Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1862-07-11
Letter from the Capitol.

Letter from the Capitol,
Management Of the STATE Prison--7Ae War.
den, Mr.. 1inker-1he Deputy Warden.
Mr.. Thomas.
Aucusra, July LIST 1862,
Editors Advertiser Having given Won
hnsty review of some of the more extraordi.
nary of tho State Prisoners at Thomaston
and Of the peculiarities and incidents conpcc.
ted with this full company of criminals, Won
readers will very likely ask, I" W hat Of tho
condition of the Prison itself? How is IL do.
ing pccuniarily for it has ever been an out.
set to the State ; and how docs the new War
den succeed for Mr.. Tinker is compara,-
vcly new, having been appointed soon alter
Gov. Washburn', induction 10 Office in 1861
These are important questions, as bearing
On the interest and welfare of the state. The
Prison has, more or less, ever since we were
a State, been vexation subject DOR consiser-
alton. both within and without the Hall Of
Legislation. Running side, by ride as We do.
Of New llamshrc, whose prison is selfs,s.
tainng tic question has been asked too MANY
tin - to cuuinercritc, Why cannot our Prs.
on h. brought somewhere near 10 sclfsps.
tanning power, by the labor Of the conyicts
Aud 81 there have been various schemes IN
make it 50. The labor has been let out TO
contractors. and IL Las worked by the Stat,
directly, a, is tie ease now and ~ lus
modes haNe tccn tried. bu, yet il is atWaysa
bill # expense at last
The Governor, Impressed with the ippo,
lance at i ing ali that can be done during
the residue u bIs administration, hearing up,
eu this important question, has appointed
commission OF iva l. iosk mt the Prisons
Of New Hampshire aud Massachusetts,. and
other places IN New Englanj-to report IN
October. Ia order to obtain any new hint.
that mas k improved upon in bringing the
Prison nearer peeGhiarly, to the standard
dies uzi ~ tire People
WIKI tee condition OF toe Prison was
pleased. Everything was going on plga4an,-
Is and HarW1uiJusly Tie prisoners were all
Al work that could work some OF the feeble
and oh men broken down by YEAR, and hard
srrY lce IN rouchlng it in the world and IN
prison WIZ about ussd ur. The; bad No
work lett N them. The drudgcry about the
slot= OF summing themselves in tie ward, was
all the~c usr.e~s men could do. Bat the large
m1iarlty 81 thcm sere at work with more
Il less ot result, ui course because in one
hundred ana fifteen men. got together US these
are. from the dregs OF crime. there is much
oi imheeihty and lnntillty. Yet they vera
kept ut wots as tst they could be.
The principal branches cuir,cd On are car
ring -taak.ng. hIack<mitiiius ami shoyiaak-
INK lhc hands arr dNiird into these de-
pArtmHuts, ~ their capabilities hest adapt
t."m. Tie lads sra CITING u good trade IN
tht> Ny, u enable tbssa, when ihey emerge
II IA thls f.upunl9us alb d., to have a resort
hy WITCH II lbsy are disp -ed they may
- aa honest LIVING think the p'- Is
/ H. We'll under ia present organization.
| ~ ~ -arlris, i. If IL ia not show a bct-
Ter f,selt Feeuniatly, ut the proper time,
Uan fss Len shown for many years bciorr.
lin lrI~aucrs arr b,ius suhsisie.and tins
is = fefi Important i;ea--ai very much less,
hy the II ,rnS harieu, then MAS done for
merry. HIS viii s3soW it.,li when that lm-
l.,r;4t.t expenditure i exhibited up at the
end # tHa year, Tie leod FURNISHED is not
,;nt7d, ~ u mcIn quality, IN order 10 elect
tia, fesait The general rTnark was. after
examination, that tie materials were OF ex
+ ce.lcut quality, and tie c31king department.
clgtd 1T b. exc i!ti.
or Mr. Tinker, the Warden-thcrc was
aue ~ III me- t,s tiInlpial given, By tie b.-s
Of witheSs. :. IA ard ab1nt Inoinaston. - Ne
f il All ba,t ST man. vas the remark by thoSn
WIN cltum at uron the fIi<Ju-= and it i
common property Own thrre-and all talk
AMI haze an uTiaiIa which they cherish with
irratity. Of The Prison. v hatcyrr there
Fore vs. SAID Of is conduct-and each had
va7 IN which h would do it--ytt AansstR
/ was conceded Is the present Warirn. That
conccssi1n yields u large portion OF the
ground, Admit that n man is honCst, aud
I you give a vantage gfoAnl Of immense Inn
I pariauce in this connection. For, alas. the
al. h.. =,
his not, m lormrr tunes, bCeu any too much
40! tar iAre y.rtu1, IN the mana ssnent Vi the
rfi- n.
! think the state has in the present War
4 u, man oil s,-riin. QUALITIES, apd that
i, the testimony # the-c wio know lin b.s,
who nr1us 10 10 his whpls duty to tho
hsi Of his knoWl,i-a-r regardless ol lruwns
ur tarafs. lie ias sturdy and in some di-
rcctions an INSCRIPTIONS opposition To con
tani witH--aud - viii any one have who Is
iu charge ot the Prison. But he stands up
10 rs aefk, aui aeahs to d. his duty scru-
lUi5ssiY. think he will s4ec,sed. aud tia.
a the c,usa of bis enthusiastically il long
er ar short r.-iisiii b. susceptible Of proof,
that She prison WAS wcil managed nud..r has
e4rc. and the State bznehttei by his az point
lutpt
He Prison has. alb, in it. Deputy War
lien. Mr.. Thomas au excellent nam. lie
'ymithis WITH 'he prisoners, and has their
welfare q, heart, aud they know IT, ~ they
cherish him as friend in whom they can
eophde. His duties bring him more ,mmedi-
atcly IN contact With them than do ,i,e War
dcn and therefore It is very essential To
them that the right man is in that direction.
Mr.. Thomas Is The man for them Ii would
'@ hard T. End, as it seems to me, better
man t5r tho place All Of which, both Of
Warden aud Deputy, am very happy to
state CrnusELANp.
-PoriiGBid Adrernscr.