Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-03-01
THE STATE PRISON.
Joint Committees Report on tho Condt-
ton Of the PenitentiaFy.
SEND MORE TO THE FARM.
This Suggested m the Only Possible
Plan for Relieving the Crowded
Discipline Good.

The report of the Joint committee ap-
pointed to inquire into the condition OF
the State Penitentiary was submitted
in the House yesterday afternoon by Mr..
Hathaway, and will be laid before the
Senate tomorrow. Through some mis-
understanding, resulting from the confu-
sion that attends the closing hours OF a
legislative session, the report was hand
ed in before the signatures OF the MEN,
beers of the committee were affixed. The
report reads:
To the General Assembly of Virginia.:
The undersigned. q joint committee or
the General Assembly, appointed from the
Committee on Public Institutions and
Education of the Senate, and the Com
mittee on Asylums and Prisons or tne
House OF Delegates, submit the followirg
report, as required by section 4ll2 of the
Code of Virginia, on the condition or the
penitentiary. After an examination or
the penitentiary, your committee would
report that II Is overcrowded with con-
victs; cells are insufficient to humanelI
not to say comfortably, to place the corr
victs and there is a strong demand 10
have the penitentiary enlarged and give
more cells in which to confine the con-
victs In some cells here are as many
as thirty-odd convicts. 1t should not be
SO, IL possible to prevent. The question
enlarged enlarged lis true the laundry. wash
room, and cook-room are entirely TOO
small and inconvenient. The number
now inside of the walls amounts TO l,Soi
TAKE THEM TO THE FARM.
Your committee cannot now recommend
an expenditure TO. enlarge the bulidlng,
and have more cells, but will recommend
that the Superintendent remove, to the
State farm all convicts not used In the
shoe-factory. tobacco-factory ana what
are absolutely needed inside Of the peni-
Tertiary Your committee Is inlolMe , :.
that there are at least 15O to 200 conVicts
that can be taken to the farm, and can be
cared for and supported as cheaply as In
the penitentiary. There will be an aoso-
lutte necessity in the near future 10 nave
the penitentary enlarged; to that end
your committee would recommend that
the Board of Directors. with the Superln,,
tendent shall have prepared plans ana
specifications and costs OF an addi.ion 10
the same in their report to the Governor,
and through him to the next General AS
sembly, with view OF the next Leglsla-
ture considering the matter.
CONDITION AND DISCIPLINE GOOD.
The interior is neat and clean; the dis,
ciplne is very good. The attention OF
your committee has been called 10 the
made to sections il27 and 4l2S, which con-
tain ample remedy. III any Complaint Is
we'll founded, the Board OF Directors and
superintendent have full power to correct
All grievances, and special attention Is
asked to said sections by said Board OF
Directors ard Superintendent,
Your committee recommends that the
salary OF the Clerk Of the Penitentiary
be Increased to 500, and has presented a
bill to that effect. -
Your committee has presented a bill
amended and re-enacted on February ls.
1892. respecting Moneys Received to be
Deposited in Bank-Eow Paid Out"
Your committee further, recommends
power to suspend guards. and the guards
have the right to appeal to the Board or
Directors and have the matter reviewed
and decided by the board. Your commit.
tee would further cay that the Board or
Directors state that under the, present
system of appointment and discharge or
guards, they cannot learn the exact state
OF AFFAIRS except from tne iHI ~ aInraSs
themselves as TO the arrangement of said
prison, either as relates to food or dis
cipline.
THE STATE FARM.
Your committee wish to further report
that the good Judgment or the last Legis-
lature is plainly shown In the purchase
OF a State farm, and the location and
price reflect much sound judgment and
business sense. II Is In good condition.
and are be pnc w FOR
convicts that are not needed in peniten-
tiary for work.
Your committee would recommend that
arrangements be promptly made TO re-
ceiye the convicts. and they be removed
as soon as possible.
Your committee wish to call special at
tention to the crude and imperfect laws
now In force respecting the pententiary.
These laws have been amended SO fire.
quently that II is difficult to find out ex-
actly the law In some instances. These
laws should be arranged and codified.
Your committee recommends that a
committee of three from the Senate and
three from the House be appointed TO
examine, arrange, codify. and amend the
laws respecting the penitentiary, and
make such further recommendations as
they may deem best. This committee is
authorized to act during the recess OF
the General Assembly. and have authori-
ty to examine the penitentiary and State
farm, and make a report to the next