New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-02-07
PENITENTlARY MATTERS.
Statement Of Colonel James.

| PoIyr PLEASANT LEVIED,
| February t. 1874. 5
| EDITOR REPUBLICANS:
Ihave Just seen lengthy article IN your
| paper headed Horrors of Prison Life in
| the Louisiana Penitentiary.' Although
| heretofore it has not been my habit to an
swer articles in newspapers against the
| institution, knowing full well the impossi-
| bility of giving general satisfaction in its
| management, as all institutions of like
nature in every State have their regular
enemies, who will condemn let them be
however humanely managed. and particu-
larly so is this the case with cOnvicts who
have been compelled to serve period of
wears for offenses against the laws; it has
never been my Intention or desire to make
the Penitentiary pleasant place Of resort
for criminals, nor have l considered that
the convicts confined there were especial
pets of the State to be well ted, allowed
to do as they please, and do no work; but as
the respectability OF your journal and the
stress that you lay upon the truth and
enormity of the convict's statement are
such that it may lead innocent people to
imagine me- q monster in human form, |
have felt it becomes me TO speak.
Ipropose to answer the assertions and
show how false. by the admission o: Con.
yict, some Of his statements are. leaving
the community 10 judge that it par: is
grossly untrue By his own admission tbs
remainder must necessarily be. For in.
stance. he asserts that men are forced to
work sixteen hours, but admits that they
are aroused at four o'clock from their cells.
and are allowed twenty minutes 20 break
fast; and as he could have added with truth
that it took ,uliy thirty to forty minutes
more to get them out Of their cells, to wash
their face and hands (which. strange to say.
they all have wooden basins 20 wash in and
towels TO wipe with this will! make five
o'clock. Now marching to factory. starting
up machinery is fifteen minutes more: he
admits thirty minutes at u NJ, for dinner.
when. in truth, they get one hour: but take
his own statement: he admits they quit at
dark or nightfall, which, during six months
in the year. is at from five 20 six o'clock.
Now let us see where the sixteen hours
come from--from a quarter.past five to
from 1870 to 6 P. NJ, five and one-hslf
hours. making twelve and one-guar.es
hours.
In Northern factories the working hours
for hired operatives are eleven hours. This
one and one-fourth hours per day extra for
convict labor seems very hard indeed. Now,
as to the hard labor TO which they are sen.
fenced, for SO says the sentence,
Convict says they are compelled to
run four looms Immediately upon arrival.
What an enormity and oppression: Why.
in the North women are only running six
looms. But even his statement ID false as
to the four looms, as every practical
weaver can testify that no person
could possibly run even four looms
without from four to six months prac
tice. But let us see if it would pay the
lesseeS to have new conVlctS run four
looms. Running the factory never paid a
profit, even with every economy and good
and to any reasonable mind
it must appear that il would not pay the
lessees to have two or three looms to the
weaver SUOppti Out-tullu Gut tliL- III OFutr
to force new convict 10 run toug looms. I.
is too absurd.
AS to corporeai punishment, that was the
punishment in vogue when became lessee,
and while contend that have very much
lessened the punishment and improved the
of the oonvicts. have never felt
to prescribe any new mode OF
punishment. As to the individual cases
spoken OF by Convict. can not lowing to
some of the men having served their times
and lett the lnssitution) get their statements.
but two OF the men speak for themselves.
here inclOse the sworn statement made bv !
them before Captain Ed. Bean and Mr.. |
Woods. Mr.. Bean, believe, is we'll known |
in your office, and you can vOuch for his in.
tegrity and honor: but as to Charles Carroll. !
the offense was committed while the State I
had the institution and before I became
lessee. I understand he seized a gun from J
4 guard and shot two guards, and that he |
received all told seventytive lashes in |
.wO whippings. His proper punishment |
should have benn death, as the guards I
should have shot him at the time he com.
nitted the offence; but, however. l am not }
1t least responsible for that offense. ] pre-.
ume, as Convict goes back to give the
'tfenses when the State had the institution, |
10 also refers to the same period when he !
ays the men are not adequately fed. in.
lose statement from the commissary as
o the quantity issued daily. You can cal.
ulate it. and you will find it equals one
nd a half soldiers ration, with tobacco as !
xtra. 1t is SO universally known and com.
aented upon as 20 our feeding 50 well tina. |
hat portion hardly needs comment. Ia
act, a prominent district attorney has
old me that my treatment and food /
Tas so good that unless l aba.ed in some
-ay would demoralze his district. as
was no longer matter of dread in gong ]
D the 1enitentiary. owing to tbs glowing |
of returned convicts to his dstric.
t the food. treatment, etc. Where we |
ui'd levees the colored people are on'y TOO !
lad to get the scraps left f.om the table OF !
le cOnvIcts. /!
What "Convict" means br ''coIn.inc
rickyard men twice the number used i I
an not imagine, unless ne refers to the /
eriod when the State was running it her. )
If; for since have been lessee the brick.
ard was owned By myself and partners,
nd We could have no interest in charging .
ore men than used; and tor the last two
ears the lessees have presented no account J
.ainst the State. and when thew did they |
It paid in certificates of Indebtedness, I .
Orth thirty cents on the dollar. As 10 the |
nvicts being compelled to steal cloth and /
oes Tor the officers. l am not aware that r
ch was the case, and even now doubt it, | +
dying from Convict's own statements OF
urse. every yard OF cloth stolen was
r individual. loss and not the States; .,
cretore. my interest is to watch and pre- =
Mt il. But let us see how this statement
ars itself Ous- He says 800 bolts Of cloth |
re stolen il. one night. Now, our MA Il
lnery was sc set as I" make every q
1t .t cloth measure within trac- o
N OF forty yards. We manufactured II
M 5000 20 10000 yards daily. G
W this would make $4,000 yards of s
It'll weighing nearly 5000 pounds-eight o.
days work of the entire estab- OF
hment. Now Inv dear sir. this is so per n
lily absurd ami ridiculous that really | te
astonished that journal like yours st