The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1884-07-31
A STATE PRISON.
Preparations for tho Transfer o tho N as
sachusetts Prison co Charlestown.

sachuaetts PRISON
Tho transfer of the state prison TO Charles
are brought into comparison The Concord
abode Is palatial, TO say the least, ana Ion
room no 5, good air and light II cannot be sur
p,ss1 d. A visit made to the institution by
reporter found the officers almost Of ons accord
opposel 10 the change, tor several reasons,
principally because they will not find such ele,
CANT quarters for homes as have been provided
by the state at Concord for tho ward n and his
deputy and subordinates. Twelve houses are
now being erected by the state for the subordl.
nate officers, and are nearly finished, located
within a few hundred yards of the prison,
They are double houses, with separate en-
frances, containing eight or ten rooms each,
built in neat but inexpensive style, for which
the officers who will occupy them will pay 10
the state the nominal rent of $l5O year,
Ii was thought expedient TO have these
houses near the prison, in case me
services OF the officers should DO need
cd to quell sud en- outbreak in the
night time, most of tho subordinates
now residing n long distance away. From q
CONVEX sntion with Warden Usher 1t is pre-
sumed that he does not relish the idea oil
going to Charlestown although he is not in
formed OF the exact changes to be made as yet
lie is undoubtedly a success as warden, ana,
from all that can be learned, maintains mild
but excellent discipline lie believes in kind
ness, and thinks convict should be met as q
man, IN n straightforward, fair manner, and,
once convinced that his treatment is Just, hc IA
not very likely to rebel The warden says II
is surprising fact that, of the 700 or more
convicts who came up from Charlestown six OF
soven years ago, only ~ are now serving time
| This great change, said he, the public knows
| little about. Among the noted prisoners now
| at Concord who will come to Charlestown may
be mentioned Pomeroy, the child murderer
| Chace, the Full River d, ftul er; Langdon w
| Moore and Dunlap, the bank crackers; Fol
| lansbee the Boston police relief fund embcz
zler; Stearns Kendall Abbott; Tilden G
Abbott the Watertown bank dehulter; III,
Frye murderers, Dr. Corben, murdcrers and
other long sentenced men. There are now 56'
convicts at Concord, the bulk Of whom are il
for offences of lighter nature than those men
toned above. Pomeroy is inaccessib c to Wis
itors, Notwithstanding he is in great deman
as curiosity. Every visitor asks to see Pom
eroy, but the warden always refuses IL
occupies O cell as large rs Il fair-slze
chamber, which is light and airy, with carpe
or rug on the floor He is seldom allowed
leave his cell, and spends his time in the stud
of the languages, with which he makes ial
progress, aad Warden Usher says he sometime
takes Pomeroy out him for half an hours walk
but does not consider it safe for him to wor
among the other men. His mother and broth
er call to see him once a month, and he re
ceives weekly letters from them, Chace is |
the library, and, among other duties, addressc
ounvicts' letters. Follansbee IS in the hat shol
and Abbott, the Waterown bank deiaulter,
putting in his time in the harness shop. III
Concord prison is conside ed Il safe and tiSi
place, but, by hook or crook, dozen men hay
managed to escape As a healthy Prison, Coz
cord stands well, and the number now in Il
hospital is eight or ten. 1t has f'len as low
FIVE. There are three men in the hospital vii
consumption who have been there ever sint
Warden Usher's administration. "Ihere Is
! man." sa d the warden, pointing to conv'
, lying on a bed, 'who has the heart disease, al
may de any moment. The principal cause
sickness here is the state of mems minds, VIII
broodirg over their confinement, make then
selves i'll -