Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1893-1895, 1895-11-05
MR. DOWNING REPLIES.
On the Subject Of Furnishing Prison.
ers Clothes.

VI bho oup1oco VI fufnisnlnR Frlbon'
ers Clothes.
ED JoUBNAL:--My attention having
been called to 40 article published In
your paper Of October Slst, headed "a
Story Of Convict" Henry Butler)
who upon being discharged protested
against the quality Of his clothing, and
wherein Mr.. Gilbert. superintendent
Of the Oregon state penitentiary, Ia
made TO say there is no appropriation
TO purchase clothing for released con-
victs, and there is no necessity says
Supt. Gilbert of buying SIS suit for
every released convict, though the pre-.
ceding administration never failed TO
do 30. The above statement is incorrect
and misleading. The legislature Of 1893
passed the following law, found on
page 20, section "a, session laws of 1899
which reads as follows: "The SUPER
intendent Of the penitentiary shall out
Of the foregoing appropriation for
general expenses of said institution pay
to each convict on his discharge at
least IS In money, and shall furnish
him with suit Of clothes worth SIS;
and shall procure transportation for
such discharged convict from Salem to
the place at which be was convicted,
or for an equal distance to any other
place In the state selected by such con-
vict, such payment shall be full COM
pensation for all money credits due or
TO become due such convict for merit
marks, and all acts, or parts of acts In
conflict herewith are hereby repealed" F."
Under the above law the appropriation
for keeping the prisoners and general
expenses Of the penitentiary was in
creased from S37, 900 for the twn pre-
ceding years to $4,000, $44. 7le of
which was used for 1891 and 1892. The
increase was made TO cover the items
mentioned In the law. During the
years Of 1891 and 1897 1 discharged 44o
prisoners, their clothing costing the
state $5.59S,35 or an average cost Of
Sl2 56l each. Each discharged prisoner
received IS, and the transportation for
prisoners cost the state
81. l24.7l and at the end of the term
there remained unexpended Of said
1924. 1t wSs our uni.
Versal custom to give to discharged con
Vlcts suits, or parts of suits, that were
worn In by other prisoners, especially
Il they were ht to be worn on the out
'ide, but when we were compelled TO
purchase full suit, which consisted of
coat, vest, pants, underclothes, shoes,
'ocks, hat, ETC., for such suit we paid
'l5. During the last legislature, and
while the fuance committee (of which
you, Mr.. Editor, was member) was
the appropriations, neces.
airy for the penitentIary for the next $
wo years, the item Of general expense
vas fully discussed and placed at S4s,-
100, which was thought to be sufii S
lent for the keeping of prisoners and {
general expenses OF the penltentiary,
including the IS to each discharged q
prisoner which has always been >
llowed SIS suit Qf he could not be
Itted out with old clotAing) and trans q
Still am informed under c
he present administration that tie a
onvicts are discharged from the peni- Q
entlary without receiving one cent Of
money from the state and no transpor-
alton, but suit of clothes that costs :.
be state on an average OF SO instead a
SIS. @. S. DOWNING, II
Ex.supt. o. s. p. d
Salem, Nov. 4, 1895 D
~ +"
a