Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1884-12-24
BlENNlL REPORT
Of the Board Of Directors Of tho
West Virginia Penitsutiary.


The subjoined report presents some In
teresting features The fact that the Peni.
tentiary is nearly selfsupporting is matter
for consratulation. The apparent content
among the prisoners; their good health and
satisfactory contracts are all OF interest to
the taxpayer. But there is one revelation in
the report to which the REcIsrEs invites
especial attention. The startling statement
is made that fftyseven, or more than 70
per cent Of the prisoners received in tho
two years, were under twenty-ons
years Of age. OF these four
were fourteen yssE 6id; *
we're ffteen years old; six were sixteen
years old and Eve were seventeen years
old. No language is strong enough TO de-
nounce this outrage on humanity, Tho
idea Of sending boys Of fourteen and fifteen
to the penitentiary, to be herded with hard
ened criminals, to have their whole lives
blasted and disgraced, to be given every
opportunity to become criminals in
stead OF honest men is burning
disgrace, an enduring shame and
an outrage on every humane instinct
Think of fourteen.yearold boys wearing
the prison stripes West Virginia deserves
the contempt OF her sister States il she does
not at once reciiiy this evil. No doubt the
prison officials use every endeayor to shield
these boys, but they cannot take of the dis
graceful stripes that burn their black marks
Of endless shame into the very being Of their
wearer. For humani,y's sake the REGISTER
appeals for change. Blu, how' Ohio
county needs reformatory. Let 1t bc
built speedily, and commodiously. In It
the State would be glad to place
its minor prisoners, and pay for their keep.
ing. From such an institution boys gone
wrong may come forth to face life anew in
manly winning struggle for honor. Are
our pulpits dumb that they do not cry out
against this outrage; have we no organized
charities to declare against it; have we no
philan,hropists TO force public sentiment to
act The REGISTER asks mercy tor these
boys-these children. II is not mercy TO
turn them loose in society. Ills just and
beneficial tha, they be given reforma,ory
instead Of penal influences.
| Tho Report.
| The State printer has completed his
| work on the biennial report OF the directors
Of the West Virginia penitentiary. Their
report is brief and 10 the point The pam
phlet also contains the reports Of the super
irtendent physician, clerk and commissary.
The directors with pardonable pride an
nounce that for the las, fiscal year. the ord
mary expenses exceeded the earnings only
| Sl65s6. while the total expenses, exceeded
the earnings by but $l,3i926. Certainly
this is a most gratifying condition Of ahairs
| The cause for this is found in the increased
price received for contract labor.
| Contracts.
February q the board contracted with
the Webster Wagon Compsny for the labor
of 100 able bodied convicts Tor term Of
five years from June ~. 1889. at G5 cents
per day. This price included the use Of
stt am power to run the machinery.
The following statement shows tho con.
,rncts now in force, the number Of men EN-.
ployed, the date Of contract term, date when
they will expire and the price per day