The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1876-09-05


! ic party.
The speaker closed with an earnest
and eloquent appeal to the German
citizens not to let il be said OF them
that by their votes they helped TO
perpetuate the corruption now 30
prevalent all over our land.
TnE JAnLs or MICHIGAN.
The annual abstract OF the reports OF
sheriffs relating 10 jails in the state of
Michigan has just been published by
the Secretary Of State. This report Is
made in accordance with the act of
1873. In the letter accompanying the
tables Secretary Holden complains of
commissions and carelessness on part
OF sheriffs in making their reports, as
a consequences Of which tho tables are
very incomplete.
From the Introductory letter We
quote the following compendium Of
the statistics given in detail in the ta-
bles:
The tables show that 1,2i3, or 22.07
per cent Of the whole number Of pris-
oners committed to the jails in 80
counties were white, and born in the
United States; OF these, the parents Of
$50, or 35.03 per cent, were both for
eign; SO, or 5.77 per cent, had foreign
fathers and native mothers; and 55, or
3.55 per cent, had foreign mothers and
native fathers. The total Of the three
classes is 700 or 43 81 per cent Of the
l,2i3 native white prisoners. Accord.
ing TO the census of 1870 (see statistics
of Michigan, 1860, p. xiii), the parents
2i.03 per cent Of our natiye-born popu.
latSon were one or both foreign-bo
In other words, assuming that what is
true Of these 80 counties holds, or
would hold, for tho entire state, while
in 1870 the parents OF about one. fourth
OF our entire nstive-born population
were ono or both foreign born, in 1876
tho parents Of nearly one-half Of all ma
tive-born whites committed 10 tho iails
were one or both foreign-born
The total number OF prisoners re-
corded in all the jails, as reported. 10
O, 800. Of whom 6,6i6. or 73. 81 per cent.
females. or the total number, 347
males and 4s females were under IS
years OF age. These totals are not
comparable with the corresponding to-
tails published in the abstract for 1874,
for the reason, already referred 10, that
CITY antDvillnge prisoners included in
1874 were excluded in 1875. The num-
ber in the jails at the beginning OF the
year is stated at 266, which, added to
the number committed, gives total Of
1885 confined in the jails within the
year. The average number maintain
ed during the entire year was 2lI6l,
and the average duration of imprison-
ment LIS days.
On the whole number committed,
|. $50, or 2l.S9 per cent. we're for high
crimes, and 5,303, or 1887 per cent,
were for minor offenses. OF the num-
ber committed for high crimes ,4a9 or
p4.7l per cent were males; 81, or sos
per cent, were females; aud 81, or 5.9j
per cent, were under 10 years OF age;
and of tho number committed for min
or offcnses. 4,SO3, or yo-oo per cent
were males; $40, or Sal per cent were
females; and 3l3, or SO per cent were
under 10 years Of age
The number of witnesses committed
to the Jail was 45; debtors, 90: insane
persons, &C; aud idiots 3.
OF the whole number OF prisoners
confined in the jails during the year
the convictions were 276. or 8. lS per
cent. to the state prison; GIT, or $50
per cent. TO the house Of correction:
and 50, or 70. 100 or per cent to the
state reform school. There were 30 es-
capes during the year. and $50 prison
ers remaining in Jail at the close of the
year.
The birth-places OF prisoners re-
ceiyed in the iails, exclusive Of blacks,
mulattoes, aud Indians, were as fol-
lows: Males-United States, 2,456;
British America, 5l0; England, 263;
Ireland, S77; Scotland, 81: Germany,
32s; Holland, 81; France. 22; Sweden,
sc: Norway, 10; Denmark, II; miscel-
laneous, 26, aud unknown -. Fem lies
-United States, 163; British America,
80; England, 10; Ireland, 46; Scotland
4; Germany, -; Holland, O; miscel.
lapeous, 2; unknown, 153. Number OF
male blacks committed to the jails, l3l I;
females, 4; male mulattoes, %; females
/ 2; male Indians, 10; females, ).
OF the number OF prisoners received
/ in the iails Gl2, or 3. 20 per cent. could
not read; and ia, or ll.G0 per cent
could not write.
The total number OF prisoners re.
ceived in all the jails was 55-l00 OF
per cent. OF the total population in 1874
the maIo prisoners being 9ElOOO OF
per cent. Of the male population. and
the female prisoners 7.l00 OF pei
cent. OF tho female population.
The total costo Of maintaining the iaili
was SS5, ,0S2. 50; amount OF travelling
and other expenses Incurred in arrest
ing aud taking prisoners to the jails
S35,2l63l; making the total cost OF th'
prisoners confioed in the jails, 80 fa
as reported, sl20, ,299.i3. The expen
ses incurred in arresting and takint
prisoners to the jails are mainly esti
mates; but the sheriffs are cautioned
against making the estimates too large
aud il is believed tho amount reporte,
falls short OF the amount actually ex
pended.
The cost per week for board an,
keeping OF each prisoner averages S5.5
and the average total cost Of each pris
oner confined in the jails was Sill
The amount expended in repairin
the jails was s7,939.37; for furniture
sl,l1l.02; and for all. other necessar
supplies, s., 1876.