Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1860-05-10
CITY ITEMS.

-, Pry1rsNriARy-A correspondent Of the Peters
a., Erprrs, furnishes that paper with a lengthy des-
10, O, the state Pcnitentiary Wequote the follow
slt,rJ,pscd extracts from the letter
procecded to the stOrerOom, where all the wooden
alton fbrcs manufactured 10 the prison pack
=, We found large piles Of excellent cloths for winter
'rnrch OF IL Just durable and nice in quality,
- bich so many Of our Petersburg people have DOM
- Those Goods am informed BY the Superintendent,
- rurchased almost exclusively by Richmond merchants
NE firm Of Kent Paine & Co, especially buying very
krseiy. ,,-.,,
-,,ent Thu ward" works more eOnYicts than any
Eb.r Connected with the Peniteutiary An immense
49, Is entirely occupied by the operatives and the sight
,ite an interesting one If the behOldcr can become
frious Of the fact that it crime which brought
49,, IN there There must be seyeuty-6ye or one hun.
si embracing all ages and all busy bees, stitching,
.ssrg hammering, pegging, etc. ] never before saw
, many cordwaiuerS on one floor. The great
amber assigned 90 this Department. IS accounted for
,r lie tact that green hand be taught 10 make
air of stout brOgues in three weeks, aud as a great
,try who are sent here have trades the shoe and
iber department. Is just the place for all such. UNI
s,-siand also that this very profitable business, and
s earnings OF this department probably exceed those
Of any other
3, -ri5hed and Of good quality, any have seen
IN Petersburg Richmond Baltimore, Philadelphia OF \
York Every Kind OF boot and shoe, for every class
~.
Some very neat French CATERS for adcs the theme
or admiration with al the company present and the
ebdreus shoes were also very pretty specimens. They
are doing very extensive business IN this line.
To the painters department We many little triukets
,1t notions which arrested attention An artificial
ts-so0 under glass cover was a. once novel and stri
sa- iu s appearance, and very Ingenious WitbaL Sew
sr uu-cusbiuus tooth picks and walking canes were al
e. worthy OF minute Inspection. These articles Col
Peni.eton informed me, are made by the prisoners in
snare moments, aud are ireqCeav purchased by visitors
The money b. plid 20 the superintendent Who places
90 ,ftr credit on book kept 40 the elise for this pur-
pose. ID the couyi1ts sick, and desire ieicacJs
srh as the prison rules DO not allow be purchased by
te Superintendent they furnished Of this fund
and they never need 10 IN this wav the entire amount
is handed over TO them upon their discharge.
We next assembled some tao or ;hroe ghts Of s;eps
and we're ushsred into the presence Of twelve fourteen
unfortunate female cOuvcts, four of whom are white
O1t of them Young and good looking woman apparent
Dr. - OF age Was sentenced Tor placing 00srrucOls
on railroad somewhere u the northwestern part OF the
Sat. Another was a bouncing sp-ghty looking Irish
sougn aged about 20 or 2S She was neatly dressed,
ami had her head gai.y decorated With ribbons. She
va. from the northwestern part OF the state for
.rc something 20 which she had no D, gal claim while
ia d state of iutoNicatOn. The women, both white and
coored were all engaged 40 sewing, shifting, washing
and ironing They seem % he cOuteuted as can be
rt1rcted der tlc circumstances. One OF tEcm ke-
4, looking black of a gingerbread color, VAS iron ny
vhis the Young white woman first above mentioned was
pIs,ir- with >pii sh'y child about years Old the
of.UIuy Oi the black.
Toe cell wts next examined. Tlcy are models OF
rrltac-s cleanliness and comfort. Each has two cots
Vel supplied With coarse pillow, sheets blankets, etc.
Toe sails Whe as lime and water make them
suI u The window 81, of each /, a copy OF the Holy
BJe, and neat htt,e mirror hangs against the wall
They arH necessarily very contracted iu size, but still.
hr-e enough for tao men 90 sleep comfortably and
an informed that some OF them ufoJi oJs.ugs for as
many as three couyic,7 Tais the Superintendent is
compelled 20 DO, the prison u0W contains exactly
q couVc's
As see hal concluded our tour Of inspection ard were
a55.. 90 return the oE-a, Slylis B.ty and Wright
brought n new convict which SSc,'j tle aluhrr 70
t,ae.y 500 &c having stood a, 2yp Tor several days
Tbs new customer proved % be j. Henry, New OthCr
by 5Itl bat recently convicted before Judge Meredith
O. tug Richmond Circuit Court, for stealing "a lO, ct
watches and iese.ry from 49, g.. Whitman. Henry isa
ss. boxing fellow, and registered go tuv Prison C.cv,
Of'e - wears and three DAYS old he appeared much
excited ana protested his Innocence O.. the crime for
w ch De has been convicted. After taking his name age
and te term OF wears JhsCe !Or which DE had been
sgrd 20 ,ic gloomy precincts and divySus his pocket,
O.. every article whatsoever he Vas conducted To ,he
dressing room. Here a convict, named Lee, confined J.
years for murder took the new cOm,r in charge and
i ping him 10. bis CrLeu's dress, scanned his diue.-
s0ls and bad him 8rrarej IN pr -Irb. His lu-
burn loeAs 90 bee taken of next dLy close 20 the
skull tu, ;he evening Of admission were oruamen,ed
U, tau white co ton cap We cOgid scarcely recog-
MIS- Henry when De emerged from the dressing Dom,
compile ely bad he been mctmorrlossd by his prison
UNIFORM I'll, v.s locked Up tor ,le night. and w0Ili De
examined next d,v by the Superintendent and trade
assigned him lie is said 90 DE the most scientific biz
hard PLAYER IN he SAFE but that ftvorte pls,imc is
DO. INDUCED u by either Col Peudl'ou those under
bis supervision 70 is thought that Henry will get out OF
practice before bis term expires
Capt, Biyiss. OF the famous sloop, h.-.a', who was
convicted before the Petersburg Circuit Court year
since tJg kidnapping Eve valuable slaves belonging
yOlr 81 zens and assigned go year- IN the Pcu'utAry
is buly engaged in the weaving department. His, wife
his removed from Wilmington. Delaware, that she might
Pee near her husband and visits bin regllry every -four
weeks Col Peni-tol allows him come TO the Office,
and converse With BIS wife u the presence OF keeper
The unfortunate woman am told, eDtertaius strong
hone that she will i've 20 her husband more free
What a deIrs.on What a hoping against hope Bot
What an evidence Of womin devotion does the case Of
NJ Bay.iss furnish