Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1873-01-25
THE PENAL AND REFORMAFORY IN.
STITUTIONS OF VERMONT.

/ AT the National IrlSOn Congress
which opened its session at Baltimore,
Nd, on Tuesday, 2Ist January, q re-
port on the penal and Eeformatory in
stitutious Of Vermont, by Rev. Frank
lin Butler, Of Windsor, was presented,
the substance of which was as follows
The penal and reformatory Institu-
tions of Vermont are specifically but
three, viz. |. The State Prison at
Windsor. IL. The County fails. III.
The State Reform School, at Water
bury.
70 these may be added, as lnstitu-
tioRs Bearing directly upon the pre-
vention Of crime ". The home for
Destitute Children at Burlington; V.
Other Elcemosynary Institutions for
the Young.
l. The first and only Prison in Yer
mont was completed and occupied, at
Windsor, in 1909. 1t now consists
of three buildings that constitute one
side of plot of ground l6 by IL rods
square, around which are erected walls
of granite and brick twenty feet in
height and four feet in thickness at
the base. Inside of the walls, work
shops and other necessary buildings
are constructed. Four stories of cell! )
GOA in number) are built in the new
brick structure for the use of the in
: mates. From 1909 to 1872, twenty
! one hundred and one (2l0l) persons
have been committed, averaging lit
tie more than thlrty-three (33) per
year. The average term of sentence
is a little over three years. The par
dons number 724, and the escapes 26
: less than one in two years. The
, deaths amount to 81-being 2-7 per
year. The number of inmates on July
1st, 1872, was 90, of which four were
females.
The Government of the Institution
is vested in Board of three Directors
) and Superintendent, each chosen BIZ.
ennially by the Legislature. The asso-
ciate system OF discipline is practiced.
The labor is contracted for work on
shoes, at 10 cents per day, and the re-
| ceipts exceeded the expenditures, in
1872, by S3,654.31.
The discipline is in special charge
of the Keeper, solitary confinement in
,, the dark cell being the chief punish
ment for offences.
A Communication law for good behavior
+ is an Indictment to good conduct.
f The Chaplain performs the usual du-
?, ties of apastor. A library of about
five hundred volumes is provided.
The most common crimes are larceny
burglary and assaults and the caus-
5 es, bad early influences, ignorance,
9 idleness and the use of Intoxicating
+ drinks. The Governor has power to
pardon in all cases except sentences
: to death. He has no authority 10
,, commute. He may reprieve until the
Legislature meets. There is no pro.
/. vision for aiding convicts at their dis
7 charge. They receive decent suit
: Of clothes and a small sum of money
from the State, and then must shirk
> for themselves. A chapel for rclig.
!, ious worship, and some repairs of the
n old Prison for female convicts, with
q larger additions to the library, are
t projected. .'...
u ii. THE COUNTY JAILS.
At each of the shire towns of the
fourteen counties, there is constructed
G abuildlng for the temporary detention
: of prisoners, previous to trial and &C
), quittal or sentence for crime. They
:, consist of one or two large rooms and
: few cells, designed for the safe keep
! ing of persons arrested. On convic
:, ton of certain minor offences, tn,
: law sentences to confinement in Jai!
i MS for example; lewdness in females
: theft of fruit, careless use of fire arms
t, and certain offences against the pro
hibitory liquor law. The Count,
:, Sheriff has charge of the Jail ; and h
: usually appoints Jailor who has thu
e special care of the premises. Relig
:. ious services are occasionally held il
G them, but there is no general law 0
y rule on that point. Some efforts hav
!; been made to effect improvements il
>. our Jail system, but as yet no practl
i cal results appear. In this, Vernon
J. has nothing whereof to boast.
8 III. THE REFORM SCHOOL.
1t The Reform School was opened a
:, Waterbury, in 1866. 1t was institut
:, et mainly OH the plan of the schoo
i at Lancaster, Ohio, viz. that of th
" family. In 1872, there were reported
p? III inmates. The limit of admission
1t is under sixteen years of age. Thu
n sentences are during minority, fur
= loughs and discharges being discre
q tionary with the officers of the institu
2 ton. The congregate system is nov
i practiced. Boys only are admitted
t. They are instructed in the elements O
IS the branches of learning which ar
IS generally taught in our schools, ant
, are trained in industry, morality an,
- good order. The results, thus far, ar
of highly, encouraging nature.
: ". THE HOME FOR DESTITUTE CHILDREN
> The Home For Destitute Children
;, at Burlington, was founded in 1865
mainly by the efforts of Miss Luci
= L. Wheeler, daughter of the late Pres
= ident Wheeler. 1t was first designed
: solely for the neglected and destitute
children of Burlington. Its sphere i