The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1864-01-13
The State Prison.

on:
/. Numbers The present number Of prison
ers, Nov. 30 is 1913, against 40 last year, and
53l the year before, aud 62l the previous yer.
This shows a reduction Of nearly one Lalf in
three years This ia attributed to the fact that
the greater part Of the floating population have
enlisted in the armies. With the return Of
peace, the Inspectors expect the cells Of the
Prison to be again filed TO their utmost capacity.
The number of cOnVicts received last year was
l04.
p lost IF Food The amount paid for pro-
visions las; year was slS 697 o., or s5s 70 for
each convict, being 7S IL cents per week, or
10 > cents per day, so that each meal would
cost about l-2 cents. This would buy a
pound 90 -four, or a pound Of beef We should
think this was sufficiently economical The
present high prices, however, added largely to
the cost Of keeping each man. Thus, il ls4s,
the weekly cost OF provisions was only "A ?
cents. or . - cents per day.
g. Prism ETpenses The total di-burse-
ment-, exclusive Of those for building and re-
paTs, for the last year, were S4l ,s79 rs, being
sli7 70 per anuum for each prisoner, or 80
cents per day. In 1860, the annual expense OF
each convict was only $40 81.
Pa,dons. The Governor pardoned . last
year, and the President, ? This was nearly one
third OF the whole number received.
Since 1889, the commitments have been 3
2j9, while the pardons have been 40 more than
one fifth OF tue whole number.
.. Work. The whole number Of days spent
in Prison, last year, were lSO,74l, of which 50,
oil days were productive labor on contracts,
and 1882 were for the State. Two hundred
and forty two convicts now work on contracts.
Of which 10 are on farming implements, 60 on
wagons, 80 on cabinet ware, and % On boots and
shoes. The amount charged contractors for
convict labor, last year, was S29,2l2 Sc, or rath-
er more than three fifths of the whole expense.
c. Solitary Prisoners. There are % of this
class; but 10 of these are permitted to work in
the shops with their fellows, and do we'll The
Chaplain says they are as good, as to discipline,
as the other cOnvicts.
q. Insane There are no less than eight IL
sane persons who are kept in the cells of the
solitary prison-a poor place to promote their
recovery. Il seems to US that they might be
sent to Kalamazoo.
s. Crimes. OF lO4 convicts received last
year, 81, being more than half, were sent for
larceny and grand larceny. OF the whole num-
Der of crimes, IS, or four ffths of the whole,
were offences against property.
9. Length Of Sentence. The shortest senten-
ces were six months; and two were sent for
life, p were sentenced for two years, IA for 8
years.
10. Location. Wayne sent II cOnvicts, Cal
houn Is, Jackson and Kalamazoo each, and, a
less number from other counties.
IL. Ages. The youngest of lO4 received,
was 10, and the Oldest was rs were 10 years
old, and were - years old; Sc, being more
than hail. were under 80 years.
L. NGfivlfy. VI IO4 convicts, SO were born
in New York, Is in Canada, III in Michigan.
and o in Ireland. % we're foreign born, "a were
born in the U. S.
Is. Mental Improvement. 1t appears that
some instruction is impaired to some classes in
arithmetic. reading and spelling The Library
books are distributed weekly, and religious SER
vices are held once every Sunday.
H. Females. There are nine of these, under
the care Of Matron.
IS. Health. There have been six deaths.
The Physician recommends warmer clothing in
the winter, and better food Dysentery, diar-
rhea and rheumatism were the most prominent
diseases
Is. The Contract System. There is always an
antagonism between contractors and convicts :;
the interest Of the former being to get as much
work out of the couviets as possible, and of
the latter, to do as little as possible. Hence
difficulties are constantly arising between them
which have 10 be settled hy the discretion of
the officers. The prisoners at Jackson are re-
quired to do az he lrork they can, without iniu
~ to the health or constitution OF the convict
This is the rule Mr.. SeatOn proceeds upon. He
says the contractors are entitled TO this much bv
contract Our impression is very strong, that
the contract system is one of the greatest
barriers to the Improvement and good conduct of
the prisoners.
II. Discipline On this subject, the Agent
reports:
The behavior Of the convicts the past wear
has been very satisfactory. Only six have been
punished with the lash, and but few have been
put IN dark cell; and Yet We are satisfied that As
whole, they never worked better There have
been more DAYS labor performed in proportion To
the number OF eonvicts in PRISON than ever be-
fore. and iull as much labor from each convict
per day there has beenless INSTRUMENTATION. and
less violation OF the rules Of the Prison. Their
tasks have been cheeriully and well done "a
general rule much interest has been taken nv
them 10 their various departments of labor n
DO Il well and do what was required of them
and all this without the help of the lash A,
least twenty hive per cent more work il obtained
from them at present than when the Lash rs
freely used; and vet We claim for ourselves I'll
the necessary good discipline best calenls,s5 80
make tfese oUieasts from society better both 10,
themselves while here and for society when lin
Grated. 10
Many OF these good results arise from our
good time law, allowing each convict Eve
days per month from his term Of sentsnc, q.
good behavior OF the leo discbarcs5 1ei
we're entitled TO and received the benefit Of this
saw ms law as diseiplnsrian is Of inestims-
DE VSae' and no inducements could persuade me
to connect myself with any penal institution of
this kind where the lash stood first a. the prin-
clpie means OF enforcing discipline"
The Chaplain says:
Experience has fully justified the most san