The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-02-12
ON THE PRISON SOUTH
FINDINGS OF THE HOUSE COMMIT
TEE REPORTED YESTERDAY.
Praise of the Management and Recon-.
mendatiOns for Various Inn
prOVements.

Chairman Monyhan. of the Prison South
committee, yesterday filed in the House his
report of the committees investigation of
the Prison South. 1t speaks in very high
terms of the prison management and was
signed by all members of the committee,
Democrats as well as Republicans 1t reads
follows: I'VE find that during the last
few years the number of prisoners con-
fined in the Prison South has increased to
such an extent that it has largely exceeded
the cell capacity of the prison, and at the
present time, in order to accommodate all
who are now confined, large number of
prisoners are compelled to sleep in the cor
ridors. for the reason of there being no
cells to confne them to. The condition of
things is not only an inconvenient one ana
more expensive, but an extremely hazar-
dOuS one.
In the corridors of dollhouse We find
that h1ty-elSht men are compelled, by the
lack OF this cell capacity, TO sleep on cots
arranged along the side of the corridor
and by reason of this they have extend
ed TO them numerous opportunities of con
Versatfon, thereby arranging among them
selves the liberation OF any cell prisoner or
prisoners. With this a great number of
men could not only make an outbreak sue
cessful at any hour, in defiance to ali OPP
position the prison management could mus
ter, but would hazard the lives of every
Tree Ulsln connected Win the prison. his
is, indeed, u deplorable condition that con-
fronts us, and ii demands the immediate
attention of the Legislature of this State
LAS cellhouseS h and G. are very old and
entirely devoid of an ordinary prison ar
rangementS and conveniences, and the SAN
itaTy condition deplorable, there being but
very little light and practically no heat in
the winter and no ventilation, We would
recommend the immediate construction of
Il good, substantial and modern cellhouse
with a capacity of not less than three hun
of cpllhOnSp
repair or extension of it being a waste of
money. and thereby prepare proper and
suitable provision for the care and custody
of the prisoners therein confined.
I'VE find that the only means of sewer
age employed or had in these cellhouSeS,
from the time of their completion, has been
by what is termed the bucket system
Through the practice of this system in this
time all of the great walls of these cell
houses have become contaminated, produc-
ing a result which endangers the health of
all prisoners contained therein. We would
recommend that proper cell closets and
ventilation be introduced in these cell
houses. thereby obtaining proper sanitary
conditions, lesseninsS the liability of prison.
contracting disease and making them
unfit to render the proper service to the
State while confined therein under their
respective sentences.
1.-The committee finds that the cellhouses
and cells have never been provided with
any kind of artificial light except that OBJ
tained from lamps and candles, and 1T rec
ommendS electric light.
NEW CHAPEL ASKED.
I'm our examination of the prison chapel
and schoolroom we find that the chapel
occupies the third floor over the large din
ing room and kitchen, the only means of
ingress or egress being single wooden
stairway, such as would be provided in an
ordinary residence, which is very insecure
and not more than one-fourth OF the ca
pacity absolutely necessary to reach this
chapel with anything like safety. with such
a vast number of prisoners as necessarily
attend these services. The prison school
room occupies the fioor\immediately below
the one used as a chapel, and Is subject
to the same condition as the chapel.
I'VE would recommend in order to make
the trtansfer of the prisoners from the cell
houses to the chapel and schoolroom less
hazardous that the chapel be placed on
the first floor of the building. and. remov-
ing the second floor entirely, place the
schoolrOOm on the floor now occupied by
the chapel. By an arrangement OF this
kind the prison officials Will be able to
reach the school and chapel dlrect from
dollhouse Il. which would give tnem great
relief and reduce expense and hazard of
this chapel and school attendance. by rea-
son of not requiring such great num-
her of guards to remove the prisoners from
one building to another in the open yard.
In our inspection of the prison hospi-
tai were met by an unavoidable con-
dition of affairs, so far as the prison man
agement is concerned, that calls for the
Immediate attention and action of the
State. We find that the room used at
present for hospital. In which all the
sick of the prison are cared for. Is no hos
pital at ALL but rather place wherein con-
tagious disease may find human lives upon
which TO prey. We find the room Is en-
tiro " too small and overcrowded, and that
all classes of patients are crowded into one
room. without any provision for seriously
sick prisoners and devoid of all the nee
essary accommodations, such as an operat-
inL, room. dead room. etc. We also find
that all the sewerage in this prison hos
pital has to be removed by the bucket
system and carried from one end of the
hospital to another. thus rendering the eff
forts of the prison physician less liable TO
success, and in itself very potent factor
in the spread OF disease. We would urge
that the prison MANAGEMENT be ordered to
convert the second story of the old dining
room into a good hospital for the care and
treatment of the sick prisoners of the in
stitution. the first floor TO be used as an
iniirmary."
The committee finds the bakery. laundry
and lighthouses too small and the present
prison power plant antiquated. expensive
and hazardous. A proper bathhouse Is also
found wanting. Three shops, used at pres
ent as a grinding room and machine shop
are considered very old and defective. with