The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1873-05-01


Hon. ". d. X. Taylor Speaker u the
House Of Representatives:
Sm-Nour select committee. appointed
under resolution Of the House 10 visit and
examine into the condition and manage
ment Of the State PenifeHtiary ii Hunts
vile, having visited said institution. beg
leave TO report as follows:
Our examination was not merely formal
and superficial but thorough and complete
in every respect. We inspected the condi-
ton Of the cells and bedding the culinary
and dispensatory departments, the laundry.
the hospital and dining room. and in the
character and quality Of the food, the re-
markable cleanliness of the cells. and the
appointments OF the hospital and dispense
tory. discovered the true cause OF the
healthful and comparatively cheerful APP
peaTance Of the convicts, and how 1t hap
pened that out Of six hundred and thirty
six cOnvicts only two we're in the hospital.
We witnessed the eonvicts at work in the
various workshops their strict discipline
when at work and when at their meals. as
well as the order OF discipline in the manner
Of bringing them from their cells in the
morning and at the close OF the days labor
committing them. after inspection TO their
respective departments for the night. We
also examined the new buildi Igs and new
machinery built and introduced by the
lessees. A careful examination was made
Of the prison register and Of the papers per
tanning to the criminal business of the in
sfitution and a comparison instituted as to
the number of deaths and escapes rs be-
tween the present regime of the lessees and
the State. We Intercepted the prison Off
Gals appointed by the State, the lessees,
the citizens of Huntsville, and the convicts
themselves upon all subjects pertaining to
the object Of our visit.
The penitentiary numbers, as is shown
/ by the report of the inspector. 972 convicts,
of these 638 are in the prison and the re-
mainder 330 are at work on the Great
Northern and the Texas Pacific railroads
We found all the departments clean and
quite free from the offensive odor so COM
mon to all classes of prisons; the cells pro-
vided with ample bedding and the convicts
well clothed and uniformed of this whole
number of cOnvicts there were but two,
as before stated, confined to the hospital,
and one of these was received from the
Sheriff of Navarro county dangerously sick
the day before our arrival. We regard the
discipline of the Institution, satisfying as
it does both the demands of humanity and
the law as nearlyBperfect as possible, indus
try and cheerfulness obtain in every depart
meht. - -
The new building erected by the lessees
were valued on the first of january last at
forty thousand dollars. since then another
building has been erected 125 by 80 feet,
two stories high, valued at twenty thousand
dollars; large sum has been expended ii
substituting new and improved machinery
l -. al lol Ibr- d
consent of the directors have obtained fOl
the State the title to the street north o.
the prison, (see the resolutions of the
city authorities Of Huntsville here
with attached, and it is proposed
to make this part Of the prison enclosure
thereby utilizing for prison purposes tn,
buildings north of the prison, and formerly
used as officers quarters This improve
ment, which we earnestly commend, vii
add greatly to the security of the institution
especially in the event of fire, and with the
addition Of u story to the cotton factory
and also to reach of the cell buildings, witt
a double row of cells to each, will afford
accommodations for about one thousand
convicts. The necessity of this additional
enlargement of the penitentiary will he Oh
vious when it is known that there are a
this time cell accommodations for only tiy,
hundred and eighty, and that it is neces
sary to put two in cell in order to accom-
modate them. We would respectfully sug
gest, in view of these contemplated I'M
provements, and those already made, that
the annual payments Of SIS, 900, as required
by the terms of the lease, be charged
to the lessees rs an offset, in part
to these improvements, which the
State is bound to 'reeeiye and pay
for at the expiration of said lease
We think this is due to the lessees for tn,
reasons given, and in view OF the facts tba
they subscribed and paid 81 900 in none!
to aid in constructing the Huntsville tap o
the Great Northern Railroad, and nov
agree, in order to secure the title to I'll,
street above referred to, to open new
street which will require the construction
at considerable expense Of two bridges
Both the tap road and the additiona
grounds are great advantage TO the hs.i
tuition end Tie State.
For want OF time we did not visit tn,
convicts at work on the railroads. but ".
were informed by Gen. Mailoy, the inspec
tor, whose report is herewith submitted
\ that be haa~Teilrned from a recent offioia
visit to the places where these convict.
We're at labor, and after Gihgent inquiries
: $50 the complaints of lad treatment, was
satisfied that the complai Is had no fOunda
ton in fact. Grave and sirious donbts at.
known to exist about ths hey Of employ
ing convict labor upon railroads and works
of public utility, as authorize by an act Oft
former Legislature; but experience teaches
that it is in harmony with sound public
policy. The c0nvicts At work on the raif
roads receive two dollars per M nth, which
is either sent 10 theirfamiiies. or given tlianl
NJ their discharge. as they may lect. We
are informed that the conviets a. labor on
the roads, who are mostly colore and un-
adapted TO mechanical labor, requiring
much skill, prefer laboring upon she roads
TO working within the shops Of the prison.
The citizens Of Huntsville and vicinity
complain of the large and increasing num-
Der Of discharged convicts in their midst.
and have potitioned the Legislature for me
! passage % Q law TO relieve them OF this
Changer. Your Comhittee recognize the un-
1 fairness of turning so large pnrtion of our
criminal population upon one community.
and the danger which Inenaees the prison
by their presence in such large numbers.
All convicts, at the time of discharge, are
furnished with a suit Of new clothes. and
paid the sum of twenty dollars, and there
IS no good excuse for their remaining in
the vicinity Of the town and prison after
their discharge. We suggest this matter as
a subject for serious consideration.
The law regulating the payment to sher,
ifs for the transportation Of convicts is
defective in many respects, and should he
be radically changed Railroads insure
speed and safety in conveying prisoners. and
SupcrCedes, to q great extent. the large
number OF guards usually employed. Your
committee would call attention to the fact
that the titles to the two blocks Of ground.
one lying east and the other west Of the
penitentiary are imperfect. and require an
appropriation Of $is5 to perfect the same.
and We therefore recommend an appropria-
ton for this purpose.
Regarding the purpose Of penitentiary
as two-iold: First. The safety Of society
and secondly. the reformation Of tie crim-
inal, neither Of which can be neglected %
ignored without injury; the neglect Of the