New-York tribune., 1876-10-03
Tiki OF TIE REPORT.
bje rrceLeucu sAurrL ]. TILDEN, G0rerrl0r.

To his Erceilency SAMUEL j. TILDEN, Gorernor'
SIR: Fhe commission appointed to inyestl-
gate the state prisons of the State cslccuy submit
this their preliminary report, together with the test
mony alrcIdy taEen and on which Is based Inc CON-
isson commenced their labOrs at the Sing Sing prison.
carly IN june and continued them until near the Close OF
August when it adjourned to the prison at Clinton at
which place they continued their examinations unit the
21st ist. IL will resume work at Sing Sing early III
October The work 1T the latter place was iOdnd TO be
much greater than was expected requiring the aid 0t
expert accountants before and during the time the COM
mission there and VIII need still further time TO
make such an examination seems To be denaudrd
Tie Investigation thus far made, shows that business
affairs have been very loosely conducted, in regard to
purchases, both to prices paid and quantities bought
great carclcssncss ana false entries ~ the "ccounss
books have been altered mutaied and lost; property
Of the loaned 10 private persons without cHafge'
account thereof being madc ana never irluiheI
moneys have been obtained irOih the sthtc treasury py
fraudulent vouchers properly stolen; tO"ls auu ildt
rals belonging state not cared for and genera
lack Of economy that 0ugh 10 DE- tNclc,'yd " on'i'
in charge oi public interests 20 great, ana 80 varied IN
character; lack not so nhc the ul, o per 'oS' s "a ~
the system which placed them temporarily IN th,r oh'
cal positions. .
plieauon to our - st.m of prison nineemchi or lalg
mi.Iuauageucut Mrn appointed to positions ~ the
prisons "i'hout any regard 70 htHos, Dut sooly s r.
wards FOR pol parry sen F.ts, 'i NtL ONciy c'So
OF party majority new men take the pisces oi lhosc
whose party defeated ~ the last previous election
scarcely one OF whom had bcGh ~ once ohE enough 10
learn iis duties - universal mas u'ch lhs practice tat
A. G.
been continuously on du'y ior eh ieW yes the re-
slt bins that most Apprentices, knowing tAc prevalence
oI this system, diligently tpiY themselves l hlhihE
al me money pu,slDc their own benz iii UcOrc bciug
throw out by tum OF The political wheel The
evils Of tuis practice c9u hardly bc described ~ terms
,stiicieuly Cuud.uuttOry, q system "lIcu Appeared
m fnc rst board ct - te Prison Inspectors, clcc.ea
under iht Constitution Of lsiG, ana Whioh nas uc,h
the baur of our PRISON miuA-,uIe ever since. one
oi s worst evils ih IL, influence oh tue discipline Oi t"e
prisons, bringing M ds u always does ihJ'f'S ol
r.rII- cui.l, i.,N.clic.ctd t.,ir duties, dutir,
wIlch require more t.an al ordinary sar. OF n,eiii
lp.cc auu dH rbc tNt,II,uc,, omissions which luc
convict, are tick take advantage of 90 tue uluy Of
tt. -t,t. ti.fs,d instance of tnis found
OF contractor 80 sing -li, carry Alug Ol t, same hd u
t.c prison iu Coiumb- OAlo pay mg
twir as uu,h peroay Tor convict iduo. h ono "A, IN
NrN-lpIA Iuc-c cSIta only co5 the plisuLs 20 Ia
,A..d financially, uut ai-p utterly destroy ai uolc oi
rr,rttu TIC cuuNictH, WHO, eng lt CdcltS ur, ana
loo often o., u.,uOu sty those 100 pdcrs ol rt, be-
dlsluur-t tHc.r.AC-, auu instead ol uCiNE
better men leaving prison, ar, often uinc Wo.'S ana
sat ir,c 10 tAc,--c iht raht u--ou''l lH'3 saw fc
ur 90 prison by Mcu "uO s.O"id nave, Dy cAdinpe,
taught th,m better.
amuu thr subordinate Jui ai, without winch th'Tc can
oi high -l4dr dtcu"'7 to d'tiHt -u.oi'n't' ne
TIE interior N threaten h7 sup nor WIN iru' az q
tItt easily CARRIED nt' ,hcel 49, means oi ioH,"' iu-
nutucc. ihe du'ot "o7iN N'i I''5 a,' 'h', ,"'I' .'
ur no discipline undrr such rtstcul iDc wonder 20 not
wuy our rr.lu- au AnItc..,, and so many prisoners
c-rUr, bu,. rather, Way muit W"itN is not lo't ana
more convict, du not escape. long tue pres ut
tenn prevails, i-t iunr Viii ttS owls continue III
,,.ing from ear To- year, prison, ANA c'uyici-
increase IN u.ub,r. ~, Undersigned remedy
Iu t,r. ts s.is except Cllc change IN the huuc o
- ,l. tls head oi our prison IS yrtci. Tue proposed
..,nlirut 10 tuc Constitution, wi,I pTUyIuC, Tor a
S.b.tiuehlcut state flh.n-, viii. as We believe
D, ', tI, ,xI,.i.. evils N.nsut such % change there
vii pr no cuiv. tne huau,co O the STATE mus ntces-
oar recently deceased c,ucausc the Hon. George K.
Ils..cA. iuiy cOucIrItd iu th'ec views and tccout-
iucudAuous. Respectfully your oo, dent servants
SIaCINIR IOJs.I,
a. q. NNLN,
LOUIS -. rusgCRY,
Commissioners.