Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-11-18
THE DISTRICT JAIL.


| THE HEALTH OF THE PRISONERS; NUMBER OF
| INMATES; NECESSARY REPAIRS; NEEDED
| LEGISLATION FOR CARE OF YOUNG CHILDREN.
| Gen. John ). CrOcker, warden OF the District
| jail, has submitted to the Attorney General his
annual report for the year ended October 81
1856 The report states that the management
OF the institution has been conducted upon
strictly humanitarian principles, with satisfac-
| tory results. Intelligence. firmness and n con-
| eiliatory spirit have been uniformly manifested
oy the officers in their treatment OF prisoners,
and, as rule, the inmates in return have
yielded a willing obedience and good discipline
mas prevailed with remarkable uniformity
\ during he year. At no time during the super
intendence of the present warden has there
been less to complain of in regard to the eff
c.ency of the officers and department of
prisoners than during the past year. No
prisoner has escaped and none mas offered any
| persistent resistance to the mandates of those
| IN authority. The inmates have been supplied
with abundance OF nutritious food and good
beds, and comfortable quarters have been fur.
finished them, and the wants of the sick have
| been promptly and carefully attended to. A
good condition OF health has prevailed, and no
death has occurred among the inmates, except
those who suffered under sentence OF the law.
The jail has been kept in good condition, thor
ouShly clean and well disinfected. The clothing
anu bedding have been frequently washed and
the prisoners have been comp, lied TO battle
from week TO week, contributing to the salts.
factory sanitary condition. The Jail physician
cines and has been unremitting in his attep-
ton to and care OF the sick.
Representatives from the y. NJ. c. \. of this
city, white and colored, and ladies connected
win the ". {. L. u. have held religious
vices reguiarly at the Jail. which have been at
tended with satisfactory results.
CONDITION OF THE BUILDING.
The building required some repairing and
considerable painting and glazing, which has
been attended to. The cutters around the caves
oil the building are In leaky condition, how
ever, allowing the water TO work its way be-
tween the outer walls of stone and the inner
walls OF brick, which II not remedied soon will
cause serious damage. The cost OF repairing
them will be about 5000, and an appropriation
should ue made Tor the purpose. After eleven
years of continued two OF the large steam
boilers settled away from their supports, caus-
ing collapse OF the steam pipes connected
with them. The necessary repairs were made,
and their entire cost, together with other re-
pairs, was 1910. The painting and glazing
THE PRISONERS.
The daily average number of prisoners wa
1S6 as compared with 1877 tor the previous
year. The total number imprisoned during the
year Was 1885. 456 were white males, 81
WhIte females, 1,222 cOlOred males and ISL
colored females. 1865 males and 20 females
We're i'll Jail at the beginning of the year, and
], o23 males and 1S3 females were committed
during the year. The President pardoned six
white mates and one cOiOred male, and the Dis
trlcL Commissioners purdUned two cOlored
males. 1wO white males and two colored males
We're transferred to the government insane hos
pitai. Two white males and one colored were
executed; l6 white males, 3S colOred males aud
Two colored females were transported to the
Albany penltentiary; II white and So colored
boys were sent To the reform school. 1.4U9
males and 1sS females We're discharged, ieav-
Ing at the close OF the year prisoners "A
white males, III colored males, white female
and is colOred females.
THE PHYSICIANS REPORT-WOMEN PRISONERS
WITH YOUNG CHILDREN.
Inc report of DR.. A. New lliams, the Jail
physician, which accompanies the warden's re-
port, states that the health of the Jail has been
all that could be desired, considing the large
number OF criminals and the class OF prisoners
VINO nave been confined in ii. Two cases OF
opium haClt were treated during the year, and
they ielt the Jail in "a much improved condition
Attention Is called 10 the large mum Der OF chill.
dren Who are to be cared for. Some Oh them are
not "a lew months old, and many are from that
age 10 ten years. Mothers VINO are convicted
often nave children but a lew months old. and
they are competed TO remain Il year in the
badly ventilated cells of the female department.
Some legislation ON this subject is absolutely
necessary. The food has been sound abundant
anu Varied. The sick have been cared for and
the condition OF the prison is u subject Of con-
graduation.