The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1865-01-04

has transplred 10 weaken their confidence
In the present system in vogue. The good /
time law SUI works well and al the con- /
victs avail themselves ~ irs PROVISIONS 70 /
shorten their terms u Imprisonment "
exemplary conduct each convict gains I'VE
t.avs Ter month, & strouE incentive Tor men
% IL rrht lis genera. operation shows
That th. Ia was Il Wis . vel aS hu-
name enactment. and 81 has marked lnlu-
ence in maintaining The discipline and good
order % the Prison
There are . life convic-s IN he Prison
II or anon arr even employment ~ The
ward Tie balance are insane. anu were
probably suffering under mental alteration
III the tine they were sentenced - In ma
IL instances tnls talent insanity mas been
la~ei0pel Ir Prison l.e and is surround
ings.
Tie Board f-el justified from frequent VS.
its and per- onal examination in saying tha
reatless. good order AID discipline axe, a.
they ever Rave been. prominent cLaracter-
Isl Is Oi this Institution. and cOlcele great
credit % ali the officers for this gratifying
condition OF affairs. The prisoners have al
all times been supplied with an abundance
Oi good and wholesome food while III SICK
Rave been well cared for. and madeas com
Portable as was consistent w.-n their stu
alton.
III conclusion, they say the management
OF the Prison for the past year has been
fully up % its former Aigh standard. For
the comfort and we IRE OF lis inmates all
has been done thar was possible On the
+ part Of the authorities, and tLelr Kidd treat
ment seems 10 be generally appreciated
For the prompt and faithful discharge Of all
their duties. the Agent. Nr. SeatOn, his
Deputy, Mr. Holden, and Mr. Bingham, the
clerk, are very highly c0mphmented.
( The report VI the Agent Mr.. SeatOn
/ gives q clear exhibit u the financial affairs
/ Of the Prison. About go conyicts are en-
ployed on contracts. the largest number
/ l0O-being employed 10y Wilmington Cooley
< Co., IN manufacturing farming lmple-
ments. b Tie recent ire the state loses
months pay Tor tins labor amounting 10
about $1,000. The amount Of money re-
ceivel from all sources during the year has
been Sts.5 54 ST. Theamoant expended has
been s47.335 p leaving cash balance on
hand Of SL2l9 IS. The earnings Of the
Prison Tor The past year have been $50
300 o. decrease OF -. Zcj IT, from the
earnings OF the preceding year.
The Agent .ltes that during the Year he
has euleav0led % keep the expenses as low
az possible bv using the strictest economy,
believing that in time q var, when both
the state and Nation are burdened so Sc
vereiy that 10 is proper that all civil institu-
ti0n- boz the country should be carried on
with the most rigorous frugallty. Mr.. sea-
ton estimates tine expenses OF the Prison
next year al $50 900 above its receipts, as
all supplies except beef and flour have in
creased nearly founold ia price. This state
Of affairs viii continue until contracts are
re-let Ort the prices Of supplies are decreased
The salaries Of all the Cficers-except
Agent, Chaplain and Plysician-Were in
creased last year by the Legislature SlO0
10 continue one year The Agent urgently
recommends that the Legislature at the
coming session continue this Increase so
that able and competent men may be secur-
cd. He argues thar 10 place weak men OF
questionable character over cOnyicts az
keepers ,h, chances are that not only little De
subordinati0n and frequent escapes Will
follow, and society VIII lose IL protection
The Agent deprecates the resort 10 co.,
poreal punishment, only in cases where il
is made necessary rs a last resort. Very
few cases Of this Kind have occurred during
the Ia. year.
Last year g contractor agreed 10 furnish
the prison with beef CT Il cents per
/ pound. lie furnished 1868 pounds. at
cost OF six cents per pound thereby losing
/ So, $50 81 on his contract Tie contractor
who furnished flour claims to have lost &. e.
400, owing to the rapid rise i'm this staple
commodity. The AGENT recommends that
/ these losses be reimbursed 10 tie contract
0rs as a matter Of equity
The report before us contains the Chap
lain's Physicians, and Matr0n's reports all
showing that the physical material, and
spiritual wants OF tue prisoners have been
properly attended to- In closing his report
Mr.. Seaton says: When I came here. now
nearly Id years ago. l knew but little of
Prison affairs. bur resolved To discharge
nay duty faithfully and iearlessly 10 all con
cerned, whether bond or tree, with whom /
was connected in official capacity How
must be the Judge "