The daily morning journal and courier., 1895-02-06
THE PRISON INVESTIGATION
DIRECTORS TOTE TO SUSTAIN THE
 MANAGEMENT.

Testimony as to Food and Treatment of the
 Prisoners-Various Prison Officials Tes-
 tifys
 Hartford, Feb. 5-The board of direc- tors of the Connecticut state prison met i'll the warden's office of the prison this forenoon, in pursuance of the call issued by President Bollmann Saturday, to in- vestigate the charges made by pr. Ira cy, president of the state board of char tiles. There were present President Bollmann and Directors Chapin, Law ton, Spencer and Chittenden, Messrs. Sumner of Hartford and Sanford of Simsbury being unable to attend.
 MT. Bollmann explained the object of the meeting, as in the nature of an in- vestigation.
 Warden Woodbridge was called and said that he purchased all the food for the prison himself. The meat was ad- vertised for bids and bought under con- tract, while the other articles were bought in open market.
 Has there been improvement i'm food?" asked President Bollmann.
 Yes. I raised three and one-half acres of corn and one and one-half acres of tomatoes. Butter we now have, and we give them bread pudding, and the bread is very seldom that which has been left over by the prisoners. There is not g. day but that I see at least one meal served, have never seen any un- clean food. All refuse Is sent to swill- pen. We have given the prisoners boil- ed corn two and three times week and raw onions have been placed in their cells; also carrots and turnips. We have also given them sugar and milk in tea and coffee"
 If man should say he hadn't enough to eat, what would you do?"
 Give him extra rations. Men doing heavy work and men of unusually heavy appetites have extra rations."
 Has there, in the past year and q half, been an instance of bodily punish- ment?'
 No I suspended one officer for thir- ty days for skipping a prisoners face. That is the only instance"
 President Bollmann then carefully went through the punishment record book.
 Regarding fish rations, the warden oetlu IlS tldu OOu6uI dlGW4NCO WACUCNtE he could One week the prisoners have baked salt mackerel, again salmon, again fish chowder etc. There is over seven tons of fish and twenty eight tons of fresh meat furnished the prisoners in twelve months.
 Tn reply to a question the warden said that many discharged prisoners had come to him and thanked him for the in the food supply.
 The warden then exhibited a break- fast, dinner and supper ration taken from yesterdays tables. The food was generous.
 A recess was taken for dinner, after which Warden Woodbridge took the stand. Major Spencer asked him about the quality of the clothing given dis charged prisoners. The warden said that when a prisoner was liberated he was given a complete new suit of clothes from underclothes to hat, where as the former warden used to purchase clothes. He further stated that the "outside gang" were given rub- 2 Der boots and thick woolen overcoats.
 pr. Edward G. Fox, prison physician since September, 1S91 was then called and stated that he had never had single complaint regarding the man. agement of the prison or the treatment 1f the prisoners.
 William D. De Blois, employed for ,ver forty years as overseer at the prison. said the only improvement that ne could suggest was to give the pris- ners less leniency. Many If the pris' ,nars have the idea Lhar the warden
 {eI, nent and ofter threaten that if they ire punished they will write to the ,tate board of charities. Secretary Taylor of the Prisoners Aid society gave his testimony unsolicited He ;aid that he had been favorably inn pressed with the management of the prison from confidential talks with dis charged prisoners.
 Deputy Warden Baisden testified hat the prison was never better man. tgcd Chaplain Moses also said the management was good.
 John c, Hughes, the night watchman, estified that he heard very few com- ,laints. The directors decided not to all in prisoners to testify, as it wolld ause disaffection among them. They lnally decided to pass the following 
 Voted, That from the knowledge we lad of the management of the affairs f this prison and from the evidence ve have heard to-day we believe that he reported complaints of the discharg- d prisoners, Ives and Hines, are wholly without foundation and that we have 10 fault to find with the management f this institution.