The New York herald., 1878-02-28
CRIME AND CRIMINALS.


CRIME AND CRIMINALS.
THEIR BRUTALITY rx-REroRMs IN PRISONS
ALBANY. Feb ~. 1878.
Tho following abstract OF The thirty third
nual report OF Executive COMMITTEE Of the Prison
Association OF Nav YORK presented to-day
For tho Arss time in thirty ysars q dseidsd change
in the administration OF the stsss prisons has been
secured by the constitutional amendment adopted
In 1877, which mas resulted improvements
IN their discipline and economy exceeding the
expectations ei The $4,000 citizens who cast
sheir hailets Tor those amepdmAusa Since 1871 the
sixty local committees OF the association have be-
come more and moro efficient In observing The
Of crime and insurng its prevention, and have
produced local ameiorations which could not have
been secured otherwise.
DISCHARGED PRIsoNKRs.
All the facilities that organized through these
local committees have contributed 10 aid the State
Agent for Discharged Prisoners obtaining employ
ment and giving prudent assistance to convicts
coming under his charge. This ONCE was created
by chapter 424 OF tho Laws OF 1877, aud
10 now in operation under tho management
Of Elisha Harris. N. D. The superintendent
Of Prisons authorized tho agent employ all
for diver,ing olson argsd away
established At Auburn and otciai visits every monlh
each OF the STATE prisons, tho agent olfors
worthy prisoners about 10 bs relsased whatever gud.
auce and Giu can DO gwen btdore or AZ the Time OF
THE RECORDS or oousrY JAIIs
There complete record OF Inc commitments to
county Jaiis, fur numerous instances thors
register xepi. ana In such cases the boarding
OF the Jaicr not deemed trustworthy record
Tor public uses. The county oil Orleaus wh,oh
ccrtnluiy is ono Of the most peaceful snd CON-
10 the jalicr's rscoros s57 psr.sns coam.ssd 70 i,
during year 1877. This IN county only 29.e77
iahae.sans would indicate thu. snsrs may hav. been
In the year. The Raymond street jail OF Kings
county, one ol the worst ana most ovsrcrowasd in
the Stats, had during the year, shown by
the taiior's account 1892, prisonars committed IA.
rhs IN popaIation Of 500, 2o6 shows
tions Of Ihe stnts there would nave been between
co. 900 and 900; but whether the total number
there puulic record ol tue actual mitments
70 jail, and only ncompIoto and untrustworhy
couaS oI the convicted persons wAo arc committed.
WHAT AK. PgxiTExTgARx PRISONERS.
Tns PsnI!sn.ary popuia.'os correc.ly represents
:So prisoners Of Tue county jals *hen ws ada 20
the graver ktnds that pass from the jAils 10 the
three state prisons The Penitsnsiary stats.
many convicts are consigned TO The penlten.iaries
than to the State prsons during the year;
ions vt any time little more than onc.third
the total number admitted IN tho yoar hence that
s four months or moro, though The Individual sen
tences oil the cOnvicts vary from days 10
u. y'''s a4s nusss I'll ;ss 0sa IN. Y''.sS ssd
OF the lust fiscal year there we're 12U4
who we're uudcr sentenoc for The term OF one year and
fsioniss; t4) that the 2,Ol9 VINO are under twenty
years Of age snow how important is the question:.
offenders in pcuitsnlisriesf' IS, that the
2,Ol4 who confessed ,hemserss unable TO read
au0 write wnan admitted obviously needed
tie school instruction which been intro
duced these Institutions by local authorities
bat as g. IS pss soDs Of s hs prisoners ADMITTED %
dvc OF the penuentiaries the past year confessed
habits OF ,ntsmperauce, such intimate and danger.
Gus relationship OF inebriety and crime demands
public Attention and the cnectul efforts VI the proper
authorities check the winch thus CLOSELY
sociated with crims and nnsly ~ that the $500 ma
tive born sixty per among the IL l6i prisoners
admitted to the six penitentlaros the past year show
that the ioreign born Inhabitants are longer
chxrgeable with the great OF common crimes
WHICH sometimes attributed to them IN Ibis Stale.
In view Of tho TACT that the Of the penal tns
tutiops shows OF this change The
ratio Of native crminals Is assuming . very serious
aspect
The number oi crimes against property, accom-
panied by violence. increasing and Is largely refer
able 10 the increase OF tramps, among whom are
many abandoned aud desperate crsmnals 10 whom
such nomad,o Ilfo offers the security as
With inquiry Tn,s source Of n
orsast o crms, and, worss OF ALL the propAgasron oil
dopraved ana VICIOUS pfoSenys nss now oeeu
brought under tho seAfcning observation OF tns
local committees OF this association. Ia
regard TO this great evil, We are con.
strained TO apply the remarks which made
IN last years report 10 tho Legislature:-"rhe
pity charity which have thus delayed APP
plcasons OF much needed judicial and correctional
treatment OF vagrauts and tramps in this State
not worthy bestowed BY che people The Legislature
will be compelIed 70 take action concerning these
monadic odenders" The most horribly wanton
Of all the murders the the past year per.
petrased by q tramp, who NJ midnight IN = quiet
farmhouse near Malone, Franklin county stealth
lily entered the cottage OF kind old iar-
mer Aud shot both tho man and his
wife in bod TO steal few collars he haa seen in their
hapds whcn they belrsnded him few days before.
This ~ the moro significant when VIC learn that
this miscreant has been inmate oil all throe OF
state prisons aud least prisons In Europe.
REFOkMB NOW NnEDxD.>
The necessity for complete recssting OF our jail
and peniten tisry system has become apparent The
pressnt tendency of public inquiry and effort seems
to be The direction Of education and classification
oil prisoners and Of judicial aud legislative reforms
Magistrates and sherins who conferred with
the corresponding secretary OF the association have
suggested that 10 important that every pstimus
mitment warrant snail bave All essential Tor
titled lnsrson also that Justices or court regis.
ters shall oorrscsy specify the evidence offered in the
proceedings
In irsQuont instances the court proceedings In
criminal casos postponed again and again give
place 10 CIVIL suits, though uplmprlsonod or Dc.
Iaiusd persons may be concerned In tho latter.
The pr0mpg and reasonably speedy proceedings Of
police Justices against crime would greatly enhance
popular respect for the proceedings themselves,
ana az Same w0nx prevent 10 numerous iailS
awaiting trial
POLITICAL AND GENERAL.
.ssrr ~