The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-10-26
PENITENTIARY PEOPLE.
REPORT OFTTiE BOARDoF DIRECTORS
on THE SALE OF PLACES.
Prospects and Condition or the InstitutIoE-
Number ofInmutes-New Female
Ward. &c., &C.

mendation. Among the positions thus par
celled out were those OF guards at the PEN
itentiary, and the result thereof L. shown
In the following report OF the Board OF
Directors-appoiutees Of Governor Came
ron-to the Governor:
RICHMOND, VA, June p, 1882.
His Exceliency WilIiam z. Cameron, Gov
efnOr:
Sir,-Thc Board Of Directors OF the State
penltentiary, ct your request, promptly in
vestigated the charges OF the General Agent
against certain parties employed at that in
stitution. and report rs follows:
That John l.. Powers testified that he
holds the position Of duly-appointed
guard (Mr. o. =. Flagg), having bought
the same with the consent Of the Superin-
tendent.
That william p. Seay testified he bought
out the position OF duly-appointed guard
with the consent OF the Superintendent.
That J. r. Tudor testified he bought out
duly-appointed guard, (he did not re-
member his name, but was from Hon. Ii.
Anderson's county,) and was guard under
his appointment; has paid some money to
Captain Williams, Superintendent, to remit
to the seller; all with Captain Williams's
consent.
That r. s. Birmingham testified he Ii n
duly-appointed guard, but paid Hon. j. N.
Watkins 4 consideration for this appoint
ment.
CONDITION OF THE INSTITUTION.
The following is the regular annual re-
port for the year named, and is now first
published in newspaper:
RICHMOND, VA, December /, 1882.
To His E1ceIlency ". Z. Cameron, Gov
ernor Of Virginia:
slr,-Tbe directors OF the Virginia peni.
Tertiary most respectfully herewith present
the annual reports Of the Superintendent,
| General Agent, and Surgeon, with all ne
cessary accompanying tabular statements.
for the fiscal year ending September 30,
| 1882.
The report OF the Superintendent. is en-
couraging as to the independence OF the
Institution upon other resources than its
own. 1t displays profit OF over $1,000
after the Board making an abatement OF
over $4,000 from the inventory Of Our pre-
decessors for the year ending September
80, 1881.
We must here declare that our predcces-
sors struck the keynote in their several
annual reports advocating the "contract "
system" No other system, in our opinion,
will prove remuneratiye to the State.
As regards the report Of the General
Agent no comment Is considered neces-
sary.
The report OF the Surgeon is complete.
and therefore demands no notice at our
bands further than 1t is entirely satisfac-
tory.
We again call your attention to the large
number Of convicts employed by railroads
within the State, and at considerable cost
10 the State, which is the result OF IN act
OF the Legislature passed some years ago,
when the State was manufacturing on her
own account and did not have sufficient
accommodation for the then large number
Of convicts within the walls OF the prison.
Such is not the case now. nor has it been
for the past year. The demand for convict
labor outside Of the prison at remunerative
figures to the State is at present ahead Of
the capacity Of the institution to supply.
The BoSrd has labored faithfully under
many disadvantages, rs no prccedents gov
erning the institution met their fun ap-
proyal.
The present system OF management Is
20 necessarily different flom that required
in former years, since the State no longer
manufactures Oh her own account, new
legislation is absolutely needed.
You will notice in our balance-shect a
gooGly number OF claims against debtors
to the institution Of long standing, all OF
which have been put in the hands OF the
Acknowledgement for collection.
The Board has caused to be made con-
siderable Improvement in the sanitary con-
dltion OF the institution-vIZ., thorough
ventilation OF the hospital, removing the
old sewerage pipes, which were defective
and without traps, and substituting there
for buckets, as is now the custom in every
well-regulated prison; also better drink
ing-water by sinking large cooler in the
well Of the prison, which is supplied by
city water. Are also manufacturing our
own gas for lighting the entire institution
at considerable less cost than when sup
piled by the city; also different and more
economical system Of heating and cooking.
Have added for further protection against
fire nine additional fire-plugs in the several
shops, with five hundred feet OF hose, all Of
which have been at no little expense and
trouble, and so far have proven to be long
needed improvements for the health, safe
ty, and comfort Of the prisoners.
Shortly after qualifying the Boards at
tenton was called to the fact that the Gen.
eral Agent was being allowed commits
sion OF y per cent. on all hires OF cOnvicts.
which, after thorough investigation, the
Board concluded was contrary to the in
tents Of the acts OF Assembly regulating
that officers commission, and refused to
allow any commission whatever on hires. |
TThe Acknowledgement conceded in this |
conclusion. and his letter is given.l
We in special report called your atten- |
ton to the defective system OF guarding
the prison, and again beg leave to repeat
our communication here, adding that there
has been no abatement in our opinion, but |
TO the contrary are more firmly convinced |
OF the necessity Of adopting the military or
police system OF guarding the prison
which communication was as follows:
RICHMOND, July 81, 1881.
His Ercellency ". T.. Cameron. Governor:
Sir,-The Board OF Directors Of the Viz
cinia penitentiary ask your consideration
OF the following SPECIAL report:
Previous TO our meeting on June Nth
utim0, the Board made n general inspec-
ton Of the institution in company with the
First Assistant Superintendent. The result
OF this inspection was to order the superin-
tendent to discharge four OF the extra
guards, and stated to him at what post, in
our opinion, they could be best spared,
and that the discharge was to take effect
July lst instant; also, demanded that the
guards now performing only six hours
duty IN twenty-.our hours be required to
perform nine hours in twenty-four hours.
which, in the opinion OF the Board, Is not
an onerous task, and would increase the
number OF guards actually on duty without
any extra cost to the State.
On motion OF member OF the Board, we