Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-02-21

this outrage as practiced by themselves"
The measures taken by the operators" to
prevent the transportation of coal from the
mines, show that this statements true.
THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OF PRISONS
was established by an act of the legislature, APP
proved In June last. Their duties, az defined by
the act, are to classify all prisoners confined in
the ails and houses of correction in the state in
reference to sex, age, character, condition and
offence, in such manner as to promote the
reformation, safe custody, and economy of sup
port of the prisoners, and the separation of male
and female prisoners. For these purposes they
may remove prisoners from one jail to another,
and from one house of correction to another, in
the same or any other Icounty, and the prison
ers removed shall serve the remainder of their
terms in the jail or house of correction to which
they shall be so removed. The commissioners
shall also prepare rules and regulations, not in
consistent with the laws of the state for the di-
rection of the keepers of jails and houses OF cor
rection, and these rules may be approved, modl-
fed or annulled by the governor and council.
The commissioners must visit all the jails and
houses of correction once in six months, or
ofener, in their discretion, inspect their condi-
ton and all their concerns, and ascertain
whether the regulations are duly observed, the
officers competent and faithful, and the prison
ers properly governed and employed, and all re-
ports and returns now required by law to be
made by the keepers Of these Prisons
shall be made to the commissioners.
The commissioners shall elect a sec
hi Z
the board, shall perform or superintend the
work prescribed by the act, and shall have a
salary Of two thousand dollars and his travel
ling expenses. The act also provides that per-
sons convicted in the supreme, superior, NUM-
cipal or police courts, of any offence punishable
BY Imprisonment in the jail or house of correc-
ton, may be sentenced to the jail or house of
correction in any county, and gives to officers who
may serve criminal process in the county from
which person is sentenced or removed under
this act, authority to serve the process by
which he is committed or removed to any other
county, the expense of removal and the cost of
maintenance of prisoners to be borne by the
county in which the prisoner was sentenced
The act further requires the appointment Of
three women as an advisory board Of overseers
of the prisons designated for the Imprisonment
of women.
The commission was organized in October last
by the choice of Estes Howe as chairman and
Joshua Colt as secretary. The law requires an
annual report to the Legislature. This year, of
course, their work was only begun, and they had
not the material for such report as is required
OF them. They have, however, made a special
report, showing what has already been done,
their view of the importance of the work
entrusted to them, some of their reasons for
hoping that good will come Of it, and some of
the obstacles that have been placed in their way
The acts of the commissioners in the matter of
classifying the prisoners are briefly told. The
prison at Greenfield was chosen as one of the
prisons for women contemplated in the act that
created the commission, and seven convict
women were removed to it from the Springfield
house Of correction. Five convict men were re-
moved from the house of correction in Plymouth
county to that at New Bedford in Bristol county,
for the reason that no regular work was pro-
vided for them at Plymouth. An order was
made for the removal of prisoners from the
house of correction in this city, but the sheriff
refused to obey the order on the ground that the
legislature has no power to authorize sheriff
10 act out of bis county.
In giving brief sketch of the condition and
needs Of the prisons as they find them, the COM
missioners say on the SUBJECT of the reformation
of prisoners:
The commission hold strongly to the DOS
sibility OF the reformation of the prisoner and
70 the duty of the state to keep this possibility
10 view in dealing with its convicts And this
belief lies at the bottom of the whole work of
the commission; for while we are confident that
By application of some thorough system better
financial results will be reached, and propose by
no means TO leave this important point out Of
sight, yet we hesitate not TO say that the state
would wisely pursue the reformation of the
prisoner, even thoGgh it should cost money,
For the reformation of the prisoner is not a
vague. impractical idea fitting in the fog of
tanatlcal orains, but a frequently accomplished
fact. And when accomplished il has not only a
pecuniary value TO the Commonwealth. but also
value which is beyond computation in dollars
aud cents.
1t is, however, common TO find among the
ke spers OF our jails and masters of our houses
Of correction those who are skeptical as to the
possibility OF reformation, and more common to
md lack Of those means by which reforma-
YOU y 70 be accomplished. Not an absolute
aSk' ior there are in all Of our large prisons
go ", nanpath service once each Sabbath aud
Sa sly gesloes the preaching service there 4 4
go ~ esuool. Sometimes however a Sab.
Thae eS a. ~ ~ deemed impraeticable and unWise
49, y az generally 10 be found a library. IN
tbese th;nss ~ one. In the smaller tails ever
We ana no,,,,',. "ahllhg Beyond these things
nho holhihg systematically and Teo,,ls =,
Gone There are kind and wise words M Sds,e,,