Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-04-21
LYNN ON THE PRISON.
THE SUPERINTENDENT SPEAKS OF
Mucu-NEEDED REFORMS.
HOW PRISON ASSOCIATION MAY HELP.
Bixhop Penick Also Speaks-Tbc An
nunI Meeting Of the hoard ana
Election of OGicers-Finnncial
Statement and Results Achieved.

The annual meeting Of the Prison Asso-
citation of Virginia was held in the parlors
Of the Young Mems Christian Association
last night. President Caskie was In the
chair. and the attendance was a large ana
representative one. Bishop Penick and
Major Lynn were visitors at the meeting,
and both were invited to address the as
ISOLATION.
Major Lynn said he had come 10 ask
the sympathy Of the association lot the
work that was being carried on at the
penitentiary. and sympathy also Tor the
prisoners Between five hundred ana SIX
hundred prisoners are received ana as
missed at the pententiary each year.
Something. he urged. should be done 10Y
the men when they are released. Nneh
they leave the gates of the prison they are
often without money. the world turns its
back upon them, and they do not know
where TO go or what to do. The Superin-
tendent Is permitted, at his own dlscfe-
tion. TO give each prisoner a sum OF
money not exceeding So but experience
had shown that more often than not the
money had been spent in dissipation
Sometimes the prisoners leave the pehi-
Tertiary with a considerable sum OF
money. made by working overtime ana
these often fan into the hands OF the us
charged criminals who infest RENTER
tiarv Bottom and arc robbed or every
thing If the association had an agent
TO find out where the prisoners are sohns,
and TO meet them when they come OUT VI
Jail. they might often be started IN the
right direction, instead or coming hope-
lessly TO grief before they have been free
for many hours as they often 90 some
Of the men. continued Major Lynn, nave
spent half their lives in prison, ana when
they are set free ii is like entering new
world. The speaker extended a coruial III
vitatlon to the association to Visit Inc
penitentiary. He was very PROUD, ne
said. of the business part of the lnstltu-
ton. which had been most successful
CHANGES THAT ARE NEEDED.
Major Lynn then dwelt upon the evils
OF the congregate system IN vogue az tne
penitentiary. Another point when MAJOR
LYNN presented to the attention OF the
association was the necessity TOT revision
OF the criminal laws. At present they were
very unfair. He had received man from
one section for eighteen years ior stedI,
ing an old horse. while another man from
a different section came under sentence
OF two years for robbing bank OF thou-
sands The effect was most demorallzlhB.
In conclusion he urged that an .dr,, G,,o y
laws. under which system prisolei
would be made to work out his own Tree
dom by his good behavior.
Mr. Caskie thanked Major Lynn III tht
name of the association. All the items, ne
said. on which the superintendent had
touched were within the scope OF the
objects of the association. They would
no doubt take the matter up, ana fehuer
all the assistance in their power.
BISHOP PENICK'S ADDRESS.
Bishop Penick urged the committee &c
support Major Lynn in his eiLort 10 se'
the convicts out OF the old cell pulldlhs
Until this has been done IL is useless, he
Insisted. to attempt TO accomplish any
thing in the way Of prison reform. nt
association should induce every ihlNistei
OF the Gospel in the State or Virginia &c
acltate the question, and such pressure
should be brought TO bear on the Legisla-
ture that the matter should be reineuleI
I'm reply 10 a question from Major Stiles
Major Lynn stated that the INSTITUTION
would be willing to pay for the improve
ments out of the earnings. III mlsht Ds
necessary. he said, TO sell bonds ehuofseO
by the State, but everything Wouid u
paid for in a very few years ,,,o,
Major Stiles spoke in support OF MAUI
Lynn's suggestions.
ELECTION OF OFFICERS.
The meeting then went into the election
of officers A resolution was adopted tha'
a committee OF three should be nomi
mated TO make recommendations, ana tnt
Chair appointed Messts. hdl Moou, ~. ~
gan. and Poindexter. The committee re
ported the following, which was adopteu
President Mr.. James Caskie; First vice
President. Major Robert Stiles; SeconC
Vice-PresiGent, Mr.. A. II. Christian, Jr
These oficers were all named as eX-oiiiciC
members of the Board of DIRECTORS Whlci
also includes the following: Messrs
Thomas Potts, Virginius Newton, +. 7, ID
MYERS Il. Il. Addison. John Cringan, John
S. Harwood. G. c. Jefferson, Joseph Z
Lamb. II. NJ. Smith, il, j. X: TUCKER
We'll page. Thomas Poindexter, +. Sitter
ding. Is. B. Munford, and 5. NJ. Wood
ward.
THE INSTITUTIONS FINANCES.
Mr.. A. II. Christian then presented th'
following report of the financial status
OF the institution: