Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1873-11-12
THE WASHING row JAIL.
Annual Report of che Warden. Gen
GRaeEer

Gen. Croker, warden Of the Jail. has submit
ted his annual report 20 the Attorney General.
He SAYS SO My experience in managing this
prison has convinced my judgment that the
of GERS Of such an institution sheald possess
through knowledge Of human character, intel
Hsence, fTmness and a humane and concihstory
spirit; that they should know men, aud es-
peCially criminals, IN order 10 enable them to
overcome the obstacles they will be sure 70 en-
counter, and maintain such discipline ss IS
necessary to answer the ends of justice ami pro-
mote the moral growth and physical condition
of prisoners Therefore / regard fire.
prison as extremely injudictous.
TIE HEALTH OF PRISONERS.
very satisfactory Condition OF health has
tire year. Notwithstanding the small Sos exist
ed as An epidemic throughout the city, 1t cniy
eneros ched upon the inmates of the ia.,i On two
occasions, and then only 70 be quisSly ban!she3
without having made any havoc OF caused Sc
rious apprehension among our numbers. be-
lieve that the rate of health among the prison
ers has been greater than among the people at
large This l attribute to strict sanitary mes-
sures which were adopted and rightly enforced.
The Jail has been visited daily as a rule and Of
tener, by DR.. Noble Young, its phy sici4n, who
has carefully and faithfully attended the sick,
and no death has occurred from natural causes
during the year.
Its notable fact that large proportion of
our prisoners of both sexes are persons under
twenty-five years of age; most of them entered
upon a course OF crime before they were sixteen
years OF age. The cases are very rare, indeed,
where adults who have i,yed honest lives up TO
the age oftwenty one have commenced a career
OF crime. They usually commence in early life
by petty otfenses, and progress by degrees "a
crimes % grave as to shock the sensibilitieS OF
the community. So many children and youth
in our midsts, fer the want of proper culture
and wholesome restrainst, pass by degrees from
condition of timid limo cence through the va
rious grades Of crime 70 extreme hcentiousness.
THE JAIL BUILDING
now in use has been faithfully described in nv
former annual reports, and its defects and gen.
eral upftness for the purposes required of it
distinctly specified. It has been condemned
repeatedly by grand juries Of this District The
grand jury recently IN session visited the jail
made thorough examination of the same, and
conde rnned the building in unmeasured terms
as wholly unfit for use, by reason of its family
construction, Insult cient accommodations, aud
decaying condition. Not a prisoner has escaped
during the year.
TIE NEW JAIL.
But in this connection IL is gratifying to be
able to state that new jail structure of ade-
quate dimensions, and designed with care and
skill is now being erected within the city limits
by authority of an act of Congress for such pur-
pose. and it is hoped IL will be completed and
ready for use at an early day.
RELIGIOUS SERVICES.
The Young Mems Christian Association and
reverend Fathers of the Catholic faith have
given their attention to the spiritual condition
OF the inmates. Religious services have beer
held every Sunday at the jail, and religion.
sentimates inculcated and christian devotion
encouraged.
EXPENsRs OF THE JAIL.
Annual salaries of the guards. physician, and
employees, 80, J947j. Expense of transporting
prisoners to Albany penitentisry and to the re-
form school, 81 ,09920. The remaining expendi
lures on account of food, fuel, light, building
clothing, &c, amounted to 81 .369.07.
PRISONERS CONFINED.
The daily average number of prisoners con
fined was 1870. The total number in Jail during
the year was 1,577, of which ,4O7 were male,
and 40 females; 1503 males and l56 female!
were received as prisoners during the year.
The report closes with classification of thu
grades OF crime for which the inmates were sen
to jail, and appended is the report OF DR.. NobI,
Young, the surgeon.