Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1875-06-05
REPORT of COMMITTEE ON JAIL

OF the Committee appointed by the
Circuit Court, at its May term, to
examine and report upon the con-
dition of the county Jail. Tt will
be read with interest:
TO the Honorable, the Circuit Court
Of Berkeley County:
The Committee upon whom was
devolved an examination of the
Jail of this County, by an order of
appointment made at the present
Term, respectfully report that they
have visited the premises, and
made a careful inspection of the
building, examined into the ar
engagements for the custody of pris-
oners, and enquired particularly
into the general sufficiency of the
Jail with reference to the purposes
for which it is designed.
The Jail is located on the corner
of East King street and Spring AL
ley, on Lot known upon the plat
of the Town of Martinsburg as Lot
No. 81, fronting on King street 103
feet and 200 feet on Spring Alley,
less a small lot 81 feet by So feet 6
inches sold off the Northeast cor
ner.
The building is 40 by 40 it., and
two stories high, built of stone; the
walls 80 inches thick, and rooted
substantially with slate. The ge-
neral character of the whole struc-
ture is that of an old dilapidated
building.
On the first floor are a main hall
of 16 by 35 feet, and two cells or
rooms for the confinement of pris-
oners, one of Is by Is it., the other
Ii by IA it,, with ceilings nearly 9
feet high. One of these cells is
substantially layed with heavy cut
stone; floor, window and door
frames are of wood, and closed by
a heavy wooden door, we'll hung,
and good locks ;-the other has
plain stone partition, plastered
walls and ceiling, secured by wood
en- windows and door with strong
heavy lock. The windows are
barred.with heavy fiat CRATE irons,
which cannot be considered secure
since they are merely fastened
into wooden window frames.
On the second floor there are 4
cells or rooms for prisoners, viz:
one of 8 #. s in. by IL it.; one of
Is by Is it.; one of 16 by Is it., and
one of 10 #. 6 in. by 16 fetal of
which are enclosed by stone and
studded partitions, with plastered
walls and ceilings, with 8 #. 3 in.
story.
On the third, or attic floor, there
are two additional rooms of about
IA by IA feet, enclosed by studded
partitions, plastered walls and
ceilings, with wooden doors and
windows--the windows secured by
round iron rods fastened into win
dow frames THE doors by strong
locks.
Your Committee feel bound to
say that, in their judgment, there
is but one room in the Jail that
can be considered at all secure,
which is the cell on the first floor,
lined with cut stone; and the secu-
rity of this room is seriously affec-
ted by the facility with which per-
sons confined in it could be aided
by others in the adjoining cell,
which cannot be considered as at
all safe and secure in itself.
1t is thus seen that there is no
absolutely secure place of confine-
ment in the entire building.
There is but one chimney in the
Jail, and but two rooms which ii
accommodates, and they are both
insecure rooms on the I'd floor
In the stone-lined cell, as in 9TH
ers, the stove-pipes necessarily are
run out of the windows, often fill
ing the rooms with smoke to the
great annoyance of the inmates.
For reasons of insecurity, not
withstanding the discOmforts Of
all, it is necessary that all the per-
sons in confinement, whether al
ready convicted or awaiting trial,
shall be crowded into one apart
ment-the innocent with the gull
ty-the young offender frequently
with old and hardened criminals,
whose influence tends to prevent
all possibility of reform and re-
pentance then at times reach 10
10 II in number, and without re-
gard to color.
Attached to the Jail building
jail-yard of 68 by "A feet, enclos-
ed by stone mortar wall rs inch
es thick and Ia #. 6 in. high. which
appears to have been plastered,
but now worn off and left in a
rough, open condition, rendering
the escape of prisoners from ii en-
tirely practicable.
Adjoining the Jail is the Jailor's
house, of Al by 26 feet, two stories
high, built of stone, and rooted
with shingles. 1t is well ventilat-
ed, and furnished with arrange.