Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1878-03-16
TIE MISSOURI PENlTENTIARY.

especially interested IN all that pertains
10 prison .abor. we spent u day las!
week in making a careful inspection OF
The penitentiary, at Jefferson City. We
were particularly inpelled to do this be,
cause we are thoroughly convinced that
there Is a g!aring wrong done to honest
laborerS by working convicts in coal
mines. whereby they come into competi'
t.oa WIKI honest miners, destroying their
entire industry at given points. Having
enlisted tor the war in our opposition
t. this policy. we desire to be informed
cn lie subjec, in al its aspects, that
We may write upon It inteiligently. This
article will have little direct bearing up
on the subject of work in the coal mines,
and when We give to Warden Willis
the praise that is his due for the police
regulations. general discipline, ~cleauli-
ness aud good management OF the pris-
ca. we wish it distinctly understood. that
far from being. in any way. an indorse-
ment OF his policy OF working convicts
in coal MINES. it is but an additional
reason whv we believe that he should
keep the ~convicts within the walls.
where they can be subjected to his i'm
mediate supervision and control. We
regret that Mr.. Willis was absent III St.
Louis when we made our inspection OF
the prison. as. had he been present We
-,E,L, ,,,,-a Alt,T,aj soma yniDu,igs OF
description which we were unable to get.
OF PRISON.
The prison IS situated about a mile
cas-; OF the capitol. and viewed from
there presents. with its tall smoke stack
and numerous substantial looking build
inIs. the appearance OF an immense
factory, AMI such indeed it is, as our rca-
DIS Wi, see IS this article progresses.
The grounds are enclosed by an i'm
mems stone wall. high enough 10 deter
any one from even attempting to scale
it, and ri Intervals upon this
wall are guard houses. IN which
are stationed sen,inels. who. night and
day. keep au eye upon every foot OF the
wa!!s-s;rung. rejecting lamps being
pr yiLe,I =. light them II night.
COMPARATIVE NUMBER OF PRISONERS.
Before proceeding TO = description OF
the interior Of the prison it may be in
teresllng to on. readers to give them 8
list i the number OF prisoners which
have occupied it during various years
Tor which We We're able 10 obtain data.
In 1856 there We're !. prisoners IN the
penientisry in 1887. So IN 1888. S.
in 1859. 10 IN 1910. II; IN lstl, lvi
in 49,. l29; in le43, l54; in 1874, ls4
in lS45. los: in 1916. 40; in is4I, l29
i'll ioio. 1870: in 1919. 1879: in 1850. 1913;
in ISL. 23l in 1872. 255; in 1888. 229;
in lo54. 30; in 1853. pa in 1856. 259
in Ie5-. @oS: i'll 1860. 52+ in 1862. 4i3
i'll I,u:. 5-4. and IN 1866. 597. We did
Uot have time Ia ascertain the number
OF prisoners from 1866 to 1877, as it was
not accessible in tabulated form, but the
increase III a~pprehensions for crime in
the state may be dcduced from the fig
urr- given. when we state that the nuul-
b.r ot prisoners on February 27th, 1873.
had run up to 1901.
NUMBER AT MoSTsERKAT.
During the month of February, 26l
OF :h9 men we're worked in the Mont
serrat Goa, mines. The monthly report
shows that these men performed 5,0S3
days labor: al average OF about Il
being returned as sick and an average
Of about y being returned as working
tor the state.
We viii here briefly state that the
conyicts are hired. inside and outside Of!
the peuitentiary, OF a basis of 40 cents
per day inside OF the walls; tor those
working outside a sun sufficient being
added to cover the extra expense OF
guarding them. Beside those working
on the inside, most of whom we will To-
cate IL their work, a number OF men are
employed On the new supreme court
building and at other tasks. The time
Keepers books show that fer the month
OF February Is 1854 days were worked
Tor profit; 9l39i days were worked for
the state, and s ,245 days were returned
rs Ij.e, sick and Sundays.
CONDITION OF THE PRISON.
We visited the penitentiary several
times in 1861. and on various occasions
during the last ten years, and in simple
justice, we must say that it appears to be
better kept now than it has ever been in
the past. Everything seems to be clean
CT and in better order, and the discip-
line is more thorough, while the men
seem to be well satisfied. We took
pans, in the hospital and in the male
and female prisons. to separate our
selves from our guide and question long
time prisoners as TO their tare and treat
meut, and the in~variable answer was.
that they We're better than they had ever
been before. SO far as we could observe
everything worked smoothly and without
friction; and the whole prison present
Ell The appearance OF anlSe OF !uuusttS .
The HOSPITAL.
pne OF The first places which we VS.
tied was the hospital. This isa magnif-
cent structure, and probably the finest
and best appointed prison hospital in
the country. 1t consists in part of the
Old waracn's mansion. q large stone
building. IN which are situated the dis
pcnsarv. the room for the reception and
examination of patients. and other hos
p.ta! oouvenlences, and the principal
hu-pitaI building. which is 4 large three
story BRICK, with a dry and we!l-ventil-
atrd basement. containing 40 cells, s
by Is feet. and : cells l6 feet auare. In
these cells - patients can be accommo-
dated. each having . bed TO himself.
Or. Willis Il. Winston, the physician in
charge. afforded us every facility for
looking through the hospital thoroughly
The patient. seemed satisfied with their
treatment; their rooms were clean and