The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1857-01-01
The OhiO Penisenslnry Report
some or ITS 'Errers set Right.

The OhtO Penitentlary Report
some OF Its 'Errers set Right. &
we have copied iBtoour eolnmn 10 -day,
the Columbus Gasefie's abstract Of the An-
Busl Report Of the Warden and Directors OF
the Ohio penoiientIary, for the fiscal year
eRtling 10Th November, 1856. Ia the peru
sal Of this interesting abstract, we have no
ticed with pleasure much under the new ad.
ministration that is worthy of7comme Dda- /
ton. 1t is 10 be regretted, however, that
instead Of improving upon the financial
manogement,of tbeir immediate pre1eces-
sors, the expenses Of the last year, bre large-
Iy greater than in 1855, whilst the incress.
ed earnings are limited to mere piitanee.-
The figures for 1855, as exhibited by ihe
Auditor Of Slnte's Report for that year, and
those for 1856 as given in the Report OF the
Warden aud Directors, are as follows:
lS55-Paym Is into State Treas. S642 i249 60
Total expenses for the year, 64,O ,O63 Sc
Earnings greater ikap erpeESeS, Sl57 l3
ls56-P -Poym'ts into State Treas. $65 ,334 AZ
Total expenses for The year, 7S,42l 40
(, Erpcnas orcr earnings, $1,000 81
The principal part Of this increased ex-
.penditure in 1856, may have been caused
by unavoidable circumstances; but some OF
it--how much we DO not know-may be set
down to the increased salaries voted by the
last Legislature TO The prison guards, &c.
We regret that the Warden and Dircc-
tors have, in whit seems 10 be an effort to
save their financial management from ap-
! Iod all fhot anl 90 IN
institute comparisons which do injustice to
their immediate predecessors, and will not
bear the test Of scrutiny. Their own fail,
ure 10 snake both ends meet during the
past year, does not necessarily imply dere-
LECTION Of duty. Whether necessity exist
ed for so large an increased expenditure
as their report shows, is a question on
(which We do not propose now to give an
opinion, But il is cerlai.., that during the
fiscal year 1856, the Penitentiary under
Democratic management, was self sustain
ing institution. The proof Of this is in the
figures given above, showing as they do from
I the proper official document, Tint The earn
,ings the prison during that year, exceed
ed lis total expenses. That such was also
the condition Of the institution from the lst
day of July, 1854, when Mr.. Warden Will
son took possession, until the ceaseless care
and devotion which he gave 10 his duties,
cerried him to d premature grave, is a fact,
which, we believe, may he FULLY substantial.
ed by such an analysis OF The expenditures
Of 1854, as viii! show what pnrt Of them be.
long to that portion Of the year lie stood at
The helm. tits u fact, too, which the pre-
sent Dire ctorv may be excusuble for not
knowing (aIhough The audited bills will es.
,abliSh lis lruta) that there were embraced
! in the aggregate payments IN account OF the
Fenitentiary subsequent 10 the passage ol
the law of April u, 1854, between twelve
and eighteen thousand dollars for debts ere.
ated previ, US to that date and under The old
management The bare statement Of this
fact is enough to show that whilst the sum
above named, was paid after the 18th April,
yet being pre- existing debt, cannot be re.
gardcd us constituting any part of the actual
expenses of.the Institution tor the period
!; which elapsed subsequent to the passage O
the new law, andreierrcd 10 by the present
:, Warden and Directors.
The bad tuste Of parts Of the present Re
/ bort, is further displayed nthe captions com
Z pant that on the 18th November, j S55, Mr
Warden Dutt!es, and the Democratic Dircc
tors then in efijee, reported 10 the Governor
, that the Penitentiary was totally free from
debt. Though the present Board find in th
statement what they Hloke a ccnsoriOus criti
, teism, they do not pretend - deGy its trutl
further than to say ihat their predecessors
in order to accomplish what they regard as ;
matter OF boast. were compelled to nakI
+, II, / ba ito,