The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1891-02-25
REFORMED BY PARDON.
Annual Report of State
Prison Keeper Patter-
Son-What ConViCts
Cost.
Special 70 the yer.eu city Ne,s..

TRENTON. Feb. 25, ls9l.-In the report
Of the New Jersey State Prison, Keeper
John II. Patterson states that the current
expenses for the year were s15s. y6l.s9, the
earnings ss1, ,0s2 "a, making the net ex-
pense Of the prison s97. SIS 20. The popu-
lstion has been reduced from 997 TO go
To the 404 convicts discharged during the
year 81 ,663 was paid. The prison Is in
the best sanitary condition.
The only available fund for library pur-
poses has been through contributions.
amounting to about sixty dollars, and,
from time to time, magazines aud
pamphlets sent by charitable persons; not
having the same advantage OF many
otner states, where an admission fee Is
charged to visitors, and the receipts from
that source applied to the library fund.
The appropriation made By the Legisla-
ture last winter for that purpose has not
been received, though very much needed.
The night school inaugurated during
Keeper Patterson's term is proving a sue
cess. The men are divided into classes,
taught by educated prisoners, under the
personal inspection and supervision of an
officer. They are taught the branches Of
spelling, reading, writing and arithmetic
The school assemblies at seven D. m. and
remains In session till a quarter-past
eight p. m, when the prisoners return to
their cells preparatory to lights out at
half-past eight p m. The school Is held
four nights of the week.
There has been little trouble In main
tanning good discipline. The mode Of
punishment being confinement in dark
cells on bread and water. The old
methods Of punishment which were In
vogue some years ago have been abol-
ished- Ball and chain are sometimes
hf1t nj fhfa
adorned with that ornament.
Tne keeper says he thinks the Court Of
Pardons have reason to congratulate
themselves that SO many to whom they
have extended clemeucy have proved
themselves worthy, and that such a large
number OF those pardoned have been
truly reformed and are leading reputable
lives. One man who was sentenced for a
term of years and who was pardoned Is
now working for one of the largest cor
porations in the State: commenced at q
salary OF 81, 900, has since been increased
to s.. go and Is considered one of its most
trusted employees; another, who at the
time of his incarceration was employed
by firm in Philadelphia, was upon his
release Immediately employed by the
same firm at a large salary, anu were it
not for the fact OF giving them unpleRs-
ant notoriety the names Of many who are
truly reformed could be given and who
justly merited executive clemency.
He recommends the parole system, and
says that under the present system the
convict leaves the prison at the expiration
Of his term with few dollars, barely
enough to pay his fare 10 his destination;
with the suit OF clothes that brand him
as convict, without home or friends, and
with strong prejudices against him. On
the other hand, under the parole system
he is taken out by the person who en-
ploys him, has a home to go to and a
guiding and restraining influence to sur
round him. He feels at once that he has
something to live for, that he has some
thing TO be grateful for, aud down deep
In the innermost recesse5 of his heart aud
soul he resolves henceforth TO lead q bet
ter life.
There may be some," he says "who will
say there is no reformation in the crinli-
nal. To them / would simply say, may
the great and Almighty God be more
merciful IN his judgment of men than
you are toward them. II is not claimed
that any system wifi make angels of any
men, let alone criminals, but do assert
to you that this system would be the
means of reforming many" He recon-
mends paying convicts for overwork to
enable them TO help their dependent
families during imprisonment. He fur
ther recommends. that as soon as prac-
ticaole, the Sl0o.0 appropriated for the
construction of new wing-chapel and
passed by the Legislature OF 1890, be
raised to complete the work which is so
much needed. In the crowded condition
Of the prison, it is impossible TO comply
with the law requiring separate confine-
meut