, 1869-07-01
The Stnse PcnitcurtnfT-Nho ~ re.
kpou4lb1c!

To lie Editor Gf Ths Chirc1o Jr1bnHt:
ny TIC request Of nau5 who arc Interested u
the rhagagenaent Of the Illinois stAte Fentte7tAf3,
desire SPACE IN your coiu-nns, To answer the
aboye question 4 desire TO censrre no ono nf-
necessarily hAs constrained ine to s1cdcc iol
some time past; but forbcasauce ceases 10 pe
virtue when exercised Al the cost Of tho yves OF
thousands OF human beings hourly threatened. IS
In this case. 1t Is With no feeling Of Dl~1l To-
wa1os tpme, or desire to screen Others, Of the
managers Of that Institution that take the NJ
sponsh1ltty OF the present article, but SINCERE
deatre 10 see the prison system OF Illinois carried
ont On the theory propcanAeA two years ago. Wheo
possession Of the Penteniiary wss taken by the
Suite, according to the most attEanced IDEAS OF
tue age aad nhich were 80 successful dcfiug tee
nss, eighteen months OF the present management
The preseutuent Of the VIII County grand Jury
at the June term Of the Circuit Court Of said
county, as It appears In IHK IiiHtSs
OF Today, and the evidence on Wh!ch
II was, founded, sucacently Indicate tue
character OF the danger To he a2Prehen0sL as
ser1 ana will adduce facts TO prove, that the tneo-
r. OF the present system Of prison management
not the cause Of The present deP1of1hac state OF
xnkIrs: nut criminal lack OF enforcement Of she
rules OF discipline IS the cause. and an ahtIHe1fN
Burdet aud blind Commissioners, rue Instruments
Which, allowed 70 continue Al she5 have begun.
will certainly plunge the State into debt, ruin All
hopes Of making the Peniieutlasy a rcforEatnfy
institution, and cause robbery and Icss Of u1e to
many innocent persons. As long a. the MUrders
pefpetrsted aYe connned within the walls OF the
ren!tenttasy, We may only shuc'tc1, but when tne
| rnal break occurs, which must CONC IL surely a.
| waters roll toward the sea- devastation Fiu oe
spgead over the country fer niles around. vas
xas informed yesterday ns resident OF Joliet
,hst the whole e!ty alarmed. and many sleep
| less ntatts have been passed, IN ho1riy eIpcct,-
| ttop Of an insurEectlou apd the s2cHne and hnrn-
Ing Of their city. II nothing worse thao tnls
shuuId occur. there would be great cause Tor thaoR'
| fulness. Then would teeur, with teu.fo!d totce,
the question. Who Is flsponsi1le: - ......
:. As ls we'll known, when. the SsAte took posses-
slon OF The INSTITUTION, in June. ISL Its discipline
| WAS gutd but its tcanceS had ceased to he profit
| ahte to the les4ees VINO therefore abandoned 10
I the State. The old Comm.aslopets, Antet1 Sim
mn md Robert z Lag1n wesc continued. Mt}ol
: A. T. Briecoe one oI the old Commissioners, va!
uedc chaplain. and John Read Was appointed t.
( cu his place. Before tnat nrne. shs couamissEou
er1 hsd bcen k,ueeure otaoe, End foz tisnsees
nontha ucde. the new regime the Old corarnis
sloners Nern willing 1t should continue ~ TIL
great burden and responsibility Of conducting th'
institution .csteti upon Mf Reid. Wfo resided con
| btatsly st the prison and teEosed the most Of 4.
uuae to IL The old Commissioners vtattcd tn
py.snn once month. rezulxris drew thei salaries
and were content 70 endorse the acts OF Nj. Rc11
not having the ,!1c, inclination OF capacity II
, rrarp,e the manage neut themselves The finance
! " the irartut1on were quickly re5uscts1ed IN
the ti,sc:p..ne we1. maintained Tae Institution "a
, ! EnAae eeIg-sussAnllE2f TACT never oe1oIe Aceou
p;.shed o. so laIEe scale tn rs;soa mana9eH1fo'
: | Tas tt2o-se wrte glowing as 70 Es'
cn.a:se. s,pc TO phtlanthrupa.ts that The 7tts0
system Of Iu,uots was the best In tho vor!f. AA'
fer huu.aa hopes. the orn3aensal conGi6,enef
aroAe fepta the dG<ic position held ~ f2t1n' A.
! t,ersn TO recognize the Eett;c OF the Hee1' 'lt
: sp.t&: shetT pride r:As EIasided BY fL "1eotiIH
. | toe Institution received, and, II seems, ''e
x1sassl to s.r.se a.one AID N mouopalt&c tue nett
; It's naraSeHtlt, II theE could. They igroEesi IN
advice Ct M.. isetd in t7:a; tae Warde1, t;eEtss
= pon.b.aser, resigned, and the prescni ens Is u
pe.n,cd a&;s,ass tae es7;.ett pfo:eat VI Iscl WI
; discovered I, cnce lis tucapac!:r to oG tSAs 1C
: ! rc1.hat roattnn. He ans allowed to tsaasat
;, | business without ding the rsau bond. foE ~
+ 11crtas AMI, indeed, DC no: tno* 81 anJ hon
nt, sci been approved hy the Goyerao:. l1
manlaceIrrt A-.,cIes belonging 70 the lnstltatac
, have been SCATTERED broadcast over the Who
: WlH, Nth ut.,e prospect OF ever collecting pa
, ! 10. then. J. D. Powers, alias D. 5oh1soE- vi
!, | appointed eouzceyStal agent, EiG ta!atT
= | t1,sUo and expenses without con5astiac Nj. Se
4 and everything WAS conducted Loosely aaa !at'
:. nerrnEJ. In v,ew or these ta-ts, NJ. Red h:g1
= ned bis Intention of resgntns. bat WEE peEs1A1e
# to remain +! GorerboT Primer. Iae q
). | ptutsentasy uc<, eceuttn2 'Ae spol
A OF the State Hocse. arr mailing ccoE's ~ ootais
4 ! new lease Of tie Institution and F35 u IN Inc
! tsrest of Eackuas.es, Cas~F + &c. vhEe tt
:. | State House lsSss, and the managing CenniAstu
: e1y me- wort1rg as ecleteuuy 70 AceoraIsh tt
n result al though tsey were menhes1 Of the Hu
= itstIi. The present system IL not Gess.ng II
j. I t1tsL an1tne managing Commissioners atj Wa
y den arc Responsible 1ur II. fa!tcre- teH Hna1s
II a5p all, with sex e1cepnons, were opHosed u Il
n I'd leake system; now the opnson Of the poop
Z IA tie s1-!nttY Of the Institution has charged
/. neary al arc IL favor Of ieastaE I they a1e
!, desus:eA with the present state Of a1a1ls- Coz
\. plants have been lpade to the Governor; the pr
II Fen .oeat Of the gracd Jury, Aad m e1plansto'
IA letter Of JaIse AcEpoe1ts tent to him sz1t roe'
II the Governor left Springfield to escape The fmpc
"a tunltes Of the cd Pentenuazy ttnx and nav =
d TIT Fen!nenua1y. Le. z. hopa he Will hare In