Daily Kennebec journal., 1876-01-27
OUR CRIMINALS.
Reports OF the Warden and other officers
OF the State Prison, and Prison and Jail
inspectors.

In presenting his annual report, Hon. ". W.
Rice, Warden of the State Prison. takes occasion
to speak of the general good health and good or
der that has prevailed. Only one out of 100 con-
ycts has died the past year. The wear commenced
with 1877 convicts, which number was reduced to
1926 in july the lowest since 1866, and afterwards
increased to las at the close of the year. OF the
SO committed during the year, Cumberland county
sent II, Kennebec 9, Androscoggin 6, Washington
5, Penobscot s, Somerset 3, York 3, Waldo 2,
Knox, Lincoln and Pscataquis, one each. Period
Of sentence of those committed the past year: one
year, / two years, and over one, 9; three years,
and over two, II; four years, and over three, ~;
five years 8; six years, seven years, :! ior me,
2; ten, fifteen, twenty, twenty-five years, l each;
total, 49, Crimes Of those committed in 1870
Larceny 90, cheating 2, rape B. burga ., man
slaughter 2, forgery l arson ., breaking and en-
terng l, felonious assault 3, adultery 2, assault
with intent TO commit incest !, perjury l. assault
with intent to kill l, embezzlement /, assault to
ravish l, murder in second degree ! total, SO.
The workshops have been enlarged and greatly
improved, and considerable repairs made on the
houses and the prison buildings, the building ac-
count for the year amounting to IS, 1922.
1t is shown by the table exhibiting the financial
condition of the institution, that the profits of the
income departments amount to $4A,doia9, While
the expenses, including salaries, amount to Soo,-
05S.69; showing balance against the prison OF
$5,704 20. This deficiency is owing partly to the
hard winter, the wet season, dullness of trade,
shrinkage of values, and want of sufficient shop
room in which to do work advantageously. The
Warden, however, does not consider the financial
aspect Of the prison as the most important. The
primary object of the prison is "to protect the
persons and property Of the citizens" About 95
per cent. Of the convcts 60 out into the world
again either to become law abiding citizens or to
pursue life Of crime; and the prison officer, if he
Is properly supported, may be in measure re-
sponsible for the course the discharged convict
takes Instruction is provided for the illiterate
the indoent are stimulated into the formation of
industrious habits by an opportunity to learn a
trade at which they can readily obtain employment
when released from prison; and those whose hab-
its and surroundings from childhood have been
such as to so blunt their moral sense that they
cannot be reached by any higher motives. it is
aimed to convince if possible that it "pays better
to obey the laws than to lead life Of criuie
During the twelve years of Warden Rioes admin
istratiOn, there have been discharged from the
prison 529 couvicts, Of whom only So (ess than
per cent? have been re-committed there. Many
have been either reformed. or lifted from the
criminal classes.
Number Of convicts Nov 30, 1874, 1877; number
received since, So; total, 100. Discharged by ex-
piration of sentence, 20; pardoned, IL; died, l