Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-12-23

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| llwlands on the State farm. but to fur
/ nish the farmers Of this section with what
! they need in that line thus giving employ
! ment to our surplus men and boys. Great
| credit il due Mr.. Craven. the manager
! for the interest he has taken in carry
fng out the directions of the Superintend-
ent and your honorable board, and to the
! officers and guards who have been active
and efficient in preventing escapes ana
pushing the work.
| The BUILDINGS have been erected by the
| prisoners with the aid Of one skilled
wood workman employed TO superintend
the carpenter work, and one skilled man
to superintend the stone-work.
THE PENITENTIARY BUILDING.
| feel that | cannot close this report
without calling attention to our ancient
male-cell building here. Built. as 1t was
more than 10O years ago. upon plan
that is now obsolete it is entirely I'M
fitted for our present purposes and needs,
and should be rebuilt. If we are to keep
ND with the spirit of the times. and in
| troduce reformatory measures in our
prison.
DISCIPLINE OF THE PRISON.
The discipline has never been better,
| and has been maintained kindly but
firmly. The laws of Virginia and very
| oronerly. tool allow large discretion TO
! the Superintendent In this matter. and
each case is tried and settled upon its
own merits.
Section No. A53. Code Of Virginia. pro-
vides that a convict guilty of profanity
| indecent behavior, idleness, neglect or
| wilful acknowledgement Of work insubor-
dination. an assault not amounting TO
! fo1 a vito az of the miles
/ prescribed by the Governor. may, under
/ orders Of the Superintendent. subject 10
! the said rules. be punished by lower and
coarser diet, the iron mask or gag soil
| tary confinement in q cell or the dungeon.
or by stripes Under such orders ana
| subject to the said rules. the Superin
| tendent may, when a convict Is charged
with an offence for which he is 10 be
tried under chapters 2o3 and 2g, confine
him in a cell or the dungeon until such
trial.
Section 4lH provides that the Superin-
tendent shall keep a record Of the con-
| duct OF each convict, and for every
month that a convict appears by such
| record to have faithfully observed the
rules and requirements OF the prison.
/ and not to have been subjected to punish
ment. there shall, with the consent Of
/ the Governor. be deducted from the term
/ Of service Of such convict four days.
Section 4l45 provides that he shall sub
nit said record and deduction 20 The
( Governor when required by him. that the
same may be considered in the exercise
/ of such executive clemency in behalf Of
any convict as he may deem conducive
| TO the interest Of the prison and promo
tive of the welfare of the convicts.
| 1t must be remembered that in a great
prison like this we have TO deal with
! lawless men. who have never been sub
( jected 10 discipline, and congregated In
cells where from three TO thirty are
confined in the same room, they would
murder each other if punishment did not
follow a wilful violation Of the rules.
The effort upon the part of certain per-
sons TO critcise the management and
| discipline and to work up antagonism
| TO the institution and destroy its indus
! tries during the session of lS35-95 caused
| a careful inquiry into all of its details
by the LEGISLATURE. The conservatism
and wisdom Of that body was shown by
| their refusal to pass any Of the various
bills introduced affecting its manage
ment.
| There have been no escapes from the
penitentiary during the year, and only
| seven from the farm.
| TRANSPORTATION OF CONvICTS.
| An act. approved January 30 1896, TO
| require the Superintendent 10 send for
| every person sentenced by a court to
| confinement in the penitentary. etc; an
additional act. approved March 4. 1856,
reads as follows:
! Whereas. the present statute imposes
upon the Superintendent of .he State
Prison the duty Of transporting The con-
victs from the various county seats of
! the Commonwealth Of Virginia who have
I been sentenced to "a term in said prison
I by the courts OF said countless; therefore.
be Il enacted by the General Assembly
Of Virginia That said superintendent
of State Prison shall keep a strict ac-
count of all expenditures incurred by
extra-guard- and all other expenses.
such as may be necessary for the safe
delivery Of said conyicts 10 the prison.
and he shall make an annual, itemized
report OF same"
The execution of this law imposes
| great deal of labor and responsibility
upon the Superintendent, without addi-
tional pay: but / am gratihed TO be able
10 show in the itemized report, found in
Statement No. Z. a very material saving
for the seven months OF the fiscal year
that the law has been been I'm operation.
OFFICERS AND GUARDS.
To the sleepess vigilance OF the off,
GERS and guards who have co-operated
with me in enforcing the discipline and
guarding the prison. we are indebted for
the fact that no attempt at mutiny or
| outbreak has occurred. and l hereby COM
mend them for their efficiency.
HEALTH OF THE INSTITUTION.
As you will find in the Surgeons report
both here and at the farm, the health
OF the prisoners is good at this time.
| What threatened at one time In the
| carly summer 10 be an epidemic of ty-
phoid-fever was very promptly arrested.
The discontinuance Of the use OF the
| spring water from the Penitentiary
spring, which flows in our yard. and a
liberal use OF the most powerful disin-
fectants, with the careful and prompt