Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-11-19
DISTRICT PRISONERS.
The Annual Report Of Warden Croker
on the Condition Of the Jail.

Gen. J. s. CroekeH warden Of the District
Jail, has submitted to the Attorney General his
report for the year ending October 81. He
states that the apartments occupied by the
female inmates since the ventilating system
has been completed are now provided with
good ventilation and placed in a good sanitary
condition. The defective slate roof and gut
tiers formerly complained of have also been re-
paired. The four large horizontal boilers for
heating and the upright boiler for cooking and
laundry purposes have also been repaired.
The greater part of the work, as well as
the making Of iron bed cots for the prisoners
was done by the engineer, with the aid of
prison labor. Prison labor, under the direction
OF an officer, ia utilized for nearly all the
work at the Jail. Skilled mechanical labor
Is sometimes required, but sufficient mechanl-
cal genius is generally found among the prison.
ers. During the year SO male convicts were
transported from the jail to the Albany peni-
tertiary. This was the first year since 1862 that
no female was convicted of high crime and
sentenced to the penitentiary from the district
TREATMENT OF PRISONERS.
The supplies were of good quality and the
inmates were furnished with good wholesome
diet in abundance. Prisoners destitute Of
clothing were supplied with reasonable
and comfortable quarters. Rigid sanitary
measures were practiced continually, and re-
markable degree of good health existed. No
contagious or infectious disease prevailed and
no death occurred during the year. Good dis
cipline was maintained and no serious disturb
ance occurred. The officers invariably mani
Tested disposition to do their duty faithfully
and humanely. "All classes of prisoners" the
report says, appreciate kind and humane
treatment, and BY such methods a prison
becomes a reformatory. By the methods
practiced in this institution / believe many
who have been incarcerated here have been
inclined from vice and crime to the plane of
reformation and returned as good citizens to
their families and friends" Several Christian
held religious services every Sunday, and con-
tributed largely toward the reformation Of pris-
Oners.
THE DAILY AVERAGE
number Of prisoners in Jail during the year
was 217, and the total number 2115; 2O5 we're
inmates at the beginning of the year, and the
remaining 1910 were committed during the
year; 1867 of them were white males, 1925 col
ored males, 10 white females, 1l9 colored
females; AZ were of foreign birth, 1853 were
natives Of this country; 4l3 were married and
1,497 were unmarried OF the crimes for
which they were committed 499 were assault
and battery, 437 petit larceny. 119 larceny. 113
housebreaking, 1913 assault, 10S affray.
In addition to the disposition stated Is boys
WCiO COuNlCttu anu btHt 10 the REFORM SCHOOL,
l white male and colored males were par
doned by the President, colored males by the
Commissioners, 3::were transferred to the in
sane hospital, 1,799 were discharged, and 211
remained in Jail at the close of the year.
HEALTH AT THE JAIL.
The report of the physician of the Jail, Alex.
McWilliams, which accompanies the warden's
report states that there were several cases of
severe illness among the prisoners during the
year, but in the majority Of cases the disease
was developed shortly after entrance. showing
that illness was not due to any defect in the
Jail or management. The health of the pris-
Oners has been good generally, with the excep-
ton of that class of men and women whose
previous habits were such as to cause illness
in any situation. There was not more than one
case of delirium tremens during the year.
Formerly there was much trouble from this
disease, prisoners suffering from it requiring
more care than all the sick together. But two
cases of opium habit were reported, one fe-
male, an old victim, who has been frequent
inmate, the other being a young man who at
tributes the commission of crime to the stupe-
tying effects of opium. After referring to the
satisfactory sanitary condition of the buildings
the report says: Il do not suppose there is a
prison in the world where the prisoners give
less trouble, and it is attributable solely to the
humane and iudicious treatment SO long and
faithfully exercised"