The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1876-07-01

' of the oxygen OF the atmosphere as to render II
very bad for respiration. They may not DC as
| healthy us they would be IN tho open air, but /
| think they can be as healthy in that room as in
a room of the same size almost anywhere in the
city. When the numbers arc small, the health
! of the individual cannot be seriously affected, al
though confinement will affect the health OF any
body to 4 certain extent, for the body cannot be
| healthy when confined.
! have ne doubt there should be a jail with
sufficient number OF rooms to carry out the law
The law evidently intends that the number OF
rooms shall be sufficient to carry out the inten
ton of the legislature. That cannot be done
with our present Jail, and it is horrible state OF
things to take boys Of 10 or Is years Of aye and
put them in with hardened offenders. Ii they
do not have habits OF stealing already, they will
soon acquire them down there; they will hear
the boastiHg and listen to the instruction OF
those who are already old in guilt. Such state
of things is disastrous in every point of view and
ruinous to the moral condition OF society
II is embarrassing to the Court to administer
the laws in this county, where we have great
number OF such criminal offences as petit lar.
ceny. In case of boys under IL years OF age they
may be sent to the Reform School at Pontiac;
but for those over 1t years OF age there Is no
place but this Jail; although If there are only
four or five prisoners they may be very well SO
far as health is concerned, yet to send person
there even for 80 days is repulsive. II 1t Is a
question of doubt, merely, whether the health OF
Il person may not be seriously Injured and there
may be so large crowd there AS to cause such
injury, it places the Court in position where
inadequate punishment must be imposed on
these men. Society is protected, to certain eX-
tent, by putting these persons in position
where they cannot do wrong. In these cases of
petit larceny the sentence might be q months or
Il year. and society would be protected for that
length of time. Now the question is presented,
if the Judge were to sentence men for g months
or year, we should have the jail in a condition
that it would not hold them; they could not be
put in there, and the Court is compelled, in Il
measure, to impose light sentences.
do hope sincerely the Board of Supervisors
will take this under consideration, and That II
they are afraid of the people behind them, they
will take the pans to inform them OF the condl-
ton of things. OF course the existence OF mat
ter like this is magnifed by some ana lesseneo
by others. The best way for each one is to 40
as have dOne-g0 dolcn and sec a. The SherlH
Will be glad to give every facility for inspection
1t is evident the sheriff does everything he can
to make the Jail comfortable for the prisoners
as the circumstances will allow, but he Is utter
" powerless to do it as 1t ought TO be DONE and
| | do think that in a county having population
of 10000 decent Jail ought to be provided. 1t
would only be n few cents, or at most few dol
lars, on each taxpayer, and hope they VIII 40 H.
In reference TO the particular case on which
this application was made, If had been satlsned
that these mems health would have been I'm.
paired to any considerable extent, would have
shortened their sentences, and turned them our
upon society. But there are now only about IL
men in the Jail, and the prospect is that the
number will soon be reduced to q or :, ana |
think that with q, s, or even 10 in there, the
health Of these persons sentenced for 81 days
will not suffer in the 90 days Of their time yet
unexprcd do not think the principles of hui
mainly require the Court to make such rldlcu-
lous punishment, for so grave an oilense as
theirs, as ten days would be- 1t Is small enough
at so DAYS The larcenles were of property near
1y ~, rb ia send Them To the Dcnitpntlarv. |
cannot think that they are in position in which
their health will be seriously affected; thought
do not doubt that with 80 or 40 pairs OF human
lungs in that space, depriving the atmosphere
Of its Oxygen, the health might be much injured
1t is no doubt injurious to the prisoners, TO the
men who attend them and to the jailor. think
the tendency of the draft is from the Jail to the
hall, and | think 1t is necessary to yentllate
the hall. This impure and fetd air draws through
the hall. Those who are in charge OF the jail are
affe tted to a certain extent The whole thing is
in an improper condition, and | am really in
hopes that something will be done when pains
are taken 10 inform the people OF the facts. i
cannot believe that people differ SO much in dit,
ferent parts Of the world, but that the people OF
this county as well as others VIII OBEY the ulc-
tates of humanity.
The thing has been here nearly 40 years Peo-
pie do not appreciate the march of time and the
increase of population; they do not realize the
badness OF the thing. When they do realize II,
they will remedy 1t. Perhaps on sulhcienty
strong case-there may be shown condition OF
things where II man was suffering in health
the Court might interfere and instruct the sher-
i'll to take him to another county.
The remedy is with the people, and have no
doubt but that the Board Of Supervsors-if the
pressure that is behind them can be removed
will build Jail. l think it was an unfortunate
thing to submit the question to the people. i
think they might have understood that the peo-
pie would vote againsti it, without considering
the necessity Of it. The sober second thought
of the people is, however, generally right and
when they fully understand this matter have
confidence in their doing what is right