Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-05-19
THE JAIL COMMITTEE
SUBMITTED THEIR REPORT TO JUDGEPAULL,
YESTERDAY.
They Made a Careful Examination Of the Prison,
and Point Out and Recommend for Attention
the Remedies Suggested by This Paper.
The Sheriff Sustained.

examine into the condition OF the new
Jail, submitted their report TO the Judge
Yesterday. 1t is voluminous and care
fully prepared document, and seems to
go right to the bottom Of the trouble.
Some matters are touched upon which
the Committee was not expected to
recognize, and in other regards the po-
sition of the Sheriff is sustained.
On the eleventh instant, in its &C
count of the attempted Jail delivery,
the REGISTER said:
THE remedies TO be supplied are rather
numerous. In the first place, the iron pipe
should be removed away from the cell
building to the east and west main walls,
the wall on top Of the cell building coulo
| be covered with stout steel ooiler piate,
| the lever bars on the cell doors should De
made of stouter steel, which should not De
| bent, the present light hunks, which artord
| tools and weapons to prisoners, should De
removed and something else substituted,
| and prisoners should be more
| widely separated and watched more
| closely. an extra man being
needed for this purpose. 1t was great
| mistake To run the cell building BACK
against the south wall, but this cannot
now be helped. The gas pipe railing
around the cell and corridors is also
! fraud Yesterday a piece OF this pipe,
| four feet long, was pulled out by Deputy
Sheriff, it being merely slipped through the
| holes in the iron posts, and not bolted or
screwed in. A section OF this pipe makes
| a handy weapon and very good crow-oar,
| if one end is mashed fiat. The system OF
locks also needs to be overloaded. There
are entirely to many locks which can be
| opened with one kew
A reading of the report will show that
the Committee fell right in line with
these suggestions, and that they are
about all covered in the report, which
| follows:
In prefacing their report the Commit
tee says;
Upon entering the building the first i'm
nression made upon the visitor is the un-
| finished appearance, which impression is
not entirely removed by examination:
| This is caused chiefly by the absence OF
plaster, or whitewash. The Commission
ers stated that this want would be supplied,
but that the building being new, up to this
time it was thought unnecessary to white
wash it,
After giving the dimensions OF the
principal apartments in the building,
the report proceeds:
"While the committee wished to ignore
altogether the reported differences SAID TO
exist between several officials connected
with the administration of the county az
fairs. this difference would present itself
incidentally or casually during the investi-
| CATION, but was only regarded when bear
| ing on the subject in question, and In line
with the object of the committees ap-
pointment. not for the purpose OF consider
| ing or deciding on the merits OF the differ
ences. The examination leads the commit
tee to the conclusion that the jail Is well
| planned, security and comfort having been
| obtained when the uses Of the appliances
| provided for them are lntelllgently anu
| faithfully used. The officials In control are
anxious toperform their duties satisfactory
| lv. and mainly have been successful. Where
! thew have failed it has followed chiefly from
| the building and appurtenances being new
and'untried, and some Of the officials being
| lust as new as their duties. Minor defects
| have been discovered in the one, and GER
tain amount of friction has followed in the
other, both of which may be remedled or
removed oy some changes in detail OF the
material, and proper system lnaugurated.
| This, with a little Cancellation on the part
| of the officials in their intercourse with
| eHcD QUIET AdUoCub uSLObOAOASJ WA
| the other.
1.-THE present taller has been in charge
| less than six months, and has, your COM
mittee believes, performed his duties well
| and generally to the satisfaction OF the
| county authorities. The exceptions, as
| indicated before and alluded TO hereafter,
| having grown out of unfamiliarity on his
part, with the details and the newness OF
| his superior officer TO the requirements OF
| his position, necessarily following on the
| charges of officials, and at times, probably
little exhibition of infirmlty OF temper
| not warranted by the circumstances. This.
| coupled on the other hand with the requir-
ed rigid observance of custom heretofore
prevailing with the controlling power, and
| not fully understood by the subordinates,
are the factors producing the friction, all OF
| which were presented and discussed, and
| vour committee believes, now fully under
| stood by them, and not likely to interfere
| in the future in the conduct and manage
ment Of the institution, the relations they
bear toward each other having been clearly
defined by this examination. In any event,
If there be any Earring or friction In the
conduct of the Jail hereafter, each officer
knowing his duty and what is expected OF
him. the responsibility for such can be
placed and the remedy applied. The COM
mittee avoids details, reporting simply that
the situation, il is believed, requires moth
| inc further than the general reference to 1t
10 insure a remedy, at the same time
warning those directly interested that II
| the relations heretofore sustained continue
| 10 be of the same strained character the in
terests of the country will suffer, and the
comfort and even security CT the prisoners
| endangered.
THE building was found in all its parts
| we'll adopted TO the purpose designed, clean
and well kept; the sanitary condition
good; the appliances for heating and ven
| tilation good defects in which had been
discovered and, it is believed. remedied),
making it equal to all demands likely to be
made on it, having in view the health and
comfort OF the inmates. In the opinion OF
the committee the soil pipe at the south
end of the cell building is menace to the
security Of the prisoners.
The piece of iron or steel projecting
from each cell door for the purpose of fast
ening the door temporarily is too light for
the purpose designed, or st least for what
is demanded of il, being relied upon for
more service than was originally intended.
It is readily sprung out OF position by
strong man. The bunk fastenings being
iron hooks curled at one end offers ready
supply of small tools TO the prisoners. The
cross pieces or supports Of the hunks, be-
ing curled on 10 the longitudinal bar, may
be removed, and, as shown recently, can be
made into very efficient crow bar, The
railing to the platform is not securely
nut together, and presents source OF
supply of dangerous weapons in the
hands of ingenious and determined men.
The lock on the entrance door TO the cell
building is not safe one under existing
conditions The platform al the north end
of the cell building is ST very questionable
utility, offering as it does a good hiding
place for the prisoners when at liberty in