New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-04-13
POLITICS IN PRISONS.


rvrr rTFrC-r on MAKING PRISON OFFICES REWARDS
FOR POLITICAL sERvICEs--A CONTRAST WITH
FORMER sYsrHM-DIsCIPIINR IN PRISONS GROW
ING LESS AND THE EXPENSE OF MAINTAINING
THEM BECOMING GREATER
To the Rditor OF The Trfbune
SIR: Ex-Prison Inspector kirkpatrick for
mally announced in his report to the present ig's"
trc that tho present system Of State prison nspccoh
ia decided failure" Gov Tilden informed the same
hodv in his first message that during the last sca year.
which ended on Sept 80 1874, the Controller advanced
from the Treasury the three prisons for over
and above receipts for earnings tho sum OF "
These official announcements at this uine' "heh 'o ~
payers are burdened with nearly $l6,OOoooo loi 0'o
taxes alone saying nothing of county and town taxes
which swell the amount to nearly $jS00O0O supported
IA they appear to by startling facts In respect u inc
present condition Of tho PRISONS make case Tor serious
investigation
The first inquiry which they suggest is the time when
the series Of annual deficiencies At the prisons began
the second probable magnitude the third il their
cause and tho fourth is tho suggested remedy the hrst
question is answerabe from data furnished by the re-
ports Inspectors for the last 30 years. the sccoh"
can be answered only from data in the ONCE OF the Co
troer enough of the facts for the purposes Oh ths
letter may gathered from the reports Of the ffi5o
Inspectors for tho years 1874 1854 1854 and 1874
From these reports clearly enough appears that no u
cency of any considerable extent occurred under the
former State Constitution.
appears from the reports OF the inspectors Oh ho
two prisons then in existence made to the essa
tre of l845 when Slas Wright was Governor that inc
number of male convcts the prisons at the close OF
the previous fiscal year. which ended on Sept 80 lo4'
as 69 that the expenses OF the Sing Sing Prison, IN
elusive of the female department. during that year were
$6i2l5 Os and of the Auburn Prison. So3166 10 max
ing the total expense &ll7,9Sl % that the earnings
of the convcts mt the former prison during the Same
year were $574sl 10. and at the latter, S56Os2 68
c9 q IcQ Ia an
expenses that year at the Auburn Prison OF S23l6 ~
but the female department ut Sing Sing ran Sb,734 "
behind The deficiency of both prisons, however, was
only 4i7 So That the satisfactory financial ex-
bbit of both prisons then under the former Constitution
and local system inspection with over half the present
number of conviots support. Under that plan OF man.
agenent the agenswho gave heavy bonds for the per-
fOrmance Of their respective duties and for the ath
rendition OF the proceeds Of the Labor OF the cocts-
were the responsible financial officers. And they were
held 10 strict account ~The Constitution of 1886 as is
well known. changed the old plan of inspection by de-
visng, without reasons OF any force, the plan whoh
Kirkpatrick denomnates q " decided failure
The Inspectors Constitution reported to
the Legislature of 1852 when Myron H. Clark was Gov
ernor that the number Of male convicts IN The tree
prisons Cnon had been stared at the end OF the pre-
vOus fiscal year $40 that the expenses OF the sing
Sing Prison during the same period $l36,1i2 "a,
OF tho Auburn Prison. $72,4l7 80, and OF the Clinton
Prison. SCI ,p38 75 total, $269,6i8 81 and that the
earnings Sing Sing were S95345 34 ut Auburn $751;
994 "A and at Clinton, i1,674 o. total S2l9,Ol4 H.
That exhibit left apparent deficiency at the three
prisons OF SJO634 60; but the Inspectors adj
mitted the existence OF Indebtedness ut tho prisons,
created for tho most part during tho year. over and
the losses Sing Sing by fire. of i73So IL which
increased the deficiency to $22391i 81 The inspectors
reported to the Legislature OF 1865, when Reuben f.
FentOn Governor that the number OF male conyics
In three prisons at the end of the previous fiscal
wear was 573 that the expenses during the year
had been at Sing Sing $l51s02 %; at Auburn, SlO3,-
S73 20; and at Clinton $7O176 3S-tota expense, 1928
s52 H. and that tine earnings had been during tho
period mt Sing Sing, $l07l36 At at Auburn, 9ll93l2
"A, and at Clinton, $3S256 58-tOta earnings, 1891
7Q5 70. That exhibit left apparent deficiency
of $G4,l46 80, but it increased by Indebted
ness of various kinds not disclosed in the report
subsequently nQudated and pad-to at least Sl25-
600 The expenses and earnings OF 1874 are here
transcribed from the message of Governor Iflden In
that stated that the number Of convics in all the
State prisons at the end OF the last fiscal year was
1860; that the advances from tho State Treasury
during tho last fiscal year had been ~ tho Sing sing
Prison. $60054 5S tn the Auburn Prison, 1888, loo 80
and to Clinton Prison S337,67S ID total expendi-
ture 93OS93 co. and that the earnings credited during
the same year were: To Sing Sing, $12i,009 43; to
Auburn, SlO1,9lO 40, and to Clinton. $l53.473 go,
making the earnings 1879 1893 A. That statement dis
closes an apparent deficiency at the three prisons of
SOL 500 II; but it is said that the Inspectors claim
rebate that amount for new works constructed.
for stock hand ut Clinton and various other special
TO the amount OF about 100000 by deduct
ing that amount the deficiency will amount to $751;,
500 IL
Tho salaries OF the Inspectors fixed by law at
81, 600 each but they have managed 10 got them
increased in supply bills 10 400 each The three have
managed TO obtain from the Treasury about $1,000
year. During the 26 years these officers have existed
they have drawn from the Treasury the moderate OF
tho aggregate over $1,000 year. The salaries of the
present Inspectors paid by the Controller. and are
not put In the account OF deficiencies. although they
are a portion of the expenses OF the sys-
TEN. AZ remarked in tho outset the
books OF tho Controllers Office alone able TO
disclose the prec amount in dollars which has been
drawn from the State Treasury and above earn
ngs In the prisons since the present system OF nspec
ton operation. fr these four reports, how
be trusted, the prison expenditures, incud
ing the salaries OF inspectors and compensaons for ex
ira for the past 20 years have been equal to
half original of the Erie Canal The change in
the Constitution Of $40 has, therefore, proved TO be
very expensive Experiment. and which invites
erosion " the systom which made the prisons almost
sefsupportng.
It was ono OF the fundamental ideas upon which our
State prison systom planned. that the prisons
shonld bo conducted to DO selfsnpporng Messrs
Allen, Hopkins and Tbbets the Commissioners ap
pointed In 1924 perfect the system then mperccty
begun at Auburn reported TO the Legislature that they
gave the Auburn plan the preference over other
toms OF labor and discipline mainly because 1t could be-
"under careful management selfsusaiued by tho pro
oeeds OF convict labor" Those Commissioners wisely
concluded that fclons In the State Prisons ought
10 be required, II In health, and compelled, II
necessary work sufficiently To earn enough to do
fray the expenses OF their imprisonment, and the
utes requiring the judges OF the criminal courts sem
tence convicted feons " DO imprisoned ut hard labor