The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1871-12-25

Under the eficient-sad-judieiou manage
ment of Warden Rice, the condition of affairs 4
at our State Penitentiary was never more salts
factory. 1t is not only self-supporting, but
will net the State the past year about $500 over
and above the current expenses. The sale OF
carriages and harnesses the past year, manu-
featured by convicts, will be about $4,000,
while the sale of boots and shoes VIII be some
$40 600 This is an excess over the sales OF the
former wear. The institution contains ia con-
yicts. four of whom are females. 1t may not
be an unimportant fact to note that there were
more persons during the year 1871 committed for
the crime of rape, or attempt to rape, than for
any five years during the history of the prison.
The general health of the prisoners is and has
been very good. Last Tuesday Edgar Emery
Emery of Saco, one of the inmates who was
convicted oflarceny about two years ago, and
who had thirty days Of his sentence to serve,
attempted to committed suicide while in fit Of
temporary insanity, by throwing himself head
foremost from the upper corridor to the stones
below, distance Of twenty feet. He struck on
his back, and was not seriously injured. 1t
was the means of his recovering his senses.
+ The condition of some of the prominent con-
vcts is as follows:
John Rogers, the Brunswick bank defaulter,
is at work in the cook house in the capacity of
baker. His health is poor and it is exceeding
ly doubtful whether he lives out his sentence.
5 has opportunity furnished for reading, his time
is entirely occupied with coming the pages of
the Bible.
Smms, Mcguire and Bartlett the Bowdoin-
ham bank robbers, are ever on the alert for an
opportunity to make their escape, but their
movements are carefully watched by the vigi-
liant eyes of the. officers. They are afforded no
opportunity of talking with each other still
they have mode of communication, which
does not however remain undetected as well
dor cd hxrf ha nfAo =, =
feeble health, and will probably die before his
sentence expires. He bleeds badly at the lungs
Bartlett and Simms are smart and healthy, and
work every day at their respective trades.
Moore, Hight and Litchfeld, the Lime Rock
bank robbers, behave we'll and give no anxiety
to the officers The former is superior to most
of bank robbers in intelligence and address. He
takes his imprisonment very hard. He has
many visitors from New York, where he be-
longs, and they are of class which shows that
he has associated with apparently respectable
people. His wife visits him three or four times
a year. Shell well appearing and always comes
handsomely attired..
Jack Hale, the notorious horse thief is as
vigorous as a youth, although he lis an octOgen-
arian. His present term Of service expires in
about one year. Thirty years of his life has
been spent in the prisons and jails of New Eng
land. He never has realized, only in two or
three instances, any profit in disposing of his
stolen horses, and feels sad to think that he has
been so unfortunate in his horse trades.
Thorne, the Harpswell murderer, and who is
the oldest convict, having been an inmate for
20 years, still wears as genial smile as ever,
and is constantly hoping and expecting a par
don.
Cleaveland, the Orrington murderer, works
in the carriage shop, and is one of the best be-
haved men in the prison, and will soon be one
of the best workmen.
Hoswell, the Hallowell murderer does not
| believe that the State Prison is a proper abode
for him. He fails to realize that he has com
| mitted any such crime for which he should suf-
fer any penalty, nor. does he propose to enter
! upon self-reformation He has become quite a
good workman in the paint shop. He was per-
fectly willing that his wife should obtain bill
| of divorce.
Knight the Poland murderer who has been
incarcerated since 1857, behaves we'll He
works in the blacksmith's shop He protests
his entire innocence of the crime for which he
received the sentence of death, although it is
not expected that he will ever swing from the
| gibbet. He carries on quite an extensive cor
respondence with David Dunn, ESQ.,, his coun
sell and never fails to remind him that a par
| don is his fondest hope in this world VA-f
Of the four female convicts, Mrs. SWEET Of
Kennebunk, who was convicted of manslaugh
ter, having given her husband, who was suffer
enng from delirium tremens, an overdose Of
morphine, is employed in making clothes fol
the convicts. She affirms her innocence, anG
says she does not believe he died from the eff
fects of the overdose. She is of an irrasiblt
temperament, although she behaves tolerably
WELL The other three females are held for lar