Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1881-01-28
The House Of Correction and state
RriaOn.


Letter to the Boston Journal
Gov. Farnham and the several boards of
trustees of our reformatory and criminal in
situations have just made their first official
visit and examination since their election and
appointment
THE HOUSE OF CORRECTION.
The house Of correction has been in use a
little more than two years, during which time
$50 commitments have been made There
are at present in the institution 90 inmates
including Mrs. Meaker, the Duxbury child
poisoner, who is there for safe keeping, await
ing hearing Of her case before the supreme
court, next August on exceptions. The house
of correction has cost the state and county of
Rutland, to date over 1874, 600, including &c.
600 appropriated for running expenses during
the past two years. The labor of the convicts
is contracted for by the marble dealers in fn-
ishing that material at 80 cents n day for each
man for five years. The annual current ex-
penses Of the institution are about $4,000, and
the income derived from convict labor will
approximate $4,000 The governor and direc-
tors have under consideration the enlarge
ment of the workshop whereby the labor of
the whole number of inmates can be utilized,
and thus materially help to make the institu-
ton self-sustaining. The last legislature made
an appropriation Of $4,000 for the house of
correction, part Of which is available for
this purpose.
THE STATE PRISON.
The state prison, under the supervision of
Superintendent Rice, has visibly been i'm
proved in both its material condition and the
discipline of its inmates during the past two
years. The institution is now nearly self
supporting. For the past two years the ex-
penses have amounted to S2s, 93s. 80, while
the income from convict labor has reached
the sum Of S23, 800. 40, leaving a deficit Of
| S5,3479l. The labor of the prisoners is let
for Il number Of years to Boston firm for the
manufacture Of shoes. The whole number
Of convicts confined during the past two years
was 2j6, the largest number of inmates at any
one time being in August, 1878, when they
| numbered 1856. The present number Of pris-
oners is 1i2, there being II vacant cells. Dur
ing the past two years ia prisoners have
been discharged by expiration of sentence,
| by executive pardon, and for insanity.
An additional building has recently been
completed, comprising a workshop and chap
Ell. 1t is % feet long and 80 feet wide, with
| two stories and basement and is n substan-
| tal brick structure. Since 1873 there lave
been four executions within the prison yard.
| There are at present three condemned muir
| derers in the prison-Hayden, Carr and Al
mon Meaker. Hayden, the Derby Line wife
murderer, was sentenced to be executed Jan.
| I, 1881, but was reprieved in December by
Gov. Farnham until the last Friday of Feb
ruary next. The purpose of this respite was
to allow Hayden's counsel time TO bring his
case before judge Of the supreme court for
hearing on alleged newly discovered evidence,
under the law passed in 1873. Hayden has
been in solitary confinement for the past
three months and is apparently confident Of
escaping the gallows. Carr, who murdered
the half-breed McCurmoddock, and Almon
Meaker, the convicted poisoner of little Alice
Meaker, will doubtless swing in due course Of
time. A new workshop, in place of the old
south shop, is contemplated among the future
| improvements.