The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-06-05

impaired all the information that was de-
sired and led the way 20 all the departments
of the place.
The interior Of the prison, like the ex-
terror, is a model Of cleanliness The we'll
scrubbed floors and the whitewashed and
painted walls are proof that the labor at the
command OF the officials is employed ia that
line with good results. THE greatest
trouble that we have to contend with in
this place." said Captain Daley, rs 10 make
the prisoners keep themselves and their
quarters clean" As he was speaking five
prisoners came from one of the tieTs OF cells
in charge Of a trusty, who in the matter of
dress was not as favored as those in the
Office. There" continued the captain,
pointing to the seXtet, ''gO five prisoners in
charge of one who is taking them to the
hathhOuSe IN the yard. Every prisoner is
forced 70 battle once a week. As soon as he
has gwen the five a bath he returns them to
their cells and comes for another set of
FIVE"
The prisoners in this institution are fed
10y contract, at about 20 cents per inmate per
day, which includes the officials and the
prisoners. The food furnished the prison
erS does not in many respects compare with
that furnished in other public institutions
1t is true mat it is not 10 be expected that
dainty food is to be given to those who by
their acts have brought themselves within
the pale Of the law, but it is certain that
those who partake Of the two ratOns fur
nlshed each day for 20 cents will never have
an attack Of indigestion An examination
of the groceries provided showed that they
are Of the average quality furnished the
beans at this place, as at other institutions
visited, are as different from what the con-
tract calls for as dav is from night; tie
meats are Of a decidedly inferior quality; in
fact, about as poor as the market can afford.
The contract calls for fresh beef, first
quality of chucks and rounds in equal pro-
n NJ I'm l1nh M fa fx.a
days in each week at the rate of eight
ounces per inmate, and mutton first quail
lty Tor each inmate two days in the
week to be furnished in breasts and
fOrequarterS' in like amount. The meat
when hung In the butcher-shop and that
which was served to the prisoners at noon
certainly did not come uD to the speciica-
tons OF the contract There is another
clause in the contract, put in with a view
10 create the impression that the meat
called for is for all the inmates, but in re-
ality it is q scheme t. provide a superior
quality OF meat for the officers table. 1t
provides that the contractor shall furnish
best American meats In cuts as ordered
for each 100 inmates daily, 20 pounds"
Under this clause about 60 pounds Of best
American meats in cuts" is furnished. and
of this the InmateS-that is the prisoners
get only a Whit Of the aroma arising from
it while cooking, IL the kitchen-dOOr hap
pens TO be open. Why the contract does
not call for frst-class meats for the officers
in direct terms is something that is not ex-
planned. The bread furnished the prisoners
is not up TO the standard called for in the
contract. namely fresh, best quality"
while the vegetables are few.
NUMBER OF PRISONERS.
The prisoners in the House number over
300 and range in years from 10 to over 80.
They all mngle together. the young ard the
old. the novice in crime aud the hardened
professional, the one who has violated
petty ordinance and the highway rObber
The naturalresult of this cOmmingling is not
the correction Of those who might be made
to see the error of their way and be re-
stored to an honorable life, but is the in
shilling into the minds of the younger pris-
oners that which they do not already know,
and which Will have a tendency to make
them continuous enemies of society. Some
OF the most prominent penolOgists have
given 1t as result of their observations
that the non-segregation CT prisoners has
been most prolific source of furnishing
recruits to the great army OF criminals
For instance those who in moment of pas
sion commit crime for which they should
suffer punishment are, as a rule, unac-
quainted with the ways Of those who
commit crimes that arc premeditated
and require planning in order to execute
them. A term in the House OF Correction
makes such prisoners IN theory, thieves,
burglars, IorgeTs, perJurers, highway robbers
and the like. 1t is true that the authorities
punish those who have done wrong, but by
the manner in which they infict that pun
ishment they create the raw material with
which to increase the number of criminals.
and add heavy burthens on the taxpayers
by being obliged to furnish additional room
in which TO hold the Increasing number of
evil-doers. Captain Daley, when asked.
said that under existing circumstances pris-
0ners cannot be segregated
The rules that govern the prisoners in the
House are stretched moro or less according
to circumstances. For instance, some are