The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1891-09-11
reni.,ntl.ry Census statistics.

WASHINGTON, d. c., Sept. 8.-The
penitentiary census shows 1928 con-
victs in the United States. New York
leads, with $3.50. Texas comes next
with 1919. Pennsylvania is third on
the list. California fourth, Georgia
fifth and Missouri, with /, f0l. is sixth.
Thus it appears that the prison popula-
tion does not follow the total popula-
ton very closely. OF the 2.6SS life con
victs Missouri has only IL. There is a
very striking difference in the proper
tions of female convicts east and west
New York has 5SS female convicts, Mas
sachusetts PIT, New Jersey 81, Pennsyi-
vania s.. On the other hand. Missouri
has only SO female couvicts, Illinois 10,
Kansas IA. Texas 45 and Arkansas !.
Attention is called to the surprising
variations in average for different
states, ranging from two years and 316
days in Rhode Island to II years ilG
days in Mississippi. The order o
states, arranged according to the de-
gree of severity OF punishment inflicted
is as follows.
Mississi,. i. ala Georgia. Ali
zonia, Alabama, las. N1w HAMPSHIRE.
Virginia. Idaho, Vermont, Missouri.
Tennessee. Kansas. Michigan, Itlinn.s.
Washington, South Dakota, North
Carolina, Kentucky, Arkansas, Mary
land, Iowa. Louisiana, Nebraska, Mon
tana. West Virginia. Maine, California,
Connecticut. Florida, Massachu sets.
Minnesota. New Mexico, South Caro-
lima, Colorado, Wisconsin. Ohio, New
York, Pennsylvania, Inlana, Oregon,
North Dakota, Utah. New Jersey, Wy
oming and Rhode Island. There Is no
discoverable law of association in the
list. For instance, the average sentence
in Maine is years, 3O5 days, but in New
Hampshire years, 80 DAYS. In indiana
it is years. 81 days. but in Illinois !
years, 272 DAYS. In Wisconsin it is 4
years. I32 DAYS. but in Michigan years
2S7 DAYS. In Virginia it is years, IL
DAYS. but in West Virginia only 1 years,
3l5 days. In Mississippi it is II years.
ll6 days, but in Alabama only ! years.
l6S days, and i'm Louisiana only years,
l3 days. In North Dakota it is 3 years,
800 days, but in South Dakota 3 years,
2I3 days.
OF the Is. 233 prisoners in penitentiar-
les, 80 were not sentenced, 2,4S6 were
serving sentences of less than one year:
30. I57 had been sentenced to imprisOn'
ment for definite term of years; ,, 6SS
for life, l. during their minority and
81 were under sentence of death and
awaiting execution. Where sentence
for a definite term Of years is pronoun-
ced the most common sentence is found
TO be for 2 years, and then in order
stated: For 5, 3, |, 10, 4. and G
years. Nearly seven-eights of the peni'
Tertiary sentences fall under one oil
these eight varieties. There are re-
ported l32 sentences Of 30 years and
over, of which 30 are for 80 years. The
number of fractional sentences is also
shown, which was 1859: and taking
them into the account the total duration
of Imprisonment for not less than one
year. but for less than for life. ordered
by the courts was 30, 40 years and J
months. The average term o. sentence,
therefore, ISIS years and - days. A
tendency to greater severity OF sentence
is apparent in the south and west. The
average sentence Of native white con-
Wet of native parents is 5 years and POS
days; of a foreign born convict, 5 years
and 1913 days, and of colored convict. {
years and 1873 days The average SEN
tence of a male convict is years and
2S5 days, and of female 4 years and
2l5 days.