The New York herald., 1879-09-25

partys was there four OF them fighting and
was told that it came very near being general
flsht on all sides IL commences ao"'ss ,
the work you viii be able to get the particulars
before You heare from me a gain II not Will nave
them tor You IN my next 1 tell YOU Nothing har's
the agent and Bo Vie this striking for Better lcod
one ol the the shop sick and went tn
boyle to to his cell and Ought to have ltesru
the lecture his Hghness gave him tor Being one OF
the strikers But ii the thing should occur
again his Highncss will that the men wont he
put on with the promises my more for its settled
thing that the next time they go into the yard and
not into their cells before viii conclude tor the
present hoping TO hear from you soou remain a.
ever IN spite OF all neglect your true and faithful
PSI am in need of some tobace you can
send it If you like send you two papers every week
II you don't get it its your own fault for he cant
find you some times / send it Wednesday nights
and saturday nights and would like very much to
send myself along with it, which will in six weeks
time good night old stock do you ever think OF me
think Not. JACK.
THE CONTRACT SYSTEM.
The third and last letter is without date. and Ia
sort of essay the system in the prisons
of New York State. The incidents spoken Of are
said to have been actual occurrences There is it is
believed hut one error in the paper" and that Is
in the matter of the damage done by the two in
breaking machinery. The sum, instead Of amount
ing to thousands of dollars footed up but q few
hundreds. The paper is written by "Jock," who
afixes the signature Of Professor Useless.''
"Jock," who is to go out in four Ave weeks is an
unusually intelligent convict it is stated although
somewhat illiterate:-
The Publics attention has been called to the con.
tract system BY the abolishment of that evil in the
State OF Jersey the subject brought up in
the late legislature at Albany to try and mitigate
that evil by Allowing 90 many men to each con-
thought that it might be matter of interest to the
Reading Public to give them an insight in to the
way the system is carried in Auburn state prison
and how convlcts treated il they do not supply
the unjust demands of Rapacious Contractors.
When prisoner Reaches the prison he il trans
ferred to of the contract shops and Immediately
put to work his foreman will show him how to
proceed with it and give him all due instructions in
some cases there is men who will learn No kind OF
work matter what pains foreman may take to
show him while Others there is who are willing to
learn but not able to get along with the work
East as the foreman them the result is in q
good many cases that the foreman Represents the
convict to the keeper of the shop as man who
willing to learn any thing and has him punished the
convict comes back to his shop after being unjustly
punished with the determination of doing every
thing III his power to njure the foreman az tar as
work is concerned when II the foreman would only
had patience and gave the man time he might have
turned out first class workman in my Experience
while in auburn prison have great OF Both
cases and am satisfied that the reason for many
unruly convicts must be attributed for want OF pa
tence in a foreman To give convict time to Learn
what is wanted OF him but when convict tells y
foreman that his reply is il don't get the work out
of you the contractor will get some one else who
will. do not say all foremen are OF that way .
thinking but know their is great many of them
in auburn prison Now an act OF the legislature
passed in march 1874 says that If convict does
fair days work he will be allowed SO mulch commu-
taton time providing he Behaves himself while in
the prison. Now the question is what Is fair days
work the way contractor intreprets that question
is TINS to get out OF convict by fair means or tur-
ture land its often the atter what ha may think
is fair days work Especially when he has got an
ofncal who will inforce all OF his unjust demands
the official 1 alude Mr.. William H. Boyle
present principal keeper Of Auburn prison in July
of 1876 through the influence of the largest con-
tractor in Auburn prison Mr. Barbour for VINO
his appointment deputy warden he knows that
when he is Removed from that position he is sure
OF imploy nent from his patron and consequently
its his policy to do as the contractor wants him.
which ne does without the least scruples of con-
| science work is concerned. will relate
several cases in point which came before my imme
diate notice to show what means . contractor can
through the principal keeper to get what he may
| !, l--7a