The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1884-09-18
THE srAvn pnNIrssrI my.


The Ohio Legislature on the 2tth OF
last March. passed law fe'0rganl2lnR
tho Ohlp PBlltentlaTy, fhr Tue purpose OF
lnaugnraling aud carrying into irect
reforms In the inatilntion, which have
been greatly needed, aud were demand
cd by tha people ThereupOn OhlO's din
tingulHhed aud paiua'takng Goyrrnor,
Hon. George HOa Hey, selected the fol
lowing gentlemen from different sec
tlOns OF The State Hnd Of diiierenI pol
iLical views, a. a Board OF Managers:
Hon. ID. Q. Goldman. OF X VIENNA, for one
yeAr; Hon. George y. Peters, OF Colum'
hus, TWO years; Hon. W. l. RonlnsOl, ol
Cincinnati. three years; Hon ID. u. Fee,
of New Richmond, four years, hnd Hon.
n. H. Rempal, OF Logan, i've years
Mpasrs, Goodman. Fee and Peters being
democrats, and MaTa. Rempl and Rob
insOn Republicans. The Board II Man
ayers held their first mertlng April An,
1874, and organized by elecIlng Hon, D.
| U. Goldman, President, and UnanllnOuH
Nv elecllng Hon. Isaac q. Prelrpy Of
LOnoOn, Madison county, Warden,
But Few II any lmroyemrnls having
been male IN lne Penilenllnry during
the past few years. HE buildings anu
grounds we're very murh Ont OF frphlf
aud N condition neither attractive uf
agreeable TO Ystrs. When Warden
Peblrey entered upon the duties Of his
nrduOns and responsible oilire, he was
not long In sect & that the WORK In Gar
rying cut the new law, inangnrate the
reforms contemplated by tue Leglsla
| tuTe aud demanded by the peuplr, aud
make tho many improvements needed IN
aud about the Institution, was no
"chlld's play" The managers being
practical men, "lOOk In the situation"
aud were not long IN seeing what the
Warden and the officers and guards un-
der him would have 10 do " make the
ONO PenilenliaIy the institution the
people demanded IL should be. They
knew Mr., Prelrey's excellent business
qualifications and indOmltabls energy,
aud former experience IN helping TO
manage the institution, a. one IT the
| Directors aud President OF The Board,
aud believed IN selecting him az Warden
OF the ONO Pententlary, they would
Iind tho right man Tor The place. Time
has thus fur proved the wisdom OF the
selection.
0a tbs 10Th OF April Warden Poelrey
entered up0n the responsible position 10
which no hal been elected, The months
OF May, June and July OF his admins
trati0n have passed, aud what has been
done by hts direction In that time may
~ briefly stated. thus: The front yard
Deantltipd, Tlmjdpllsd aud greatly i'm
proved; the tall unsighlly fence 10
moved and handsome new one erected
IA ils place; all the cells thoroughly
cleansed and repaired; new stone irOul
Offices erected for IN secretary ana
clerk; the prison yard heaulilled aud or
namented; large threeGt0ry brick
building erected; all Of tho buildings
repaired, night school established,
where over four hundred prisoner
spend their evenings In learning ~
"read, write aud cipher" uuder Prof j,
| G. Lalltrty, q capable instructor, em.
| plOyed for that purpose, who IL assisted
| ny eight competent prisoners, who are
well qualified for the work; the odiOu6
"l0ck'step" abolished and the military
step substituted In Its place; n large
room furnished for regular Catholic
services; large addition OF the latest
and best publications. by the most emil
nent authors. added TO the Ill.
brary. while large number OF mutilat
cd aud worn out books which had been
kept there for years TO count, retired;
tho rules adopted by the Board OF Mau.
ayers and approved by the Governor for
the government OF prisoners and the
duties OF guards, printed and placed In
egch cell; the "stripes" done away with,
aud respectable suit Of mixed gray
worn by each prisoner as fasC as The
goods eau bo made; clean clothing and
clean sheets furnished each prisoner
every week; substantial, Wholesome aud
,n abundance OF food furnished each
prisoner at oyery meal; the prisoners
classified In three grades--all TO wear
the gray Tor six months, and good con-
duct during that time entities them 10 n
suit Of blne-bad conduct IN that time
c0mpels them 10 put on the "atrlpes;"
ana many other reforms ana improve
ments, all Of which are readily noticed
ny former visitors 10 the institution.
Notwithstanding tho many ex,
pensiyO improvements and reforms
made during the three months Of the
present management Of the Ohio Prni-
,enunry, and the large and additional
expense they have incurred. the receipts
rom the earnings Of the iDetitul ion
aver II expenses during That time II
over $1,000, something winch has not
hnpppned before during these months
tOr several years, In all OF the efforts
made TO bring about reformation and
Improvement In the Ohio Ponitentiary,
Warden P0etrey has been ably aud faith
FULLY assisted aud encouraged, not only
by tho Board Of Managers, hut also 10y
AL the officers aud guards employed In
the Institution.
Visitors notice the changes made Tor
The better during these months. That
the prisoners feel and appreciate iheee
changes In Hb0lishing the "l0ck step"
dlscarding the 'utrlpoa," receiving
better and plentiful supply OF
good aud wholesome food. clean
coils aud clean beds 10 sleep In, Ia shown
by there being leas punishment aud the
indueirles Increased, their cheerful
cOuntenances whom going to their meals
and lodging, aud their praise OF the
happy change they have experienced,
when They write 10 the "lovod ones at
home"
The nrs. question asked by vi9ilors,
after getting Inside the walls, " "whCfe
IN BorneI" the noted prisoner who was
sent up from Hamilton county for man.
alaughtor for twenty years, while hts
confederate IN the same cdms hns beea
sentenced to DO hung; and whose zen.
tence caused the never-tO be.forgotteD
"Cinclnuati riots" laat spring They are
Informed that Berner can be oeen during
working hours IN the hollow ware fOun.
dry, where they can 500 boy only II
years OF ago, mud one OF tho lust peraons
who would DO suspected OF committing
. tHa AAssllla al l..A -. A..