Delaware State journal and statesman., 1861-05-03
LOCAL AFFAIRS.
Report of the Levy Court of New Castle
County, relating to Jails and Work
Houses


The committee, appointed at the March term
of this Court to whom was referred the several Il
acts OF tue General Assembly relating to Jails u
and Work houses, and the petitions presented TO N
the Court for the erection OF work house and e.
who were instructed to report system for the Il
employment Of Migrants and other persons i'm
prisOned in the jail of this county and also the
plan and cost Of such additional buildings as ,
may be necessary for the purpose, respectfully /
report
That siuce our appointment we have visited
number Of the hest prisons and work houses in I
the State OF Pennsylvania, and have conferred Z
with persons OF great experience in the organi-
Eaton and management OF the same, and have &
procured a number Of the printed reports of the
managers of such institutions 10 which are to be
found valuable suggestions upon the subject.
We have also consulted from time TO time with
the Jail Commissioners, who at the request of
this committee, have also visited several Of the
prisons Of Pennsylvania, and have greatly aided
your committee in the discharge Of the duties
assigned them. We recommend that the report
of the said CoInmi, sioncrs upon this subject shall
be recorded with this report.
We are OF the opinion that II system of labor
for persons confined in the county prison would
be of great advantage, and that to perfect such
a system additional buildings would be required,
hut we are also Of the opinion that the brief
period OF Imprisonment authorized by the vagrant
Act OF the last session of the Legislature, and
other defects in this and other acts upon the sub.
ject would render the expenditure Of my con-
siderable sum of money in the erection of II work
house of questionable expedlency; hut We are
fully satisfied that if no objection in these re-
specls existed, the present unsettled aud perilous
condition of the country renders tho erection OF |
q work-Aouse or any additional buildings to the |
Jail at this time improper.
We are convinced that the Migrants aud such
other persons as may be lawfully compelled to
labor should be employed MS soon as possible,
aud we believe that this can be done to advnn.
tlge for the present without additional buildings.
Your committee are especially impressed with
the importance of establishing u new system for
the management of the prison, and believe that
the first step in that direction will be to separate
the prisoners, so far may be possible put them
in the charge of competent keepers, and end at
1 once the present unrestrained interc ,urse by
r which the bad are made worse, and the chief
purposes OF punishment defeated.
5 We slave been greatly panied in viewing the con-
dition Of our jai in which men and women
4 minglc without check, and SPEND in disorder,
= profanity, gambling and lebauchery, the time
+ which should be employed in labor and improve
+ ment
e Owing to the fact that the Levy Count has no
y power TO appoint warden to take the charge Of
the prison out of the hands of the Sheriff, who is
10 by law required to keep the same, either per-
% sOnally or by n keeper, we will not be able to
y make all the changes desired until additional
10 power shall be given by the Legislature, but we
m have endeavered to devise a plan to remove the
evils Of the present system 50 far it may now be
ID possible.
Of We recommend that the Jail Commissioners
to he directed, with the approval of this committee
ut to purchase such implements, working tools and
es materials as may be necessary for the proper
employment of the prisoners, but we ndvlse
he prudence in this respect, especially until expert
le enee shall show the employments most profitable
he aud suitable to the condition of the pris on We
also recommend that said Commissioners confer
with this committee in regard to the adoption Of
nv n suitable system of rules and regulations fol
~ the government of the Jail md work-house aud
w all persons connected Herewith and We recon-
- mend that said rules aud regulations whcI
Gu adopted shall at once be put in force under TIA,
u, direction of said Commissioners. and that the,
on be requested to report to this Court any inirac-
y, tions of said rules or defects in the system
nu which may require the assistance OF the Court
And also that said Commissioners be requested
n' to report any neglect of duty the part of TIN
H. persons having charge of the prison, aud also
W tnll statement in writing of the operation OF III
81 system which may be adopted for the bette
re- regulation of the prison
o 1t is further recommended that an oyerseer o
i s the work-house be appointed at u salary OF fy
nv hundred dollars per year; aud that said appoint
mont shall be made ut such time az lie Ini
as Commissioners may direct, not more than tel
ue days from this time aud that shid oycrsrcr b
required 10 enter into bond with sufficient suret!
nd TO be approved by the Court in the sum Of On
re thousand dollars conditioned for the faithful
Of performance OF the duties Of bis office. An,
a. that the person who may be appointed overseer
Ter be directed to visit the best regulated prison
se and work. houses in the neighborhood Of Phila
ed delphia before entering upon the discharge o
n his duties, and that his salary be continued Will
IN he may be thus occupied
mt We further recommend that this committee h
3D. authorized (it in their Judgment il shall he ne
on cessary for the proper management Of the prison
Tor to employ an assistant Oyerseer ut n salary o
er three hundred dollars per year, if employed TO
that period. or at one dollar per day if it shal
lin be found necessary to employ such person for
,;s shorter period than one year.
in We further recommend that the Court reques
,e the Sheriff TO appoint the persons who may h
w. chosen overseer aud assistant oyer5eers kceper
,sa OF the Jail and that the Sheriff he requested
m employ, Mt his own expense an additional kecpe
ll whose duty ii shall be to take charge of the pri
az sou and preserve order at night after the oihe
y officers may have retired.
Your committee request that they may he con
tn tinued under the instructions Ond with the now
ex ers hereinbeiore suggested and tbat they hav
OF leave 10 report at the next stated meeting of tn
Court All Of which is respectfully submitted
ia. WM. d. CLARK,
.a LEWIS XEBIY,
no JOHN W. HAWKINS
NJ WIN. McCLELLANp. committee
a aa SPENCER CHANDLER,
eI l., E. PENNINGTON,
eu April 25, 1861
be Republican and Inquirer copy one time.
TAKEN HONE To BE BuaIED.-The bodies O
I'm the Massachusetts men who were killed at Balti
NJ more on the 18th ult., were taken through tbi
ot city, on Tuesday night, in charge of the Adams
ey Express company, on their way home to b
pr buried.
nd PATnloTIc-llenry S. Matack, son of G. p
20 Matlack, was offered, fow days ago. twenty-five
dollars for his privilege OF position as privat
lie in the Washington Grays, Of Philadelphia, which
v. Mr., Matlack at once declined, he prefcrring I,
nj march against the enemy in person.
II UNION MRRrIHa.-A Union meeting will Il,
ds held at the School House, in Newport this eve
IL ming. Several addresses will be delivered Tn,
ng Union feeling is very strong in that ancien
c, village.
---sss--
A. PATRIOTIC DEvlcEs.-'rhe Brooklyn Time
of says, ingenuity and business enterprise ar,
largely called into reGuistion for the production
s. of symb0lical expression Of our intense and uni
s. versal patriotism. National flags, waving over
lie every public ediice and business building, and
at from every liberty pole, and from out every
'e other dwelling house window, on every horse :
1T head, and on every vehicle in the streets nnd
from every mast and flag staff on the river. nnl
nj Haunted mimioally by all our little children in
Nv our houses and on our sidewalks; and rosettes
Of decorating the breast of every man, woman and
g child-these are by no means the only devices
+. Of the kind invented. The subject is suggest
g. ed to us by local paragraph is one of the New
8 Haven papers to the effect that recent shower
,. suddenly brought to light number Of starred
l. and striped umbrellas, carried by the New