Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1881-01-07

| and fidelity Of the warden, and express their
conviction that he is undcrpad for his yalu-
able services. twill be seen by reference to
the report that q deficiency of $1S,47S.9O was
created for repairing yard walls and for the
| enlargement of prison grounds.
| The report of the commissioners appointed
by the legislature OF 1878 to settle all matters
of difference of the State with Seymour Sabin
s. Co., provides that the State shall purchase
of that firm, ON or before March l, 1880, the
engines, boilers, pumps, and attachments
| thereto, and in use in the prison shops, and on
or before April 1, 1851, all the fixed and mOv-
able machinery, including betting and shafting,
! etc, belonging to them, and in use in said
prison shops and yards at an appraisal to be
fixed by commission to be appointed by the
State and Seymour, Sabn IL Co.
| In accordance with the provisions of the re-
port, commission consisting of o. A. Pray
on the part of the State, J. w. johnson on the
part OF Seymour, Sabin IL Co., and c. r. Bush
nell, all manufacturers of machinery and of
wide business experience, were ap-
pointed to make the appraisal. The
commission, after thorough eXami-
nation of the machinery, reported that
| they had fixed the value of the same at $19,-
9O650. OF this amount there has been paid
during the year the sum of ST., 19O from the
earnings of convict labor. The appraisal of
the remaining machinery belonging to the said
firm will be made on or before April /. 1881,
after which the State will own all the fixed
and movable machinery pertaining to the pris-
on for manufacturing purposes.
| The contract with Messrs. Seymour, Sabin
| & Co., for convict labor, will expire on April
| /, 1881 The inspectors have advertised for
| proposals for convict labor for Il tarm of ten
| Years from that date. 1t will be seen that in
addition to the regular current expenses for
| the next two years and the deficiencies for wall
| and ward room before stated, an extra apprO-
oriation is desired to provide 100 additional
| cells, besides those for female convicts, and
| also for yard wall, and an enlargement of
| chapel and hospital accommodation and other
| improvements, amounting in all to $4,000.
| The inspectors express their confidence that
| with this appropriation and such other sums
rs will be sufficient to furnish cell room for 500
| convicts, the utmost prison capacity in the
| present locality will have been reached, and
| that the prison will then be made nearly or
quite disappearing, needing no further en-
penditures for enlargement OF grounds, shops
| or cell accommodations.
| have heretofore expressed my conviction
| that action should be taken without delay
looking to the erection of another prison; and
| now, after personal examination of existing
| prison accommodations and their surround
| inrs | am satisfied that it would be wise for
| the State to secure new site embracing sui
tcicnt land for gardening and pasturing and
| other purposes, and to commence the erection
| of Il new prison. In view of the near termi-
nation of the contract with Seymour, Sabin IL
! Co., it would be we'll to consider the eXpedi-
ency of using convict labor in the erection OF
a new prison. and that to that end it is requi-
site that new site be selected i'll readiness for
| the work, before new contract shall other
wise dispose of the labor of cOnvlcts. Sever
al States have erected new prisons chiefly by
means of this labor, ut greatly reduced
aud
reason for prompt action in this
matter is the opportunity that will be afforded
for better classification of prison inmates, so
as more etiectuayto avoid the greviOus wrong
of assocating youthful culpfits explating their
first otiense with lifelong and hardened crlInl-
mails.
AS pertaining to this general subject renew
ny former recommendation regarding tne us
| crctonary punishment Of capital crime. While
| convictions are without doubt readily secured
in he absence of an inevitable death penalty,
since the dread of thai result detcrs the. prompt
action of jlries, am persuaded that Inc ulti-
mate ends of justice are more easily defeated by
| mere Imprisonment, in view OF the chances
| which cling to life, and the growing influences
! By which criminals practically escape over that
expectation. There has certainly been OF late
startling increase of crimes of high grade, no
less than ten deliberate murders have been COM
United in this State within as many months.
Unless increased lenicncy is balanced by in
| creased certainty OF ample punishment The
result is clearly dcleterious to all the ends
aimed at by protective law. | am here
impelled to express my severe condemnation
Of practice which is becoming serious evil
in connection with the State prison. l alude
to the well meant but harmful conversation
| addressed to cOnvicts by attorneys, legislators
| and other influential visitors, who encOuragethe
| prisoners to expect q shortening of their SEN
fences. So far as such expectations are based
solely upon good conduct, as provided by law,
| the effect is, of course, wholesome; but from
much of this intercourse the prisoners are fed
with the disturbing hope that, without refer
ence TO their own behavior, powerful friends
outside will exert themselves to secure their
speedy release. By this means their habits are
unsettled, and they become impatient of proper
discipline and incapable of salutary reflection,
the whole tendency leading to unmiXed evil.
With the hope of checking in some measure
the hasty and thoughtless action of persons
who Unfortunately invoke the pardon of
criminals, take this means for giving notice
that from this date the names of all persons
signing petitions or recommendations for par
dons will be duly published, in order to afford
an opportunity for those offended against, and
others adverse to the pardon sought, to be
heard by recommendation or otherwise before
action shall be taken in the matter.
The recent destruction by fire of the north
wing of the st. Peter asylum for the insane,
with the attending loss of life, adds to the
many and urgent considerations involved in
the proper care of this class of the unfOrtu-
nate people committed to the public charge.
By the transfer of some of the patients to the