Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-02-28

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The whole expenses of the board for 1871 were
s., 1855, of which $1,000 was paid for the salary
of the secretary and the remainder for travelling
and miscellaneous expenses.
The attempt to make, at Greenfield, separate
prison for women was not successful, and was
abandoned by the commission last summer, for
reasons which are given in the report, although
the commissioners still believe as firmly as ever
that the separation Of the sexes is a prime ne.
cessity, if the reformation of prisoners is to be
attempted. 1t was then concluded that the best
thing to be done under existing circumstances
was to assemble the women in certain of
the prisons where the most satisfactory arrange
ments could be made, where there were matrons
and good work-rooms and cells. Worcester was
selected for the western counties, because the
women's cells were good and the work-rooms
spacious and airy; for the eastern counties,
South Boston, East Cambridge, Ipswich and
New Bedford were selected, and, so far as posi-
BILE, the women convicts are assembled in these
five prisons. The advantages are, that the wo-
men are under matrons and have regular work.
The experiment at Greenfield seems to show
that no one Of our county prisons can well be
used as a separate prison for women, and that
among the women prisoners there are those who
are willing to be taught and capable Of learning
to read, write and sew.
The report gives brief sketch of the condi-
ton of each of the county prisons. Ofthe Wor-
cester Jail and house of correction, it says:
"This prison building or group of buildings
gtrO " ad.
ditions has tried to keep pace with the eyer-in-
creasing necessities, The county authorities
have decided finally that it is better TO build
anew; the necessary legislation was had last
winter, but so far as known, nothing has as yet
been done beyond considering various sites.
There are now thirty-nine single cells for men,
three and one-halfteet by seven feet on the floor,
and seven feet high; thIrty-two double cells for
men, seven feet by seven on the floor, and seven
feet high, making in all what is called cell room
for one hundred and three. And there are forty
two cells for women, each five feet by eight on
the floor, and eight lee1hgh. newcomers part
is the most recently built, and its cells alone are
well ventilated. The older parts have no yenii-
aiOn in the cells, but the passages are thorough
ly ventilated and the cells get what ventilation
they have by the grated doors.
There is a very good chapel, and the chaplain
holds divine service every Sunday afternoon and
a Sunday school in the morning. There is a
very good prison library, but no secular instruc-
ton.
The work-room for the women is large and
airy-one Of the best in the state. The work
room for men is small and close, and one of the
poorest in the state. 1t is always crowded, and
from ten to forty men are sitting in it idle all
day long.
The work of the men is on shoes and boots
Contract; price, thirty-one cents 4 day.
There has been heretofore no work for the
women except the work of caring for the prison,
washing and ironing and mending. Recently
the women have began to work at cane-seating
chairs. Mr.. Rufus Carter, who has for many
years kept this Jail and house of correction, left
at the end of the year 1871, and Mr.. Charles N.
Hare was appointed in his place.
This prison is well managed and kept"
OF the Fitchburg prison it says:
This is one of the most recently built of the
prisons of the state, and is well adapted TO its
purpose. 1t has eighty-one cells, that are each
six by eight feet on the floor and eight feet high
This prison is generally full, sometimes crowded.
The labor provided is cane-seating chairs, which
is done for the county and not by contract. The
prisoners are also employed in working the land,
some forty acres, connected with the prison.
There is preaching in the chapel every Sunday
afternoon, and there is a library belonging to
the prison. No secular instruction is given.
The prison is well managed and kept.
The practice in this county has been for years
TO transfer freely from Worcester house OF cor
ItCtOH ~ anu lUeu OF lOOH sentences
have generally been sent. One result of this is
that fewer drunkards than generally in our pris'
ons are found at Fitchburg, and more OF those
convicted of serious crimes.
The jails are reported to be generally well
managed and kept, but there are some evils in
herent in the present system. One of these i;
that, while all the people of the commonwealth
are supposed to be living under equal laws i'm
partially administered, it makes a great differ
ence in the punishment of crime, whether it is
committed in one county or another. The larg-
er prisons are managed in more systematic
manner, the discipline is more strict the prison.
ers are compelled to labor to live alone, and are
not allowed TO speak in the work room, except
about their work. In other prisons, under the
same sentence, prisoners viii perhaps do no
work, take their meals together, and have per-
feet freedom of communication. In none does
the idea of reformation have the pronounced and
thorough expression that it ought, In nearly all
the prisons the excess of cost over earnings has
been reduced during the past year, as compared
with the previous one, and all but one show less
cost per prisoner than last year. Only one house
of correcton-that at South Boston, has been
self-sustaining. This is in part owing to the
fact that many prisoners who have but short
sentences are only an expense, and are worth
nothing as laboreTs; yet some similar institu
lions, notably that at Detroit, which the com
missioners cite as a model, more than supper
themselves, besides being most satisfactorily
managed in other respects. "There is a fuan
cial argument" the commissioners say, "fol
longer sentences. A man who by crime puts
the state TO expense for his arrest and confine
ment, may justly be, ought fairly to be, KEEP
long enough in confinement to make his labor
balance at least his cost"
The report quotes with approval the opinion
Of the board Of state charities, that the present
system of dealing with habitual drunkards is q
failure, because it has no lettering efficacy and
no relormatory efficacy, and because it imposes
needless expense on taxpayers. The habitual
drunkard is as much a diseased person as a
criminal one. He should be put in a hospital
as well as prison, and should stay there, not
ten days or three months, but until he appears
to be cured.
BY a resolve of the last legislature the subject
Of establishing state prisons for women, the
number of such prisons required, description.
and plans therefor, the probable cost and Other
matters pertinent TO the inquiry, were referred
to the prison commissioners for their report
Several pages of the report are devoted to this
subject. The conclusion is that a separate
prison for women should be built Immediately
where the prisoners may be treated with view
to their reformation. They submit plan pre-.
pared by A. G. Martin, architect, and estimate
the cost of a suitable site within fifteen miles OF
Boston at $4,000, and Of the building at S204 1877.
An Arkansas gentleman, of not altogether adj
m'raole character in other respects, has lately
demonstrated his scrupulous yeracity in way
which the people of that region think does him
much honor. The first example of his punctil-
lous regard Tor truth occurred in connection
with difficulty with neighbor. To an nm
pleasant personality of the latter, the truthful
man replied, "If you repeat that remark. rive
You my word will shoot you" The warning
was not needed, but the promise was kept. 81
gave him my word for il, said the homicide. as
he sadly put up his pistol, "and thar is a pledge
always redeem" Even in Arkansas. however
truthiulness of this rigid sort is not held TO be
so complete an excuse for murder assto dispense
with the necessity Of certain judicial formallties
and in t.vn canutnbioy g,,,.,