Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1877-10-15
THE VERMONT STATE PRISON.


Caledonian of last week. on the State
Prison, we condense the following:
by invitation of the directors of the
state prison, quite number of gentle
men from different parts of the State
met at Windsor on Tuesday of last week,
to inspect the prison and look over its
present working. Among those who re-
sponded to the invitation were Governor
Fairbanks, State treasurer, John A.
Page, auditor, Jedd P. Ladd, Ex-Gov.
Peck, Messrs. Benedict, Kinsley and
Huntington of Burlington, Poland of
Montpelier, and others.
The prison now contains 157 inmates.
all but one being males. AS there are
but 155 cells, some of the cells have to
be occupied by two persons. The cells
are in four tiers, one above another.
These cells are in the center of the room,
with ten or twelve feet hall between
them and the walls of the prison, SO if
prisoner escapes from his cell he is still
within the prison. The cells are five
feet wide and eight feet long, and each
one is provided with clean bed, table,
chair, lamp, etc.
The work OF the men is making shoes,
and all but Phair, and few old and
disabled ones, work at this daily. Their
labor is contracted for by Mawhinney &
Go. of Boston. They pay 40 cents day
for each man, which is an advance of
five cents over what they paid last year,
making difference of some $4,000.
The visitors saw the men at their
work, which, with the improved machin-
cry and modern tools, was a very inter-
esting process. But what interested
them more was the neatness of every
part of the prison; the kindly feeling
between the prisoners and the superin-
tendent and keepers; the earnest desire
of the directors and superintendent for
the best welfare of the unfortunate men
who were put in their charge.
By the present system each man earns
dollar month and five days time by
good behavior This makes years
sentence only ten months, and we are
assured it is a great incentive for the
men to do we'll. Bad conduct is punish
ed by deducting both the money and
the time earned by good behavior, and
also by solitary confinement. This soil.
tary confinement means something
There are three or four cells with moth
ing but bare walls-with actually M
t furniture whatever-not bed to lie on
i or chair to sit in. The doors are sol
e i'd iron, admitting no light. Into thes,
S man is placed, and the door is shut
f Men have been kept in one of these dun
geons as long as two weeks, but twenty
t four hours must be severe punishment
S and short time is the rule. Their IA
I lions IN the dungeon are four ounces o
: bread and pint of water daily. Me-
5 are punished in this way for talking t
: each other. insolence to keepers, ant
s other offences against prison discipline.
% The cleanliness of the prison an,
f wholesome food. are already telling up
e on the health of the inmates. Of tn
d 156 men, but three are now IN hospital
l. and the greatest number at any one tim
/. this year was five.
d They begin at the prison the preser
e month an evening school in the chape
ID taught by the guard and some of th
lie prisoners. Reading, spelling, writin
]. and arithmetic are taught, and many {
v the men apply themselves with grea
r earnestness, and make rapid advanc,
E. ment.
IF 1t has been the endeavor of the diret
): tors, and the new superintendent, III.
IN Spencer, seconded most heartily by tt
ID Governor-as those who remember h
IN annual message might expect-to inal
he gurate in the prison discipline which
t. while it is strict, shall yet be kindl,
ut They believe that the prison should |
s. reformatory, and it is their wish an
II, aim to send out their discharged prison
h. ers so reformed that they will becon
es respected citizens. In this effort I'll
KS prison officers will have the hearty syn
'e. pathy and God speed of every man ar
at woman IN the State.
IT. John P. Phair, who was convicted
ch killing the woman, Frieze, at Rutlan
re and whose execution was stayed by a
mt ton of the Governor, declines to labo
'e- and as it is an unsettled legal questic
g. whether the State can oblige him to,
A is left in his cell, where he spends
RS. whole time.
ed W. H. Whitney, who was sent fro
I'm Caledonia county, has been very lam
mt and there were fears that he would 10
90 a leg; but under good care he is il
proving, although he still goes wi
crutches.
On Hayden, the wife murderer from d.
re- by Line, is hopeful that his counsel W
rge secure him a new trial, and continues
er- reiterate his story that he remembt
i'll nothing about the murder
the Miles, the Barre bank robber, e