The record-union., 1897-08-28

In the second grade the charge Cor
board, ETC., is % cents per diem, but
the diet is restricted and the rooms are
not so good as in the other two grades.
For his outfit of clothing, etc, upon
entering no charge is made, but when
any part of said outfit is required to
replace what was first given he is
obliged to purchase them.
By good conduct a prisoner after six
months, may earn his promotion to the
upper grade; for bad conduct he may
be reduced to the second, or lowest
grade. After six consecutive months of
good behavior in the upper first grade
he is entitled to his release on parole
He is not under any circumstances pa
rolled under one years residence at the
reformatory, for he is kept in the grade
he enters six months and same length
of time in the grade he is paroled from.
After six months satisfactory conduct
while on parole, the convict is entitled
20 his freedom. To maintain his stand
ing in grade, the prisoner must MAIN
tain credit balance to his account, and
as a cond ton to his release on parole,
he must have accumulated sufficient
money to carry him to his destination,
dnQ fi6I1dy his expenses uf1ll1 lie TS~
ceives his first wages; in a few cases
exceptions are made, for obvious rea-
sons
A few hours after the inmates adj
mission, he is taken before the Gen
eral superintendent, where he is sub
jected to a searching examination of his
whole history; he is questioned closely
as to his parentage, youthful environ
ment, employment, habits ambitions;
whether he has been arrested for minor
crimes lit must not be forgotten that
all criminals sent to Elmira Reforma-
tory are felons), whether any of his an
cestors had been criminals or afflicted
with insanity, or epilepsy, and what was
their vocation
The examination is one of consider
able latitude, and at it's termination, the
superintendent is better able to judge,
as to the mental capacity, moral sus-
ceptibility, and the technical training
required. The convict is given instruc-
tons by the superintendent in detail
as to the system in vogue, with the priv
1iges and restrictions and penalties, in
fact all the workings of the reformatory
are outlined to him.
AAAoNA 0NLAOiio Oh SANCil III IllC plIllicll ,,
elementary and academic branches of
learning. Instruction is given in thirty
four different trades, and during one
year, of the 452 convicts paroled, rs per
cent. obtained employment in the trades
learned in the reformatory. The trade
schools not only instruct and occupy
the inmates, but they are a source of
revenue, for during a single year they
netted the State, over cost of material,
etc, 500, 900. The convicts manifest
considerable interest in acquiring a
trade, and seem to realize the great
benefit of one
The discipline at all times is very
strictly enforced, and in no prison or
reformatory can be found better order.
Every able bodied convict is required to
drill daily. The military is organized
into a regiment of four battalions, each
consisting of four companies, with a
staff and officers. Dress parade is held
daily and regimental drills twice a
week. The men are armed with dummy
guns, weighing five or six pounds.
The following trades are taught: Bak-
ing, barbering, bookbinding, brass-fin
ishing, brass moulding, bricklaying,
cabinet making, carpentry, cooking,
frescoing, hardwood finishing, horse
shoeing, ironmolding, machinists, pho
Biography and etching, plastering,
plumbing, printing, stenography, stone
cutting, tailoring. tinsmit hing, wood
carving and woodworking. The pris-
oners in the upper first grade, eat their
meals in a large dining room, while
those in the other two grades eat in
their cells.
In the upper grade the clothing worn
by the prisoners is a uniform of sky
blue, and those of the lower grade wear
garb of bright red; they have no
sheets on their beds, receive no tea or
coffee, are denied the use of the library,
and labor in the shops, without any in
struction in learning a trade, nor are
they permitted to communicate with
the outside world. To emerge from this
grade a convict is required to earn a
perfect marking for three consecutive
months The time of the inmates is
fully occupied during working hours
and the occupations are varied. They
are awakened daily, except Sundays, at
5:45 a. m. One hour is given for their
morning toilet, cleansing their cells and
eating breakfast. At 6:45 lines are
formed, and the prisoners are marched
to their several occupations, and at
o'clock the work of the day begins. One
hour intermission is given at noon; at
4.15 p. m. all assemble on the parade
ground for drill or dress parade. At 5
| is the supper hour.
On Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday
and Friday evenings, school meetings
are held from $50 to 8, and between s
and $50 Cat which later hour lights are
ouD, they are permitted to study or
read in their cells. Those who perform
domestic labor, or exercise in the gym
nasium in the morning, receive a trades
| instruction in the afternoon. Upon Wed
nesday and Saturday afternoons work
is suspended and four hours are devoted
to drilling and military tactics.
On Saturday the chorus choir of 400
voices rehearse. Lectures on ethics and
| moral philosophy are held on Sunday
J for those in two grades, with religious
services for all in the evening. A very
minute account is kept of every man s
| behavior, his work and school prof.
cheney. A debit and credit account of
marks are kept, and at the end of each
month complete record is sent to each
prisoner, which includes the conduct,
school markings, earnings or losses,
etc.
For the first two weeks in the re-
formatory the convict is placed in the
awkward squad, where he is trained in
military drill, eight hours daily. almost
without interruption, and the discipline
is usually found exceedingly severe.
The Board of Managers sit as a Parole
Court four times a year Notice of such
r,oo+inoc iS given 70 the cnnricfc and