Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1893-1895, 1893-10-28
THIEVING, BURGLARY, FRAUD
Always Going On But Not All
Punished.
OREGON HEALTHY MORALLY, PHYSICALLY
What the Writer Found at the
Oregon State Prison.
,GON HEALTHY MORALLY, PHYSICALLY

suit OF mara times, cOiunCiOio1i NS
preston" and "financial disorganiza-
tom" namely, an increase OF crimes
against property, the state of Oregon
has not suffered greatly by the last
summers panic. Tue full term OF the
district courts throughout the state are
about over, yet, out at the penitentlary
there ia no noticeable accession to the
convict ranks. In fact, visit there re-
suits In the assurance that crime, nav
ing for its object the mere acquisition
If money has been, if anything. less
turing the last six months than during
ike period immediately preceding.
"Of course" remarked Mr.. Superin.
tendent Downing. yesterday, There Is
tlways thieving, burglary, and fraud
going on which would naturally be in
creased by the increase of population
aud the attraction offered to the perpe-
traitors of that class of crime, by the re-
ports so widely circulated of the gener-
ally prosperous condition of this statei
out If the commitments here are to be
viewed barometrically, 1 should say
that Oregon is healthy, morally as well
ls physically"
There are, at present, 343 cOnvicts in
the penitentiary, oil whom about 100
are working in the shops; about 100 are
employed in farm work, and in the
laundry, kitchens and various offices OF
the prison; leaving something over one
hundred for whom no employment can
oe found until the jute-mlll is completed
and running. These unemployed are
kept under lock and key except during
yard exercise, SONS three hours each
day, and it is significant circum-
stances, that in spite of such an unfav-
orable condition there is not single
case of sickness in the infirmsry. There
are, naturally, lots of petty ailments
among such crowd of men, whose
lives outside the prison walls have not
been the most conducive imaginable to
good health and physical stamiua, but
the fact that they are so closely and in
diligently looked after by the officers
in charge as to render the hospital beds
altogether ornamental speaks volumes
to their credit.
No one visiting the prison is given a
carte blanche to wander about the place
at will, and tell to the prisoners out of
hearing of AN officer or guard, and no
exception is made even in the case OF
the anxious newspaper man, desir-
Gus of information and eager to see all
there is, both on and below the surface;
still latitude enough is allowed to gain
good idea of how things are going on.
The prisoners are not distressed look
ing lot of men, by any manner OF
means. If granted choice none ol
them would be there, but, as more than
one remarked, yesterday, "Many are
better of inside than they would bt
out, aud have moIe and better to eat
aud warmer to wear, though the
clothes are not fashionable in eithel
pattern or cut, than many poor devi
with wife aud family to starve and lib
erty to walk about the streets looking
for work that cannot be got" That il
is fact; for though the majority are
rightly served by being condemned Il
wear the stripes, and regret more The
being caught than the commission o
the act for which they were convicted
still there are some whom the law anC
not justice has immured behind thes,
walls; and to this latter class imprison
meut has no relieving lights. To many
Of the former, though, so many month,
or few years of pehitentiary life il
hardly more than an intermisslon
graoed by plenty of good, plain, whole
some food, warm blankets, and a free
dom from carking care and timorou
responsibility.
I'm going to get out along mex
May" said man, whose equine at
tachments had Outrun his discretion
"and pm glad haven't got to be fireC
out in winter, or just as the rainy sea
son Is coming on" Exactly. Tha
man, whose hat covers his family
whose sense of shame Is dead or dying
and who looks on life as only desirable
when II can be easily lived, does tn,
butterfly act, and ambles about oil
stolen horses In the brief summer time
aud does not mind the retreat to til,
penitentiary during the cold months 4
particle.
Richardson, who has come to b'
known as the "train wrecker," anC
was sent up from Douglas county fol
eight years has pretty conclusively
shown himself TO be fool II not 4
knave, or both. Up to a few days ago
when he Was put to work in the shops
he has worn an ("0regSn boot. som,
fifteen or sixteen pounds Of iron ia
Reniously fastened 10 one fooD as al
inevitable consequences of his Dragging
about what he was going TO do, and
boasting Of his feats In Jail delivery and