Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1883-09-12
The Annual Visit to the State
Institutions.
For the CITIZEN.

mlSSlOleTS, dCcOul pdnleu ny SlcI vi
Courts, W. B. DoGds, County Treasur
er, j. II. Miller and his estimable lady,
left Butler on the $50 train on the
West Penn railroad, to pay the annual
visit to the States prison and other in
stitutions, wherein there are parties
confined from this county for punish
ment, correction and medical treat
ment. Arrived in Allegheny in due
time and sought our hotel, and alter
dinner visited the penitentiaries, both
old and new, the new being styled the
Riverside. 1t is built on the site or
ground of the old House of Refuge,
and when finished will be beyond doubt
the best building of the kind in the
State. We were shown all through
the new building and was told, if |
recollect right, that the part now finish
ed will accommodate seven hundred
persons. The prisoners from our coun-
ty all appear to be in good health with
one or two exceptions. Billie White,
as he is called, looks as if he fretted a
good deal but says he has pretty good
health. | see no change on any other
of our men there except John Lefever !;
! he is in good health but looks year
older than when we saw him before.
The warden and his subordinate officers
are very kind to him he is janitor Of
the room where they make brooms.
The provisions furnished the prison
ers were show to US and were of the
best quality. All admit they are
treated well but, at the same time, are
longing for the day to come when they
will be set at liberty. On Tuesday we
boarded the Leetsdale Accommodation
and visited Dixmont Hospital; arrived
there about 10 A. NJ. and introduced
ourselves as the representatives of But
Ter county. DR.. Reed being absent we
were taken in charge by one of the as
sistant surgeons and shown through
the entire building. All our party
were much pleased with the appearance
of the building and the clean and tidy
manner in which it is kept While we
were viewing the place all the persons
from our county who are therein con-
fined were brought together-the ladies
in one room and the men in the hall.
We have, | believe, twenty-one or
twenty-five patients in all. Their con-
dtion is very much the same as last
year. Mrs. Catharine Stang appeared
to be more noisy than before and car
ried on a loud conversation in Dutch
all the time we were in, not one word
of which we understood, although she
spoke loud and long. We also noticed
that Miss Crafty had failed or at least
looked more careworn and paler than
when we saw her last One or two
others have failed very much and L
don't think will survive many years.
There are several men from this
county that possibly would be as well
at home they are out at work there
and they could do the same at home.
Mr.. Douthett, of Adams township, we
think, could be released with safety /;
also man from Donegal township and
one from the borough of Butler ; these
are all anxious to get home. From
every ything we could see and learn we
believe the patients to be well treated
and well cared for, the investigation
committee to the contrary notwith-
standing.
On Wednesday we visited the Re-
form School at Morganza where we
have four scholars, viz: Pearl and
Lillian st. Clair, Mary Collins and
We were welcomed
by the warden, Mr.. Quay, and shown
over the entire building and its work
shops are surely a credit to the State
Pennsylvania Hundreds of small
boys from six years old upwards are
all busy at work in some useful occu-
patton Here as at the State prison
the provisions were shown and most
certainly was Of the best quality. They
raise all their own vegetables and have
some to SELL The scholars from oar
county all look well but Mary Collins,
and she is undoubtedly failing; her
friends, if she has any, ought to take her
home, as | am sure her health is giving
way although she is kindly cared for
where she is, and have heard it said
that she never ought to have been sent
there.
We were invited to dinner along
with some other visitors, by Mr.. Quay
and his lady, who is highly educated
and a great talker, and entertained US
with description of how the institu-
ton was run, Mrs. Quay addressing
herself more particularly to Mr. Dodds,
who, at first, squirmed and wiggled a
good deal under fire and appeared a
good deal like q fish out of water, to
the great amusement of his co mpanions,
but finally proved himself worthy of
| the occa sion and came off with flying
colors. | am as ever your fellow citi
zen. G.. w. III.
NJ -: !; ~ e. -