The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1865-12-01
ciuneiunatI, OhiO.-IOsEFH B. ou1HI' i.
CITY Ne VS..
The Tennessee PenitentiaFy
nnnnrt Id AZ Inspeetors.

The Tennessee PenitentiaTy.
Report Of the Inspectors.
l1r =- ~ 81
Tbs .sport Of Messrs. II. g. Seovel, S
~ and A. B. Shanklsndi lnsPecton
- ne state Penitentisry, has been pre-
psred and rom Il we extract u 2 % ~ =,
me- pepftsutiarg was receiFea oy M
,,resert inspectors o the 10Th OF suhe5 So'
= which time il was ~ltoout -. - ~ Z -
Iittls OF no sreeits Al AZ - - -,
sso ba6 N dsbt--a part o. Wnlen ind plca'
1879 ,,5,.sr bean. etl cred on the DO ks
49,. - : large amount have been entered
$1,000 the prison snd in some ms sncesi
-. l-ova bean made on the manufactured
- tbs rrison which the Inspectors have
49, obliged 20 arrange forthwith 70 pro-
teet the State from heavy loss
In Dscembsr, 1854, at the Hood" siege
of Nashville, twenty four hundred pr is'ners
permsated every poruon q tne Pl.s1n, = !
S-hich time utensils were burned eestfoysd
and stolen III, -
- kindred diseases for want Of sum
cispcv and variety OF God, end beng WITH
out ciothiBg, and in some cases entirely
,T,de. eou not be relieved from constant
cell-e5nfnement, aud withal afflicted with
the unmentionable ann0yauees sslalnB
from want Of discipline and cleanliness. In
consequences Of the occu p~hcg " .ne ~
tsrv of 10th The eastern and western wings
t1-.tber with portions Of the middle build
No meuv Of our convicts were compelled 70
Tsep Two ia cell, upon the stone slao
soors. in the absence, IN some cases OF
- .f-tfriup. The naain cooking arrange
-,.-t rorsisied Of three brick walls about
fbrse feet high, with pieces Of sheet iron
uniugsniousiy laid thereupon, % COOK tor
one hundred snd fifty human beings; N
edition 70 the above, there was an unused
b8ckless oven. -.
had allen down; the pitch roof thereof,
sLout four hundred feet in length, ana
f,-ts- feat wide, leaked 20 generally as not
o,.ly 40 make il Vulnerable, bus unsuited ior
storage: in consequence Of when lne noOTs
- 5ecaved and sunken, and the rain
toupd "a waT through the floors 10 the
dining-room, rendering a damp and musiy.
No bathing establishment had ever Ia
,-o-ei the inmetes Of this prison, and in the
sbssnce 81 hydrant water they were com
feIled 70 f1reeO the blessings attendant upon
tleanIIness Of person and cl0shing, the cis-
terms being unsuppued with water because
ofdilapidsted gutteras pipes, etc.
Suffice il 70 say, that 70 ent into more
..-,,,,ts detail Of ire lamentable condition Of
nh. institution would saock the huer sensi-
blides, and arouse a feeling OF aatonlsh-
meHf. that 10 Tennessee, wit1ln one mile q
he STATE Capitol, such condition OF things
5bould exist. The mystery, however, may
al be solved in the word l0Gr
one other fact We 7iil mention, yiz No
sss Cruise, Confederate Quartermaster, con-
tracted A debt al the Penitentiary Of sixteen
tboussud seven hundred and twenty seven
dollars, (sl6,727 90
There Il a claim against the United States,
% he amount Of Sl4,0I5 20, but no ADJUST
ment has been had.
Az present, the wings Of the building
have been clennsed; the roof repaired, 50
rat Il Is perfect; the machinery has been
rrt IN order a new cooking range, IS intro
sseed into the cook kitchen iron bedsteads
bove1b been introduced, that prisoners need
Id lie on the damp stone ho0r Of the cells
and other improvements have been intro
duced. The Inspectors comphmented sur
gs5o Walker for his care Of the hospital. A
trlbiug establishment has been introduced,
which viii be Of great advantage.
