Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-01-23
From the Boston Congregationalist, Jan. 10.
UNITED STATES PRISONERS.
BY General r. Brinkerhoff.

they: The newspapers never say anything
about them; the pulpit never names them:
political platforms are ObliTious of their e1-
associations which clamor so iercely against
the competition of prison labor, never talk
about United States prisoners. Surely their
existence must be myth.
The truth Is, our country is so vast that
few thousand prisoners, scattered broadcast
through our States and Territories, do not
aggregate a sufficient number at any one
point to attract public attention, and, as they
are out of sight, very naturally they are,
partically, unknown. Nevertheless they ex-
ist, an We. as American citizens, are respon-
sibIe for their care and culture.
The annual report of the Attorney General
of the United States for the current year
which has been transmitted TO Congress, and
part of which is accessible in pamphlet
form.
During the year ending June 80. 1856,
there were received in the different peniten-
riaries, reformatories, etc. throughout the
There were discharged during the same
perod 179. The total number IN custody on
/ the Both day of June, 1856, was POI. There
were committed for revenue ofenses. l46;
| for counterfelting and violation OF the postal
laws, SOB for other offenses. $50. OF the
1 26l in custody, june 80, 1856, there were
/ O3j born in the United States 226 foreign
/ born: 1872 white males; 3l4 colored males
/ (of the latter A. were Indians and Chinese {;
6 white females; 1875 under twenty years OF
ase '.L 'i - am- - IS t,,,,
ar,d e,,v. and ~. nyar 6f,v v..ars of ag.
/ There were 6I2 married; 649 single OF the
total number in custody, June 30, 1856 q,
[o' , the'e "efe "u' 20 ntsap ,I', vi si'A (ot
,bosc WORKING was M and the number
/ idle, 1871.
The number of prisoners IN the county
J"'i'' VI 'oui So ARTS t,o'' u"y " u"Y'
cnnrts ,r.. in .ess;nn
/ The number received during the past wear
was lo.64t, and there were discharged TO-
TO- " na'''',i ~ ouI'ou' vi .ne '0.ii u
/ con,mi,tad for ro,.,,,,,s eoi,.a. ccs fnr
counterfeitng and violations of the postal
laws, ,us3; for other ofenscs, i.34l. The
hu''iper serving sentence was Z,'1Z the
in,.,,m;,,,;nn / a. rbarn rara 4 oo-
white males. 1865 white females. PISS col
ored males, and 34l colored females. There
were i'f'" married. ana Lao s'hsie'
mere 'hen WE nave o'''c'ai information Oh
''ie iac' ''ia' LOT Tue year ehniilg June o.
mes "huer hi'ed states laws ana 'hat l'zoi
(prooapiy about the present average were
III ae'uai CUSTODY we also learn 'ha' 'he
'uihoer Oh '"i'e" states prisoners III county
W. h''o" therefore ''i"' ''ie hu''ipeF Oh per
soi's arrested ior 'ioia'iohs OF hi'ed states
laws anu actuaiS cohhheu ior longer OF
Shor'er per'o'S "l''''" 'he walls Oh prisons
turing '''e '"''e'i' year equaiS zen iu'i reei-
''e'its' OF ABOUT one-haii Oh 'he eh''re army
ot-'he ni''' states
ne e1hlp"s giving 'he present location OF
these prisoners nave not yet been printed
nut II Is safe 10 assume there VIII be no ma
"riai variation from last years report III
"hieh IL is SHOWN 'ha' 'he prisoners convicted
OF ieiofiies are cohiihea III ire Pehitehtiaries
Oh twenty three suites ana SIX territories
ana that those awaiting TRIAL or convicted OF
minor oHehses' are cohhied IN "fS county
Ja's ioca'e" III an inc states ana territories
vi the pehilehuafies' IN "hich prisoners
convicted OF ielot''oS are cohhheh' not one Il
IN the south, 'f the southern prisoners
those OF the Atlantic States are sent TO the
state OF New York ana mainly TO the county
prisons OF Albany ana Erie me other
southern prisoners are sent to Western
prisons and mainly to those in Michigan and
ILLINOIS. These assignments apparently
nave been made TO the lowest bidders for the
prisons with the largest numbers receive nc
pay for keeping them but rely upon their
work for compensation.
For prisoners in Jaiis' the United States
pays for their board the ordinary per diem OF
the locality as certified by the nlted States
marshal and district attorney.
The Jails of this country, herding the pris-
oners, as they do IN a common hall, without
regard to age or crlmlnalty, are, with rare
exceptions, unspeakably bad. They are. in
fact, survival of the denominations which
Howard found in England century ago. and
which in England have been swept away by
public indignation and public law. The
average American Jail is simply school for
the compulsory education of young offenders
in all the arts OF CRIME The penitentlaries of
the several States are better than the jails,
but with less than half dozen exceptions
methods. They are SIMPLY punishlng-place
and their dominant idea Is moaey-maklng-
To the average legislator the highest ideal of
prison i, one that pays expenses and Yields
rev.nrs to the State and the snnerio-