The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1888-12-28
MAlNE'S CONvICTS.
Report of the Warden of the State
Prison-An unfavorabIe Financial
Showing.

Warden Bean has Just made his annual re-
port of the condition of the Maine State
Prison to the Governor and Council. 1t is
very important report, being the first since
the new law was passed to divide up the
work of the convicts so that they might not
compete too seriously with the harness and
carriage manufacturers Of the State. War
den Bean is not at all reconciled to the
change. He says: "The additional cares,
labor and anxiety incidentupon inaugurating
and carrying on the new industries necessa-
rily introduced under the requirements of
the act of the Legislature approved March
IL, 1887, have in an inverse ratio affected the
pecuniary as well as other interests Of the
Institution without, so far as / am able to
judge, favorably affecting those of outside
citizens Acting upon the knowledge that the
out put OF the prison vehicles would be less
than usual, manufacturers and handlers OF
prison and other made carriages abroad
have made a special effort to avail themselves
Of our markets, and have established places
OF sale in nearly every considerable town in
the State, thas creating sharp competition
and consequent tendency to reduction of
prices and extension Of terms Of credit In
view of the fact that rs per cent Of the car
riages annually sold In the State are manu-
featured without its precincts, and that p
per cent have been made by citizen builders
Abs CdHuOb COuCCfO why q plAoOA
product of per cent Of the number re-
quired can be Objectionable"
After careful consideration by the warden.
the inspectors and the Governor and Coun-
Gil it was decided that the men relieved by
the law from carriage and harness work
could ne DeSJ eInpIUyeu III tne m3Hoiacture
of brooms, office furniture, etc. A perma-
nent trade has not yet been established. and
so ultimate success is not assured. The ef-
feet of the required changes has been to re-
duce the number of convicts employed on
carriage work 81 per cent, and the net pro
ceeds of that department from $12.175.13 in
1887 to S., 1885, 80 in 1888, comparative loss OF
| S6,00S.14. In the harness department the re-
duction has been about "a per cent, resulting
in change from gain Of S505.62 In 1887 to
/ loss of 81 ,37377 In 1888, relative loss OF
| $1,S70.40, as compared with the preceding
| year. A comparative loss in the two depart
| ments of SS,6s7.54, resulting from the en-
plOyment of an average OF but So per cent OF
| the usual number of men.
Labor under the new system is distributed
in the following percentages: In carriage
| department. 1887; harness department,
1875; furniture and incidentals, 11.s0;
brooms 80; Jumpers, 1890; tail0rs, wash
ers, etc.. 1850; invalids and in hospital, 4.50
| in solitary, 1.60; in punishment, .28.
There have been no escapes from The
prison during the year, and less punishment
than for any year since Warden Beans con
nection with the institution. In closing thu
report the warden makes this important rec
ommendation: "Appreciating as l do thu
disadvantages of the present location, thu
condition of large portion Of the building
and the fact that O prison must be main
tanned for all time l should not do justice 4
| nv convictions If failed to say that expert
| ence and careful consideration has conyince
| me that it would be for the interests of tn
| State. were measures taken in the not dis
| taut future to transfer the plant to a localit
better adapted to the purpose"
The number of criminal in the prison
December /, 1887, was 165; committed since
40. Discharged during the year by expiratio
of sentence, A; pardoned, s; removed to II
sane hospital, 1 present number, 152. Th
whole number committed since the establish
ment of the prison is 1926. Twenty-Five
now in prison are serving sentences for mul
der; II, murder second degree; 6, mai
breaking and entering and larceny: 23, la
| ceny Thirty-seven are serving life SO
5 tences; /. twenty-five years; 1, twenty; 2. q
5 teen 2, twelve; Q. ten. The average defnl
! sentence is years, 10 months. % days. III