Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-12-28

and larceny. 2; felonious assault. |: for,.,v
2; Incest - lasosay, 70, lasssa1a fee1r -.
soRs =; lascepy. forgery and ntserin.. i.
N ssdsrs a; nurdef. second dee. g n.s.
siansnters Is. lpassinGs coantefeis nonsv. 3
PIRACY, 2; polygamy, Q; rape. 4; receivina
s.oien goods, 4; robbery. q; utterinR forred
order, l. Total. ITO. -
Inc average sentence Of couvicts 10 4 yeara.
mouths and days. Thirty-four are eery.
ing ten years sentence and thirty-two are
40 Ior life. One 10 to be hanged. The aver.
.ee age OF those sentenced 10 80 years. 4
months. The Oldest when santenced vas "a
The number OF convicts frem each county
is ~ follows:
Androscoggin IA; Aroostook IA; Cumber-
land TO; Franklin /; Hancock s; Keuuebec
10; Knox 3; Lincoln 4; Oxford s; Penob-
scot IL; Piscataquis 8; Sagadahoc g; Som
erset Z; Waldo 8; Washington 8; York Is +;
United States court 5.
The nativity of the convicts il a. follova
Maine los; New Hampshire 6; Vermont
z; Massachusetts IL. Connecticut /; Rhode
lsiand 2; Indiana Louisiana 2; Illinois D;
California Maryland /; Michigan 2; New
YORK 2; Pennsylvania 2; Nova Scotia s !:
New Brunswick 8; Canada s; Denmark l !;
England 8; Ireland 5; France 2; Finland
l; Germany 2; Scotland l. ..-..,--.--.-..
DR.. Levensaler, physician and surgeon to
the prison, IN his report says that the gener-
al health OF the Institution has improved
within the past few years by the more rigid
enforcement of sanitary rules and the con-
nection of evils arising from defective sew
erage; but the latter is not wholly corrected,
70 m ina
the prison quarry. Every precsution has
been taken to observe cleanliness in all the
departments of the prison and strict rules
OF hygiene enforced The doctor renews his
recommendation 10 former reports, that there
should be large supply of pure water fur
nlsned. There have been two deaths the past
year. One insane convict was sent to the
Insane Hospital at Augusta during the year.
In the Chaplain's report we find that re-
liRious services have been continued as usual
every Sunday morning throughout the wear
by the pastors Of the churches in Thomas
ton. Christian women, also, from the
several churches, have visited the prison
every Sunday morning and conducted a
service with the female prisoners.
The teachers report shows that the average
number have been given instruction in all
the primary branches of education. Only
those who are engaged in this work have an
idea of the ignorance to be found among the
criminal classes. More than one half Of the
convicts who entered upon a course Of study
the past year we're instructed in the alphabet,
reading, writing, arithmetic, grammar and
geography. sea captain who learned his
b. C.'s 10 now able to write letters to his
wife and children. The ladies of the W. C.
1. U. still make their weekly visits to the
female prisoners. The library is not so
large but what new books are needed.
JAIL REPORT.
The Jail Inspectors in their report state
that the jails of the several counties hav.
been improved in their condition during the
past year, with one or two exceptions. In
some of the jails the care and discipline Of the
prisoners has been easy and loose Escapes
have been quite frequent from lack of care.
Prisoners have not been allowed to herd to-
gether on the corridors a. much as formerly.
Even and just treatment has not been melted
out to prisoners in all cases. 1t does not fol
low that because prisoners have money and
friends that they should be provided with
luxurious apartments and furnishings. Not
long since female prisoner in one of the
large jails enjoyed a double cell with carpets
and portterss, extra furniture and the CON-
panionship of two poodle dogs. As hereto
tore the counties without jails seem to have
less crime than those counties with jails.
This, say the Inspectors, seems a strange
state of affairs.
The number of prisoners in the jails Nov
80, 1886 was Is follows: Androscoggin, "A
Aroostook, 5; Cumberland. 1909; Franklin,
none; Hancock, 3; Kennebec. SO; Lincoln,
81; Oxford, none; Penobscot, SO; Somerset,
none; Waldo, none Washington, IL; York,
IA. Knox, Piscataquis and Sagadahoc coun-
ties have no jails. Piscataquis has had 10
prisoners in PenobscOt county Jail Knox, 80
in Lincoln county, in Cumberland and in
Kennebec; Ssgadohoc, l in Kennebec jail
and 90 in Lincoln. Total number Of prison.
ers for the year, 1851 females, 100: escaped,
10; poor debtors, 1871; tramps, I'll; drunk
eness, l74S: selling liquor, 2l6; sentenced
for period between one and two wears, g.
Kennebec has jailed A for liquor selling
The next and the highest is Cumberland, 80 :;
next lowest, Aroostook, 10.
The Aroostook county Jail will soon need
an addition, or q new Jail.
A great deal of friction was developed. re-
lsting principally to the workshop and its
management, in the Cumberland county Jail,
between the sheriff and county commissioners.
The trouble was settled by the inspectors.
The Franklin county Jail was burned Oct
ODD new Jail is contemplated.
The new Hancock county Jail was COM
pleted for occupancy Jan. 18th, 1886, and is
regarded as a model Of its kind
The inspectors in speaking of the
Kennebec county Jail say that "the
officers in charge open the doors to all prison
ers that are brought, and it is filed to over
flowing At our last visit we found 1870
prisoners, all idle. an interesting collection
of human beings There seems to be an I'M
natural cause which produces this, and whils
we do not feel justified in debating to the
officers of this county who have this matter
in charge what they shall do. we do feel to
say to them that something must be done, or
An addition to the jail will soon be required to
make room for this floating human pestilencs
which seems to settle annually upon Kenue-
bee county for maintenance. We believe
they should work and be subjected to rigid
discipline during their sentence, and instead
of obtaining board during the winter at the
expense of the county. it should be made a
stern reality of discipline at labor. This we
recommend rs a remedy to reduce the all
population to = reasonable number"
A place of detention at Rockland has been
established in connection with the Knox
county Jail, under the court house. 1t 10
claimed to be legal Jail. and prisoners are
sentenced thereto for short sentences.
In speaking of the Penobscot county Jail
the Inspectors say that it has been charged
that the prisoners have had more liberty out
side of the Jail than the law would justify
Whether true or not, the Inspectors advise
that all prisoners be held according to law