The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1891-12-19
PRISON AT MICHIGAN CITY
Earns More Than 1t Spends, but Still
There Is Deficiency in Its Allowance.
Educational Facilities Insuficient-Praise for
the Board Of Charities-Facts
About the Prisoners.


State Prison north has been submitted to
Governor Chase. The board is made up Of
Levi Mock, president: John Brodie. secre-
tary. and James RenIhan, treasurer
In the introduction of the boards report
the condition of the prison is claimed to be
better than at any previous time in Its his
tory; that the convlcts are more generally
in q state of contentment than ever before.
and that there Is less grumbling and fault
finding than might be expected. The man.
agement of w arden French is highly praised.
The general health of the prisoners is good
and compares favorably with an equal num-
Der of men outside prison walls. Regarding
the mental and moral condition OF the In
mates, the board says:
Owing to the fact that appropriation was
made TO increase the school facilities, the educa-
tional advantages of the prison ale not what the
board desires. Over Oneeighth or the prisoners
that come here can neither read nor write.
The board is OF the opinion that crime Is
disease resulting from natural defects OF vicious
| education, or both combined, and that no
one should be confined in prison on
the theory of punishment or retrtbu-
tive justice. but solely for the protection
of society, and when so confined should be edti-
cnted and elevated, If possible. to higher stan
dard of manhOOd-treated for sickness rather
than wickedness. We believe that an emporium
| lty to attend school should be given To every
prisoner, which cannot be done without making
improvements, which viii suggest In our
| next annual report. There Is a surplus OF over
expenses, and while VIC believe all OF these earn>
| ings should be used in making improvements
We feel it Hs our duty to especially urge that
enough at least of the surplus should be USED TO
make ample provision for the education OF the
prisoners.
In conclusion, the board says:
We beg to call your attention TO the fact that
| the expense OF the prisons mainten ance has
overrun the appropriation for the year. This has
Quilted from the simple fact that the appropri-
alton was inadequate to meet the PRISONS neces-
sary demands. On this point We ask your con-
sideration OF the wardens explanation, found in
another part OF this report. We trust that dur
ing the coming year the prison management
may receive more consideration at the hands of
the State Board OF Charities than It has during
from this board and careful constellation OF
the inmates and their wants and various cond-
lions will be of great benefit to the institution.
We are heartily in favor OF the work this board
is doing. and we hope to see its hands strength
ened and its opportunities broadened by the
future legislation or The state.
THE wARDEN's REPORT.
In tine warden's report he states in the
beginning that the first four months of the
past fiscal year. which ended Oct. 81, 1881,
were under his predecessor. James Muir
dock, and the last eight under him. The
number in the prison on Nov. !, 1890 was
witness in, j; total, 1.152. The number
discharged by expiration of sentence dur
ing the year was 323; number pardOned and
paroled by the Governor. II; number
pardOned bv the President. 3; number died,
8; number remarded for new trial,
4; number escaped. 2; total number remain
ing in prison, 800.
The receipts for the year from contracts
and scellaneOus sources, independents of
the officers clearinghouse aud stewards
sales to prisoners. were S1l6,6939 90. and from
the library fund, begun in July last, and
arising from visitors fees. S1,140. This
makes the gross receipts for the year s1177.-
$3.50. The net expense of maintaining the
prison, independent of the officers board
| iug-hOuse and stewards sales to prisoners
was S104, 2s4.56 divided as follows: Pro-
visions, SS6025.s9; fuel. s5.2S1.33; repairs,
light. Sl.5SO.Si; expenses. 2.sOa.0i: proven
der Sy9l.3l; clothing and bedding. S4. S65.93;
discharged convicts. "a, rs; officers sal
aries. S1.42l.4S; drugs, S949.70; tobacco,
| S51SC9: laundry, S642 IS: barn exp enses,
$3.50, AZ; household goods for guards quar-.
| ters, S959.32; stationery. $40; insurance,
S1SS %; educational class, S2aO.17; library,
| e26797.
Explaining why the cost of maintenance
and repairs has overreached the apprOpria-
ton for the year, Warden French says:
There seems TO be no means of avoiding
| this and at the same time properly caring
| for the inmates of the prison. All pur-
| the lowest cash price. Three things, chiefly,
| lead to this extra expense: The unusual
| amount of ordinary repairs of the
prison for the years, the, increased
number of convicts. and the high prices
| of provisions" Regardln the appropriation
| he further says: The appropriation for
| the two fiscal years. beginning Nov. i. 1891
| and ending Oct. 81, 1S93 are only 100000
| for each year. And yet there is every midi
| cation that the PRISONS population will
reach not less than $50 inmates before that
date. This matter Will demand the serious
| consideration of the next Legislature. One
thing, however. Is assured. The prisons
! earnings will always be largely in excess
| of the cost OF It's maintenance to the State"
| The warden has In his possession IS, 21e. IS
| belonging to seven hundred prisoners and he
renders a monthly cash statement for each.
| Regarding needed improvements Warden
| French says that first of all more cells
| should be built, AS 500 prisoners are con-
| fined in 7GO cells. Also that the dining
| room and chapel should be enlarged.
DR.. X. Ii. Calvert. the prison physician.
reports nine deaths during the year. but
none of them from pneumonia. typhoid fever
or serious malaria.
PRISON STATISTICS.
Forty-four counties are represented in
the prison, of which Marion county has the
greatest number, 2S7 convicts. and Allen
county next with 43. Thirty-three various
crimes are represented, OF which grand
larceny leads, with 14S. and burglary and
| petit larceny next, with 131 each. There
| are 124 prisoners in for one year. 2l5 for
| two years. and SO on up to life, for which
| there are SO inmates. With respect
| to previous occupation, nearly every pur-
suit and calling in life Is represented There
| are one preacher. two lawyers and two
| ol-tearhers. but no doctors The la
borers lead with 444 represen tatives while
| the butcher, the baker. the tailor, the mu-
| stefan. the merchant. painter. railroader
| and almost every other conceivable pro-
| fession or trade has one or more.
With respect to nativity. there are 124
| native-born Americans, of which 34S are In
danians. 103 Ohians. thirty eight each from
| New York and Pennsylvania, and almost
| every other State has one or more. OF the
| eeyenty-six foreign born the Germans
| lead with twenty -four. the Irish next
| with fifteen. Canadians thirteen and En-
| glish twelve. Others are from Italy,
| Prussia. Russia. Sweden, Switzerland,
| Scotland and France. The number of
coiored inmates is ninety three.
| At the time of conviction the number
| who could read and write was go, the num-
| Der who could read only, seventeen, tn g
number who could neither read nor write.
| 1l3.
| Five hundred and ninety were of in
1 A. J. ~l.s& H. Il