The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1879-11-28
The peniaentIary.

l
NEW BUILDING CONTINUED GOOD RESULT
FROM TIE NEW CoDg-REcoMMEYDATro
THAT THE OFFICE OF GENERAL AGENT B
ABOLISHED.
| The following is the annual report OF th
Board OF Directors OF the penitentiary:
/ VIRGINIA PEH1TEST1ARY.
OFFICE BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
| RICHMOND, VA. November14, 1879.
To his E1celtency Governor 3. W. N. Hol
Hday:
Sir,-By order OF the Board Of Director
l have the honor herewith to transmit tbt
anuual,reports OF the penltentlarY, will
accompanying tables, for the fiscal veal
ending September 80, 1870.
1t is gratifying to observe that the heavy
loss resulting from the disastrous fire o
November, 1873. amounting to S33,G00.05
has been entirely repaired from the ordinary
resources OF the institution, not only with.
out any additional, but with diminished
appropriation from the State. Detailed re.
ports OF this loss were made to your Excel.
lency last winter, and legislative aid was
asked 10 the extent of former appropria.
tions (S20, ,000), but This was denied.
! By extraordinary effort on the part Of all
connected with the prison temporary shops
were lmproyised, new machinery was pur-
chased, and in comparatively brief period
everything was again in successful opera
| ton. Disappointed in receiving aid from
the Legislature, after full consultation
with the superintendent General Agent,
the work Of permanent restoration Of the
| buildings was determined on and COM
menced the following spring; and new
A NEW AND SPACIOUS BUILDING.
40x22l feet, and three stories high, has
been erected at an actual outlay in money
of about IS, 900. and the Institution begins
another year with improved machinery and
increased facilities.
Despite these drawbacks aud the general
depression in all branches OF industry. the
Daance against The prison is some $1,000
less than it was in 1S77-'7S, and indicates
an Improvement in its management. But
in order to estimate properly the true sig
nificance OF this result it should be remem-
bered that the shoe factory, which furnishes
largely more than one balf Of all the sales
made from the establishment, was lying
idle for a period OF three months.
The report Of the Superintendent further
shows the continued
GOOD EFFECT OF THE LATE REFORMATION IN
THE CRIMINAL CODE.
There were 50 less convicts ut the close OF
the year, and a daily average Of 81 less con-
fined in the prison, the an nual cost OF guard
ing, feeding, and clothing all of whom was
s62 Al, or IN average daily cost Of seven
teen cents Q2 i00), which, under all the cir
cumstances, cannot but be regarded US eX-
tremely moderate.
The title to the "Sprin@ Lot" (Which has
been turned over to the Board OF Public
Works is still involved in litigation, the
end OF which seems as remote as ever; and
all efforts to purchase burying-grouud for
the convicts have proved abortiye.
There has been no recapturc OF any Of
the convicts-forty.two in number-hereto-
fore reported as ESCAPED from corporations
10 which they had been hired under con-
tracts authorized by the Legislature, nor
has the institution been successful in en-
forcing any penalty, though proper steps
pave been taken in that direction. The re-
port OF the Superintendent shows an ill.,
crease in this class OF prisoners, and your
attention is respectfully called to the evil in
the hope that some means may be devised
to check its growth.
While the report of the surgeon shows
improvement in
THE HEALTH OF THE CoNvICTS,
both iI prison and in camp. still the NOR
tutity ir MUCH Srr TIIau IL IurtIIc--
years, and is nearly twice as great in camp
rs it is in prison. This, perhaps. cannot be
avoided, as neither the weekly reports Of
the physicians in charge, nor the personal
inspections that have been made both by
the surgeon and the Superintendent, indi-
cate any neglect OF treatment or want OF
proper and sufficient food and clothing.
The Board feels constrained to renew its
recommendation Of the abolition CT the gen.
eral agency, which is both costly and un-
necessary. All the duties Of the officer can
be efficiently discharged by competent
clerk under the direction OF the Superln-
tendent, at a cost less than one fourth the
compensation OF the agent. II, Eowerer,
the Legislature shall think otherwise, 1t is
again recommended that he should not be
allowed to receive commissions on sales
which are or can be made directly from the
penltentiary.
COMPLAINTS HAVING BEEN MADE
that the supplies FOR the institution are pur-
chased privately, it is recommended that,
as far as practicable, sealed proposals shall
be invited under the direction Of the Board,
as is done in other institutions Of public
character, so that all who may choose to bid
shall be placed as nearly as possible upon
an equal footing, and, the advantages Of
competition be more fully secured.
1t is due to Colonel William P. Munford
and his associates to acknowledge their SER
vices in lmparting religious instruction in
harmony with a resolution Of the Legisla-
ture at it's last session, and procuring the
means OF providing convenient chapel for
the prisoners. = ..-s- ....,.
The Board takes great pleasure in COM
mending the general management Of the
affairs OF the institution. .a.... ..-
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
JOHN g. CARY, President.
The following .- -..--- ..t. IS"
MISCELLANEOUS FACTS .r.
are from reports accompanying the report
OF the Board Maximum number Of pri-
soners during the year, 1,070; minimum
number of prisoners during the year, l.O13; !;
average number OF prisoners during the
wear, 1,O41; average age OF conylcts now IN
prison, tweuty-siX years, three months ana
one day average sentence Of convicts now
in prison, S years, 2 months and 10 days;
per cent. of decrease from September 30tb.
1878, TO September 30th, 1879, ST per cent. !;
number OF prisoners for first conviction,
921: number of prisoners for second con-
viction, 81; number Of prisoners for third
conviction, 8. Total, September 30th, 1870,
1,015.
The following prisoners are in
FOR LIFE. $685..
For Murder: Louisa Lawson, Silas. Mor-
ris, Isaac C. Howell, Silas Hagerman. bel
Williams, Robert Kemp. Woody Rufhn,
1J,~.ho Dosord Miles Ridlick. John Byrd,