New-York tribune., 1896-01-02

! confinement
persons as provided in the amendment to the Con-
stitutiOn TO obtain certain statistics and informa-
to devise and recommend a system for the employ
ment of convcts in accordance with the constitu-
uona requirements.
PRISON PRODUCTS FOR PRISONS.
The Commission duly appointed July 25.
1885, and thereafter organized and entered upon
the discharge of its duties. 1t has labored, be-
lieva, with intelligence and fidelity, and the full re-
port OF its observations. examinations and recon-
mendations will be submitted for your information.
The Commission finds that former and present sys-
tens of farming the labor of convicts under
contract. and cf manufacturing goods and wares ON
State account for sale in the open market. were
both Improbable to the State. They report that
these methods materially interfered with the busi-
ness of manufacturers and their employees. by dis
turbng the market. and by reducing prices. to the
extent that some similar Industries were injured
seriously or driven from the State altogether. To
remedy these conditions, the Commission will report
a labor for the State and to supply the public in
stutions with the proiucts of prison labor and the
general features OF plan for such employment OF
the convlcts will appear In the report. Iherc mas
adaptable adapted 10 all OF tho prisons the state
prisons are under the control OF the state Supern
Of MANAGERS: the penitentares. county jails AMI
city prisons under the direction or management
logical outcome OF this diversified management was
correspondngly diverse systems or rather methods
more or less detrimental results TO the inmates and
10 the public neIess An nsance OF m f9, hs Is 9un s,ni
there is to be found large number of persons who
committed crimes and were tried and convicted in
other states, but who are actually held here as
"boarders." stipulated rat" per diem. when
is paid by the authorities of the State from which
ment, which has no prison whatever for he , con
eral statutes. keen competition - at present
maintained between the auhorities controliihhg ihs
privilege OF keeping these convcts. who are in all
respects foreign 10 our STATE 49,, -.,,. cam.
Under the authority conferred upon the new tom-
mission 10y tho Constitution. all OF me penal or
Harmonious system A revision OF the existing stat
ues relating to prisons is requisite to ao,omE;,Sn ca,
The commands of the Constitution; lnasmuch az
the employment OF convcts or the sdlc OF W
labor and enterprise OF the general public IS for,
hidden after January l. lSl. 1t Is ncumpen' ph npohh
viii give effect TO the new provisions OF the or
ganIc law The Commission sn9 has sopnmsnd pnpsndd ita DE-"
tailed report and recommendations 10 your 'hous"'-
full attention.
INSANE CRIMINALS AND CAPITAL PUNISH
MENT
There are two other subjects having relation TO
the prison system Of the State which are worthy OF
vour attention and 10 which reference IL here made
with n view OF bringing them directly TO your no.
,ce The OF these is the necessity OF enlarging
the existing accommodations FOR Insane criminals.
The State Hospital at Matieawan. designed ana
built for this class Of inmates. has been occupied
only three years but ii &. found too small for ~
uses The Old asylum Auburn contained only
aP'h a,b canacity for l6 PATIENTS I, already has
55i inmates and With the apid ratio OF Increase WIN
Ton !. under the control OF the superintendent .,
state Prisons. Its inmates compris" ihrrr clA-,r..
viz First persons who adjudg"i 10 have been
insane when they committed crimes. and "np are
therefore legally irresponsible. but ar" coinn''I
10 the institution by the courts for safe cusiody.
ana have become nsanc while undergoing sentence
in the state prisons and poniienlaries Third, per-
the latter class Who's terms 81 oIisinal
sentence have ehpir,i, but VINO are 'r'''"'' De-
cause they stil insane.
II IS urged by the STATE Comnssioners In Lunacy
ana by the Superintendent ~ STAT fr,soh- s'"s
there should. AS a matter OF pubic polcS ana oi
physiological propfey n serr"b9,n ,b,s .n1 %, % a.. wr
AZ with "A view Of relieving the cong"-t"I condition
OF the hospital at Matteawan. recommeni TO your
consideration the erection on The stat laill- "'
Joining the Clinton stat Prison at Dannemora OF
those VINO have served their sentences as II is not
.hI aseep who have not been convic;cI The location
OF this building in the mountain region at panne-
ISOLATION ana security OF the inmates. Th- state
nvns m. renured site and the stone for building.
iacen State lands at the cost of cutting ana haul
Ing, and the work Of constructing sucn amyn,s omns
Of clinton prison BY this plan there would be a
ing employment for the prisoners.
The second branch OF this topic which desire to
house TO bc erected for the confinement and execu
ton OF persons condemned TO death II Is the opn- !
ion OF the wardens Of the State prisons that the
confinement within those prisons Of number OF |
condemned convicts awaiting execution has de |
pressing and injurious effect upon the morale of |
The other prisoners. further important reason |
urged for ihe ereG,on Of such building is ,hat
all the other needed requirements OF such an esab-
nmenf fe cIna hr@ % sets of ec apparans one in
cach of the State prisons. but no one or which has
+" meet possible emergencies accidents So long
capital punishment is sanctioned by the law Of the
fiicting the penalty is believed to be the most !
,.I ipft
certainty privacy and CELEBRITY 1T Is suggested that
nn "nrt Of the state convenient of access by
railway from all other localities.
THE STATE PRISONS TODAY
The Superintendent OF State Prisons will also
give YOU the results OF his experience and observa-
tion in the management OF the three State prisons /
proper He reports that there November
30 ls total of 052 prisoners In the three prisons.
employed IN twenty-five separate industries being
an average of ninety four prisoners to each indus
try The law of 1859, under which labor Is now
been devised. both as to the results attained by the
imposed upon competition with private enterprise
and Industry. Whatever system may be adopted
based upon the principle that the labor on which
the convicts employed is useful and productive
This is necessary to their mental and physical
WEI h@ Ia public Of aSe State ~nnd nnd
everything which they require for use. and which
then in the Judgment OF the Superintendent a sum
cient amount Of work of a desirable kind can be
provided to keep the working force of all the Dris-
ons pcnitentiaries and reformatores employed. But
larger proportion OF the articles required
scnts the product of but ffw trades. and these
trades the burden OF compD ition would probably
fall unfairly II Is important that. In the effort TO
diminish do away with prison labor competi-
tlon. contemplated by the constitutional amend
ment such competition az must necessarily result
be distributed among the largest possible number
OF avocations 1t is manifest nevertheless that
some trades can never be subjected 10 the compeu-
tion Of prison labor
THE CANALS.
The Legislature OF 1895 passed law providing for
submitting the people at the general election In
that year, the proposition TO issue bonds OF the
State not TO exceed nine million OF dollars. for the
,muroyement OF the Ere. the ChamDain and the