The Wyandot pioneer. (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1853-1868, 1857-01-22
The Ohio Penitentiary 49, Interesting z
Developments.


Developments.
The Annual Report of the Directors
and Warden of the Ohio Penitentiary
has been made public. The present
Board is composed of L. G. Van Slyke,
and A. P. Stone. of Columbus, Cyrus
Sphinx. Of Wayne county, j. D. Morris,
of Clermont. and L. W. Babbit, of Fair
field. A synop,is of their Report is Civ
en- in the State Journal, from W hch we
CLEAN the following interesting particu,
lars. AT the first meeting of the Board
they made thorough examination Of all
the various departments of the prison
and took an inventory of the property
belonging to the State, which they found
there.
They say eve found many Of the
buildings in very dilapidated and ruin
Gus condition, dangerously exposed to
coniagration; the clothing and bedding
nearly worn out. and not in the most
cleanly condition the cells infested with
bed bugs and fleas; the stoves and heat
ing apparatus broken up; the FIRE engine
useless for want Of repairing and the
hose belonging to it unfit for use" A
considerable portion of the supplies laid
in for winter had spoiled for want of pro-
per attention.
They found, from an examination of
the books. and from other sources, that
there was quite large amount of claims
due the institution, some of which might
be recovered, but large portion worth
less.
The reports which have been made
heretofore, that the institution was a
source of revenue to the State, were SIM
ply false. The prison has always been
an expense, and never source of reve.
nue.. The report of last year made by
the old Directors, stated that the Institu
tion was free from debt, which was de-
ceptien practiced upon the Governor and
people, as the present Board say. " Thi,
statement. in our opinion, should have
been qualified with the explanation tina,
the Indebtedness TO individuals had bee,
paid by oUerdrofts on the Treasury, exceed
tng thirty thousand dollars. aohich the Lea
isloture Of last soimter made an appropria
tion to pay" What will the people thinl
ofan official document by Board of Di
rectors, which declares the institution t.
be free of debt, and when the men VIII
made it know thatmore than Thirty thou
sand dollars of their over drafts are lynn
en- tie office Of the Treasurer of .Slotei
The Report gives the following state
nent in regard to the financial condi.io
of the Prison
The receipts and expenditures of th
Institution for the past fiscal year are q
follows:
Total receipts as certified to the Aud
tor of State, sixty-four thousand thre
hundred and twenty -four dollars and 70
ty three cents ($j4. 1924 .43 1907 tot
expenditures. seventy-three thousan
four hundred and twenty. .one dollars an
forty cents, (S73.4l1 4o10o,) shown
an excess of expenditures over receip
of nine thousand and ninety-six dolIa
and ninety seven cents (S9, 81, 100
In referring to preceding "of1icial r
ports from this Institution. we find,
quite number. an arrav Of figures pr
sented to show that the Prison, instead
being atax on the State, is source
revenue.
Since April 18th. A. D. 1851, all Il
receipts of the Institution are paid in
the State Treasury, and all expenses a
drawn therefrom. The account at Il
Treasury shows that since that time the
has been received from the Prison S16
0G7.54, and that there has been draw