The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-02-14


in the Indiana penitentiaries than ever
before in the history of the institutions.
Secretary Bicknell of the state board of
charities has just returned with a COM
mittee of the board from a visit TO the
northern prison. Eight hundred and
eighty-six prisoners are now confined
there and the number is on the increase.
The southern prison has about $50. The
secretary was puzzled to account for this
increase. The hard times may have had
some effect, but ii is a fact that the ma
jority OF the commitments are old-timers
men whose faces are familiar to the
officers Of the prison. having served pre-
vious terms. Still the hard times may
have figured in their return. Men who
have always been above suspicion find it
hard matter now to secure employment
and thousands in this and other states
are idle. Under these conditions ii is
doubly difficult for an eX-convict, no mat
ter what his intentions regarding his fu-
ture life may be, to obtain work of any
kind. This may have been a reason for
many returning to their old habits and
mode of living who would, under better
conditions, have become good citizens.
The natural increase in the population
also causes a proportionate increase in
crime
The committee of the board of charities
was much pleased with the progress of
the Improvements in the northern prison.
The new dining-roOm has been COM
pleted and is a substantial and well-con-
structed building. 1t is two stories in
hight, the upper story being designed. as
was the old structure, for the chapel.
Work on this part is still on-that is,
in the interior. The external part is
completed, but the inside is just being
finished and furnished. The new hos
pital is also about completed.
The prison now has an ample water
supply and an excellent protection
against fire. Heretofore there was prac-
tically no safeguard against fire and the
fires which the prison has had have
proved destructive. A water-works plant,
such as would be used in small town,
has been put in. 1t has a stand-pipe
122 feet high, two large pumps and
thorough system of mains and hydrants
with equipments for fire protection. The
water comes from driven wells and is
pure.
Mr.. Bcknen talked with a number of
Indianapolis prisoners, among them
Lemon E. Reinhold, a man who was at
one time quite we'll known in this city
as Constable Reinhold. He was at one
time employed on the People and after
ward practiced law among the justices
Of the peace. He was sent up for seven
years for burglary, for entering the res
idence of Hilton L. Brown of the News
He Is employed in the wooden mill. is
a good prisoner and will get the benefit
OF I'll his good time. He is in excellent
health and has increased twenty-five
pounds since his confinement. He
talked cheerfully Of his condition.
The committee also visited the northern
hospital for the insane at Logansport.
Here improvements are also noted. The
last legislature appropriated $4,000 for
the erection of a new assembly hall in
the institution and this has been COM
pleted. The state is divided into four
districts for the care of the insane It
was the intention at the time the dis
trictS were made that they should be in
size proportionate TO the capacity of the
four institutions. but 1t soon became evil
dent that the northern hospital had more
territory than 1t could accommodate and
this appropriation was made, not be
cause the assembly hall was particularly
needed, but i'm order to increase the ca
pacity Of the hospital. The institution
Is erected on the cottage plan, there be-
ing number of buildings, each of which
has it's dining room One large building
contains the kitchen and the assembly
room above il. This old assembly room
will now be used as a dining room and
the old dining rooms will be turned into
dOrmitOrieS, thus increasing the capacity
of the asylum by about one hundred
lAdhitB the capacity Slli lolQ ABOUT nNe
| hundred and twenty-five. This places
this institution on an equal comparative
basis with the others i'm the state
While there the secretary was at
tracted by the peculiar mania Of the
man Collins. who was recently adjudged
insane at Delphi on account Of some
threatening letters which he wrote to
Governor Matthews. He is apparently
intelligent and well-balanced upon all
subjects but the one which caused his
commitment-he saws there Is an invisi-
BILE but all-powerful electrical influence
which people in high authority are able
to exercise over any one they may see
fit He thinks Governor Matthews is
exercising this power over him. and that
he is unable to resist IL. II is his con-
trolling pow r and he cannot escape il.
Why" he said. Didn't IL compel me
10 mort gage my farm a short time ago
I did not want to mortgage it, but this
| influence. welded by the governor. COM
manded me aud could do nothing else"
The secretary told him that many phv-
scians have studied the very subject
| and all had come TO the conclusion that
| there was no such power as he claimed
was being exercised upon him We'll
| young man. he replied. the physicians
| don't know. / have studied this thing
! for four years and | know more about n
than any other living man" on other
| subjects the man seemed perfectly
rational
| The members Of the committee re-
| turned 60 the cityW ednesday well pleased
with the condition of the two institu-
] tons visited.