The inspectors then make the following
srsorsr1oxs AsD EEcoNEESDAIoNs.
whereas the number OF convicts is rapid
Ia ipcreas ne, and the necessity is foreshsd
owed OF an enlargement Of the grounds, at
least to the enclosing Of The prison area, and
the extension Of not only the cell De- art
Bspts. bat the enlargement and re-arrang-
nrof the workshops, 30 that the greatest
Convenience, safety and facilities may DC CD
iained in tue prosecution Of the mechanical
5spartments And, whereas, duriDg the
demonstrations Of the last several years the
Psnitentisrv has contracted debt amount
ing, as we b nix, from the evidence before
u. rr5bsblv 70 forty thousand do lars, and
possiblya lsrger sum, as claims con inue 70
t7lne in. Of which We have upon the oks
10 record, end on which, { large amounts,
mis- are instituted. And, whereas, it is
seen by reference 10 Schedule A., that this
!lstituaon-the creature Of, Aod under the
ns sriur care Of the Legislature 0 I Il nues-
tee-has % deposit ~ tle sank Of Iennes-
see Sl0 ,ge9 63, and IN addition holds s2i-
IS 90 Of said Bank fuBds. And,
whereas. in the absence Of the Legisla-
tare, IN the long inc. iuns Of the sessions
Of your honorable body, many vitality in
p1rlaut questions arise, calling for tha eK-
s-ciseof sound wisdom, discretion, and very
Considerable executive talent; Therefore,
your inspectors respectfully recommend,
that your honorable body make an sppro-
pratiou 60 the lennessee Ren1tenuery q
$4,000. 20 be drawn from the State Treas
ury a. exigencise arise, upon the der OF
The Inspectors and for such purposes - IN
heir Judgment may most promote the in
isrests OF the Institution aud protect the
iGg-payers of the State. As suggestive Of
the items OF expenditure, we state Tor extern
t5u of the outer walls and other improve
usnts that may be absolutely demanded,
s.. 700; 70 cancel the indebtedness Of past
tlministrstiona, SIS Geo, (s5O,0oo which
40 amount, in congestion with work and
-uerial that may be furnished oy the
g-aon, we are In hopes will meet the de
ntnds that may be made, some Of which
are prosecuted inexorhbly.
IN addition to the above mentioned items
Of expenditure. your incoming Inspectors
r.fbt think Il wise end reformetory in its
asrscter. 10 introduce. for the use Of the
,avict,, : iudieiously selected Library Of
lislsetual, moral and religious books,
O. Be- distributed weekly, or as the prisoners
nav desire; and in connection herewith
al school books and school facilities az
siI tend to the enlightenment Of those
~ through ignorance and want OF correct
sdry Instruction, have committed crimes
hu lave led 70 their Incarceration in the
Fs1lgbary. And while glanciag at this
implulat feature Of this report, duty sug-
gssg tat ID would be weli, at as early a
period &, possible, and when extensions are
beng us4s to the buildings, 20 incorporate
iasiei1 Ospel, for relig Gus services upon
lAs stbesth and for school purposes ~
F-taA alfMnEaIl ENA AAN ANAAh AN - fAsAAe ~
relieved from solitary confinement thirty
AZ consecutive hours-from o'clock, p. m,
Saistday, TO O'Clock, a. m, Monday.
sal smother fsct suggests itself that may
90 you in arriving al proper conclusions
wa reference 70 the amount Of your appro-
E-st.on. From present prospects IL appears
l2i The number of convicts ls likely 70 ap-
P'oximalc, d not reach, one thousand and
tAai 10 purchasing the vast amount OF ma
HHaa s. d. j f.-a 4.
ilumher Of lsb1rcrs, the prison snould not
b mpeued, ior went Of means, 10 pur
Chase from one market, but be privileged 10
lss t6e markeia Of the world.
We respectfully recommend that in the
'Fpoinsment q the incoming lnspertors,
g1lr honorable body exercise the greatest
diligence, de Iteration and care, in the Sc
acti0n Of men Of knovn honor. business
a. administrative talent and energy, 70
'sivol and wisely and huiaanelv nsnaee
Ht operations OF this immense institution
nd mat you rCCiSC tie 2rcscBt lac with
resence % the eiecti1p Of tAs Kcsper, 80
eai an sue officers may be selected and an
fratea by the Inspectors, who eau then
exercise the neces sary influence, without
veeA the office Of Inspector is a cypher
And We also recommend the revision OF tbs
av, with reference 70 the labor Of the con
vets So that they may be employed, as n
las past, In The various mechanical depart
ne1ts, or etherWise a., in the Judgment 9
Ae luspsctors, the great objects coBtsmpla
"a "a thtir Incarceration may Be per leeted
aa5 The Interests 81 The StGie most effect
"a ly secured
Nersspecfully recommend that the Sfst
tsniieuusry, TIE offspring Of The state, o
:. visiged With she sin q It's parent, ii
a'el ens compelled 70 hold In Euspsns'
e1p.oyedi he large amount OF her de
~ n he Bans Of Tennessee, togeths
We amount Of that Banks finds O
Toa q suthouze AID instruct th
sG q he Sts,e 20 take 10 said Bank
-a' sad srao uuts, and furpish currene
Co. 4s use II the Institution, %
-. iAs exigeacy may arise.
"a. ..t--esiug statistics OF the prison G
.ta q september may be useful
ae.s uuuabsr q prisoners .......... 1s
S-llisee by civil authorities .-..........- l Z