The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-11-13
SCUM BOARDING HOUSE.
TERM APPLIED TO The CITY
JAIL.
Opinions Of Prominent Citizens aad ON
ciaIs on the Necessity Of "A Kef"rm"t"ry
for youtbfui Criminai--Tacts and
Ticures on the Subject.

ciaIs on the Necessity Of "A Reform"iory
for Youthful Criminais-facts and
Figures on the subject.
Mr.. Thomas Potts, one Of the commits
sioners who recently examined the ciiy jan
and reported on it, condition 10 the Judge OF
the Hastings Court, was very decided III
his expressions Yesterday when asked ABOUT
one of the recommendations made IN the re-
mort of the establishment Of "a rcfOrmat0ri
/ for Youthful criminals. 1T il a sin ana a
shame 10 nut those little boys into the com
many of hardened criminals" lac said. These
children NAV have been sent 10 jail Tor the
slightest ohensc against the law, ana aiter
they have stayed there two or three weeks
they come out with full knowledge OF All
manner Of penetrating crime. Inc
GREATEST CURSE TO THE JAIL
inmates il their idlencss. They have moth
inc whatever to do except sit around, swap
ideas about crime. play cards, biasphene
and tell the youthful and amateur prisoners
how 10 spring a lock or how Ia open WIN
dow or some other act that will lead TO the
committal of crime. There are some nNe OF
six i'm a cell. and they are company for each
other. They are well fed and well clothed
and ninc-tenths Of them live better thah
than if they were outside Of prison walls.
Now. | think the best course 10 pursue Win
these young offenders i 10
WHIP EN-,
but rs the whipping post is abolished they
should be kept apart from the old depraNt az
offenders. and that cannot be done IN the
iail. All the men mix together. Ana II q
man is sent TO Jail to await trial he Is put
i'm with the rest. although the Code dis-
fincily saws he shall be kept apart.
The prisoners ought TO have
SEPARATE APARTMENTS.
tlov should be made to feel tLeir coniine-
mant. they should bee punished in some way
they ought 10 be put 10 work 10 improve the
roads for "A few miles around Richmond.
As il is now. there is absolutely no punish
mcnt attached 10 going 10 jail, the men VINO
are sent there have no sense Oi honor. no
thought for the morrow, and the jail, instead
of lcssening crime or Furnishing 10.
really acts rs an incentive 10 u. for q, soon
as the average negro serves MS icim' no.
,,oes and commits some other CRIME 10 tri
put in again. The Jail has no awe for him.
.nd inc honest taxpayers OF Richmond year
In and yearout have to support this place,
which is really
FREE BOARDING HOUSE,
for the scum Of the city and usually con-
tains about $50 bolrders.
.Now. rs to the reformatory. ] think That
one of the islands in the river would De -
GOOD place for such an institution. and J
would be mighty glad 10 see such place
built. II could be made 10 pay for itself
and the moral tone OF the offenders against
the law might be- raised. At any rate. they
could be kept at work. and there Is nothing
the devil can use 80 we'll As idle ringers.
Aeitate the subject all YOU can, and some
move may be the result Of il.
MAYOR ELLYsON on THE EXPLORATORY.
When Mayor Eilyson was approached he
It in thought for moment. and then TAX
mg down a book Of official reports over hi
desk. he searched awhile, and then said:
zone Of the strongest arguments that can
be- found i'm favor Of establishing a rcfOrma-
tOrv is the last annual report Of 'hiei oi
Police Poe. according to which there were
arrested last wear 1863 persons under
twenty years Of age. The total number Of
arrests were G.2jo. 50 You can see tn
minors were about - per cent
FAvORITE PLAN.
"The plan most frequently favored is 10
utilize the smallpox hospital property,
north of the city. and to select another site
for the hospital. for there is great objection
to having il there. BY utilizing that prop
erty. with a small beginning at first. the
place could be enlarged as the city grew
more able to do so, and a. the demands
made upon il might dictate. some such
provision for our juvenile criminals Is 1b,o-
lutely necessary To preventIa large increaseln
our criminal population. Every one who has
had any experience at all in police circles
knows the great need Of such an institution,
and the city cOnld make no better use OF
$40. OOlOr 5000 than in that way. | be-
lieye, that with proper superintendent.
BOYS might be taught useful occupations.
and thus they might be prepared to earn an
honest living when discharged.
EVIL COMMUNICATIONS.
Most of the youths who would be sent Ia
such an institution are not altogether Wei
Gus. but simply the victims of vile associa-
tons. 1~,re are many children of I'M
worthy parents. from whose care they
should be taken, or else they will soon fall
into evil habits, and help TO swell the num-
her OF those now in the jail and the peni-
Tertiary. have had occasion IN the last
twelve months TO compel mothers 10 sur
render their girls and BOYS 10 the keeping
of others. because ! knew their associations
were so vile and their habits 80 bad. as Ia
make them utterly unfit 10 train their chill
drcn in the ways Of virtue.
PREVENTIVE AND REMEDIAL.
"This preventive phase Of the question in
terest- me more than the remedial side. II
is better 10 save child untarnished from
scheme and vice than to pick up the tainted,
though. of course, both classes should claim
attention.
An ALDERMANIc OPINION.
Mr.. Evan Snead believed that there was
No one thing more necessary TO the future
prosperity of Richmond than relormatoy
and house of correction. ''Ihe higher
the standard of morals IN COM
munity.- he said. 1.-THE more desir-
allie rs a home. and greater credit from
a business standpoint as 10 iIchmond's
ability 10 nav for il. | think the increase Of
REVENUE from new assessment viii enable
her 10 do all that il necessary IN the prem
ises. and keep her credit up also. There j.
nothing that the finger of scorn, can bee so
rightnlly pointed AT by our progressive Sis
ter cities, than this great need
TIE GOVERNORS IDEA.
When Governor Lee was asked about il.
he hauled ont of his desk copy OF his mes
sgee 10 the General Assembly in 1871. and
nointed 70 the clause in which he recon-
mended the establishment of a reformaiors
or industrial school. "There should be a
wide discrimination. it said. lin the treat
ment Of boy. who is convicted, perhaps, of
his first 0nense against the law. and man
who has probed TO the bottom depths Of
crime. The punishment Of criminal youths
should have reformatory Is well rs punt
tive object. but il is impossible TO put into
practice refOrmatory measures where the
two classes of terminals come in daily con-
tact with each other"
ANOTHER COMMISSIONER.
Mr.. 4. Bargamin. another Jail commits
soner. expressed strong hopes that re-
iormatory would be built for the youthful
criminals The Jail. he said. was not the
place for them. for there they could easily
become thoroughly corrupt in few days.