The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1884-03-01

| A"c ionoWlng v the report OF the JOINT
committee appointed to examine into the
conduct and general management OF the
penitentlary
10 me General assembly Of Vir9inid:
The undersigned. members Of the joint
committee appointed to examine into the
conduct and general management OF the
penitentiary, would respectfully submit
the following:
The general management OF the insti-
tuition, so far as relates TO the official con-
duct OF both the Superintendent and Gene
raj Agent and Storekeeper, so far as de-
yeioped before the committee, has been
highly commendable; and, with the ex-
ception OF certain conduct at the peniten-
tiary on the 25th day OF December, 1889,
on the part Of some OF the officers, which
will be more fully set forth hereinafter,
your committee takes pleasure in saying
every effort seems to have been made
TO make the institution self-sustaining.
The annual reports OF the Superinten-
dent aud the General Agent and Store
keeper. aud the tables accompanying them,
were so far apart, as to the gross receipts
and expenditures of the institution, your
committee found it impossible TO harmo-
nize them Tor two reasons:
l. The periods embraced in each were
different.
.. There was dispute as 10 items
charged. ~
Your committee. in order to arrive at
what they believed to be desired by the
General Assembly--to wit, to ascertain
what amount had been received from all
sources, and what amount had been paid
out-concluded to discard the tables fur
nisbed by said officers, and to take the
books OF the institution, together with
such information as was furnished by the
Auditors and Treasurers reports, from
which it will appear that the entire earn
ings were, for the year 1883. S18,110.S2,
and the expenditures were S94,4S0. Al
showing q deficit for the year 1888 OF
$i6,360.59.
The following is complete summary for
1852 and 1888.
ut is lengthy and is omitted.l
From the above exhibit it is clear that
the institution Is not self-sustaining, and
one of the important questions to be con-
sidered is how to make it sef-suStaining.
Two propositions have been submitted
first, to lease the penitentiarv, together
with the conyicts, to be worked in the in
stitutIon. There is no question that this
mode will yield larger amount to the
State In money, and not only make 1t SELF
sustaining, but will yield considerable
profit. To do this II will require an ap-
preparation Of 100000 for the erection OF
additional buildings, &c. As the accom-
modations are not sufficient for the con-
victs. and should the cOnvicts now at work
on works OF internal improvements he re-
turned, you would not be able TO accom-
modate them in the peniennary.
The penitPntiary was intended for the
accommodation OF three hundred convicts,
since which time female department has
been erected. with capacity OF one hun
dred and fifty $50. making the entire ca
pacity four hundred and fifty (450), whereas
there are now nearly one thousand con-
victs. We call special attention TO this
fact, with view of having the institution
enlarged.
The second mode suggested is TO hire the
convicts to works OF internal improve
ments. This mode has never met the ap-
proyal OF the officers OF the institution or
the Board OF Directors OF the institution
for many reasons-the mortality is very
much larger and sickness so great that
such a number is excused from work, or
reported rs excused, that the State loses
heavily; besides, the contracts OF hiring
differ in almost every case. Should the
State adhere to the system OF hiring. there
should be some uniformity, and the price
received for the convicts should be
net. The medical attendance and medl-
cines should be paid for by the
contractor, but the State should retain the
right to employ the physician and purchase
the medicines. The tables furnished by
the Surgeon OF the Penitentiary, 10 be
found IN the annual report Of the Board OF
Directors for the year 1888, show the NOR
tality for the year Of conyicts in the prison
TO DE l S7-100, and on the railroads to be
S3-10O. Furthermore, the Surgeon says
that considerable portion OF those who
died within the prison walls died from
causes contracted while on the railroads,
for as soon as they are incapacitated from
disease, accident, or other causes they are
returned to the prison by the contractors.
The medical department seemed to be in
good condition.: the surgeon kind, hu-
name. and attentive, and the medicines adj
ministered, as shown from his books, right
and proper IN such cases. We found the
institution in good condition and cleanly.
the prisoners well dressed, and had the
appearance OF being well fed.
The conduct alluded to as occurring on
Christmas day, in which some OF the at
tacheS in the institution participated, was
Of such vulgar and indecent character,
and the evidence so gross and indecent,
with the assurance that the Board OF Di-
rectors would investigate and deal with
the subject as it deserved. your committee
concluded to make no report on that par
ticular subject, as they believe the Board
will act justly.
We desire to call attention to custom
which has prevailed at the institution for
a number of years to wit, 10 allow the
Superintendent to have from two to four
conyicts for use at his quarters. The COM
mittee are OF opinion that the salary paid
said officer contemplates all the compensa-
ton to which he is entitled. and would
recommend that new rules and regulations
be established for the government OF said
institution, in which rules the number OF
hours per day required for work by con-
yicts should be set out, and the task to be
performed should be specified in the vari'
Gus departments with view 10 health, &c.
ii. A. ATKINSON, Jr.,
Chairman,
CREED T. FLANARY,
w. W. MOFFETT,
WILLIAM KEEN,
w. w. BAKER.