this Institu-
ton, We find, in quite a number, an array
of figures presented, TO show that the Pris-
on, instead of being tax on the State, is
q source of revenue. ....
Since April 18th, A. D. 1854 all the
receipts of the Institution are paid into the
State Treasury, and all expenses are drawn
therefrom. The account of the Treasury
shows that since that time there has been
received from the Prison, Sl62,Os7,5 "a and
that there has been drawn from the Treas
ury on account of the Prison, S1s1, ,6O7.56,
showing that the expenditures have exceed
ed the receipts by $40, ,42O.O2, and that all
but S9,l36.l9 of this excess of expendi-
ture was previous to November 18th, 1855,
and the balance previous to June 1st, A
D. 1856, the time when the present War
den came into office. Pc.
From June list, A. D. 1856, to Novem-
Der lst, A. D. 1856, the accounts show
small balance of freceipts over expenditures,
repairs which have been unusual
ly large.
The history of the institution, from its
up TO the present time,
shows that it has beena constant tax upon
the State. If the same system of econo-
my, with which good business man man.
ages his own private affairs, can be intro
duced and enforced in the business of the
prison, there is no doubt the institution
will support itself, and yield small reve-
nue. to the State, after it is put in such
a state of repairs as the interests of the State
demand.
H Among other foolish stories spread
before the people by the Black Republican
presses of the Norsh, is that of an effort on