The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-05-13
CITY xNTELLIGENC e.
PRISON MISERIES.


Saving TO the CITY Treasury, and Much Suffer-
Ina Prevented.
Mullen, the jealous Prison Agent, transmitted to
'The Philadelphia Society for Allevatng the Miseries
Of Public Prisons" and showing his operations dur
ing the year 1863, has just been printed. We gather
from it several items OF general public interest
The number of arrests made by the police in the
city during 1863 amounted TO 3s4ss showing an In
crease over the previous year Of 2155 OF the num-
Der arrested Is, 5o5 were committed TO our County
Prison in addition to this, there were ITO children
who were brought to the prison with their parents,
and whose ages ranged from eleven days to nihe
years. being an increase OF os5 over the number
somnitted last year. without including the children
The Agent, with this large amount OF crime
ra great p1eis pTopsorton Of absolute but suffering
innocence, made 1t his constant care
snd so aseerain correctly what cases there were
that would admit OF such relief as 1t was in his
power to extend appropriately to them. His duties
were at all times laborOus aud perplexing requIr-
ing the exercise of great Judgment and care in the
selection and disposition OF cases.
The Prison Agent succeeded in releasing
from prison during the year 1895 persons.
These were all court cases. OF the number be-
rated 2360 were men, 1475 were women, and 60 were
children. Included in the number liberated, there
were twenty-four who were insane; their cases were
trS Se nrtson nhyscaps cerfyaS to their
insanity after which they were released and taken
to the Insane Asylum at the Almshouse ,,,..
OF the 1895 persons who obtained their liberty
through the interference OF the Agent, there were
but 90 who were able to pay their costs and they
paid but s2S494, making an average OF $500 each,
that was given by those who were able to pay. This
money was given to the District Attorney magis-
trates, and other officials.
over 1900 cases have been examined and inquired
into; magistrates and other officers of the law have
been consulted, together with the prosecutors and
over 1900 letters have been written and mailed on
behalf OF prisoners within the year. BY these eX-
from being broken up, and their households from
being scattered and ruined.
The release OF these persons from prison has been
saving to the tax Mayors OF our city OF S44 1885
of which s2S, ,23S'75 would have been required for
ignoring their cases, and so would have been
expended for their maintenance had they been de-
tanned in prison until the earliest period in the term
OF the Court for disposing Of their cases.
The whole number OF persons released from
prison through the Interference Of the Agent during
the sixteen years in which his agency mas existed
has been S6Sa at saving TO Ine county OF sS4ooSi
ton and duties are very nportant but we should not
lose sight of the great amount Of undeserved human
suffering which has been prevented at the same
time. perusal Of the particulars OF some OF the
cases attended to, which are annexed to the report
majority OF them originated in vindctiyeness,
malice or ntemperance, many arose from thought
lessness, suit being brought on the impulse of the
moment, when sober second thought would have
deprecated such a course; Many petty, trining
Agent which should never have been al
lowed to exist at all. Parties concerned in
these suits seem to be encouraged in them by the
conduct of some Of magistrates who being
dependent upon the fees of their offices for support
issue warrants in almost every case, and that too
OF the warrant taking their chance to get their pay
out Of the parties to be arrested who are brought
If the magistrates were deprived by law OF all ln-
terest in the commitment of persons brought before
them, by rendering their offices salaried ones, and
preventing them from receiving fees at all, they
would scrutinize each case closely, and would re-
frain from committing for trfling offenses. Such
course would, in the opinion lof the Agent, reduce
the criminal business OF this county at least
half and would lessen the burden Of taxpayers to
the extent of many thousands OF dollars annually,
and that too without endangering tae least the
morals or the safety of the community.
or the 34,4SS arrests made within the year, there
returned
$50 ignored of the 305 who had been committed
prison The whole number of cases acted upon by
the Grand Juries within the year was $780, OF which
there were 1924 true bills found and 2173 ignored
OF these convicted and sentenced to labor, 365
white males, and 3S white females; SS were black
males, and l6 black females; the remaining 92 were
not sentenced to labor.
The trials in the criminal court and the convection
OF 500 persons in the year 1869 cost the sum of
S74f79, which paid to jurors, witnesses District
Attorney, Clerk of the Court and tipstayes this is
Of the Philadelphia County Prsoa for the support OF
prisoners for the year 1869 was SlO5 92512 In add
lion to this there was an appropriation OF sl6 eco for
the support of prisoners sent by the Court to the
Eastern Penitentiary The appropriation for the
Department Of Police for the year was ss51, ,65soO
The cost for the support of the Almshouse within
the year 1869 was 1924, {,2826S.
The number Of arrests made within the year 1868
would be in the proportion OF about one arrest to
every twenty-five persons. The commitments to
prison exceeded 1000, which would be at the rate
of one for every forty-seven inhabitants. Yet OF
these 1000 men and women sent to jail the juries
only convicted 550 Every conviction actually costs
the CITY over 500 III we should add To this the
pense of the untried prisoners and the salaries OF
the police force, every conviction costs US over
$1,000 OF the 49, 3O5 persons who were committed to
prison within the year 1869, there were discharged
by the magistrates $3.50, against 6Oz2 for the year
1868, being an increase OF. 267s. There were dis
charged by the Inspectors within the year 841S
against 1907 for 1865 being $3.50 less than in the pre-
vous year. OF the s,3c6 committed to prison, there
were discharged by the Clerk Of the Court of Quar-
Sessions 47I against $50 for the previous year.
being decrease OF 49, In addition to this there
we're $50 cas es ignored and discharged by the au-
thority OF the Court, leaving 1909 persons who
disposed OF by the Judges City Solicitor and other
ofncials. The whole number OF triable cases COM
mjtted IN 1869 was 54l3. The whole number OF cases
on the calendar to Court OF tried cases was 1918.
Annexed to Mr.. Mulen's report are several arti-
ces OF interest to those who are anxious to relieve
the miseres OF prison life and discipline, and also
detailed report OF the facts in the most important
cases in which the Agent nterfered and secured the
discharge Of prisoners.
LOCAL ODDS AND RsDs.-The public is desrous Of
knowing something about Officer Pat Levy whose
name figures so often in pugilistc prints
How about that $50 600 station house? win Mr.
Martin let know something about the plans, etc.
The Highway Department s anxious for the i'm
provement OF Broad street SO are the agents OF ou
Calhoun, OF Common Council, contends tha
one-hai the workmen employed by the Park Com
when Is that slab pavement" to be laid in from
OF the State House?
Seventeenth and Columbia avenue.
-Craige Lipplncott and Walter Lppincott have
been admitted into the firm OF j. b. Lppincott s
Co., the well-known publishers.
The match game between the first elevens OF tn,
Germantown and Young America Cricket Clubs wa
Wayne Station, this afternoon at 6aif-past tw,
O'Clock. The game will be continued tomorrow
morning at half;past nine O'Clock;
tating Lo! the poor Indian.
The receipts OF the Board OF Health during tn
soSy 5oe uss s to- eaa g G.
mits to land fish and bides, sl6650 licenses to cea