The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1877-02-21
rDLENRss AND 1NTEMrERAScE.

IDLkNHSS AND lNTkMfEhANOhs
In point of industry, only twenty per
cent of the male tonvicts have trades, and
[ need hardly add that three-quarters are
Incorporate. Many of these began to drink
early, the average of beginning being fifteen
and the average at which the habit became
confirmed was "a most of the prisoners
came from families dehssed by intemper-
ance and other vice. There are instances
in which such families have for succe ssive
generations been marked by an inevitable
development of CRIME. 1t Is sometimes
noticed that prisoners have peculiar pride
in reference to The grade of their offense.
One state prison convict aid in a haf boast
tul manner, 1--we never been In peuitet-
iiary, / don't dD auy little things. te-
long TO the fellows that 90 in for big
money" This man de'pised pick pockets
He was a professional burglar, and had no
idea OF abandoning such practice after his
liberation. Such men look on their method
of crime as a proper calling. Many crimi-
nails attribute their evil deeds TO ''ill luck
One young man says, 81 was always used
to good clothes and what's nobby, 80 to
keep up l had to do it," His crime was
forgery, done to provide means for disspa-
ton.
HOUSE OF REFUGE.
This institution is a prolific school Of
crime, and probably has no equal in this
point IN the country. This was the testi-
mony of John Mahoney, who was called
the Jack Sheppard" of America. Anoth-
or man who had spent large part of his
life in prison said, "The house of refuge
IS the worst place boys can be sent to.
Boys teach each other more mischief than
men do While l was in the refuge /
learned to sneak thief, shop lift, pick
pockets and open lock-" How did you
get the opportunity to learn all thisp' was
asked. "There's plenty of chance" said
he. "Boys learn evil of each other even
when at play" etc. This man was con-
firmed tibet and had no desire to reform.
He admitted half a dozen thefts done in one
day, adding, ga thief, If he understands
himself, will never lose chance Of steal
ing, no matter how much money he may
have" Such is the ordinary character Of
those graduated from the "retuge." Anoth-
er graduate said that while there he learned
the names of the "fences" or receivers, and
that when he came out he at once knew
where to carry his plunder.
REPORT FROM SING SING.
There are several features peculiar to this
institution. 1t is the largest of our prisons
and is also the most crowded. Most of the
"second term" men arrested here are from
Sing Sing, because that prison is chiefly
filled with New York convicts. When re-
leased they generally return to their old
haunts. Sing Sing, as have said, is the
| only prison where female convicts are held.
| Their number is 143 and thev are TO large
degree watched by Mrs. Van Cortlandt.
| Her report contains some points OF painful
interest. She mentions the peInicious ef-
feet of mingling all classes together, when
cannot be avoided 10 the present narrow
limits of the exercise yard She also re-
fers to the lack of ventilation, especially
as the doubling up" system generally pre-
| walls and they emerge from their cells eX-
hausted by the poisonous air. The table at
which they eat Is only four feet from the
cell doors, and hence the air of the hall is
little better than that to which they have
all night been subjected. Mrs. Van Cort-
landt urges the need of q new mess hall,
also additional bath rooms and fresh sup
| ply of books. She, however, maintains
that new prison Tor women should be con-
structed especially, as the entire Sing Sing
prison is now wanted for the other sex.
| FACTS WORTH NOTICE.
The crimes against property annually
committed in this state amount in point Of
damage to S25. 900 0o0 Crime has become
to large degree professional, and the risk
Of detection Is viewed as men view other
risks in life The prieons and penitentiarit 8
In this state cost 81 900 900 more than their
earnings, and are schools for crime, rather
tan reformatories The tramp nuisance
is steadily on the increase. Taxing SO Sc
questered a region as Greene county, l
learn ihet Z 202 ramps we're relieved thrre
last vsar, at an estimated cost of nearly
| 5000. The year previous the number
wa- 2 1882, ana the year before that 1t Was
959 The cost tten being Sl,287. Here we
ee The uumher Of tramps increasing eight
fold in two years. Perhaps whipping
post would do something towards abatipg
such nuisance.
BROOKLYN.
The Raymond strt ct jiil is a disgrace to
the ci'y and its abnminatons cannot be H.
cluded in my present limits. The Kings
county Jail is but little be ter. An effort,
however, has been made to improve the
condition of prisoners by benevolent
C mmittee. Raymond street Jail should be
de nolished as soon as possible, since II l.
an outrage on health and dec nNy. But in
many points of socisl and municipal reform
BrIoklyn is behind the age. had intended
to refer to the Ludlow street Jail. which
now is filled with miserable class of Of
tenders in 'tort," but fud my space oc-
cupied. Tweed aided to build this estab-
hshment, and his name is among the COM
mittee, proudly inscribed on the tablet In
the hall. Here, half forgotten by the
world, the former boss is held on sentence
which will last for probably his entire life,
and there are few among our prison pnpula-
ton whose case awakens 80 little sympa-
| H.,