The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-01-29
TIE s TATE PRISON.
Annual Report for 1896
Submitted to the
Governor.
DAILY AVERAGE 1000
Only Thirteen Deaths-Large Per-
centage of Idle Prisoners
Fifteen Insane.

Fifteen Insane.
Special TO the jersey CitH Neac&.
TRENTON. Jan. %, lSs7.-The annual re-
port of the New Jersey State Prison for
1896 has just been submitted to the Gov
ernor. 1t shows the number of prisoners
confined in the prison at the close Of the
fiscal year to have been 1,023, Of whom
99S were males and 30 females. This is
46 more than the number at the begin
ming Of the year. Although the population
of the prison has not been at any one
time as great as on some occasions in
the preceding year., the daily average
number of prisoners has been greater in
the past year than ever before in the his
tory of the prison, excepting in the year
1884, when the daily average was 1,Oo4.
The daily average for the past year was
LOCO as against an average in the year
1896 of 1882.
deaths. Eight of these were caused by
pulmonary consumption, two by heart dis
ease, and one each by cancer, suicide and
pernicious anaemia.
The total cost of maintaining the pris-
On during the year was $751; 1856. so, being
but $14s.35 more than the sum expended
for this purpose last year, notwithstand-
ing the increased number of prisoners.
The per capita cost of maintenance was
s0.2O64. as against $O.2243 in the proceed
ing year. the reduction being wholly due
to the lower prices paid for supplies.
The total expenditures for all purposes
connected with the prison during the year
have amounted to SIZE, 221.4s, a decrease
with the preceding year of
The expenditures were as follows:
Furniture and repairs 7. -. Ali 81
Furniture and appliances for
new wing and hospttal...... Ally 81
salaries LAR of deputies and minor
Salaries Of executive Officers and ss'S0S .
Paid to convicts upon their dis. '''0o "
charge. /. /. >. -. =. 1,3OS so
Dsducting from this sum-, cash receipts
A4f 4SS.9l, the entire cost of the prison
for the year has been $127, 73l.5s. The cash
receipts were moneys received for sup
"a rnin or Unated states prisoners. prison
The number of prisoners received dur
mag mgle she any yea e Vas Is so, of whom Az were
We're removed to the insane asylums dur
ing the veal, and 429 were either dis
ci He Z Or paroled:
toucheS on labor at the prison In the
following way
y has been impossible to employ all of
the convicts, owing to the depressed fnan-
cial and Industrial condition which has
prevailed. About one-fifth of the inmates
81 the prison have been idle during a
iarge part OF the year. This enforced idle
stant TABOR is an important factor in the
Reformation OF the convict, and employ
mens should be found for them, especially
py the convictS themselves.
II is a fact of common observation
that those who lave labored continuously
during their term are more self-reliant
and better equipped in body and mind to
begin a new life when they are discharged.
Exactly the reverse prevails in the case
o W;tb bnose w VINO during confinement are
become insane; they leave the prison with
a logged and defiant spirit; they become
moody and desperate and mentally weak
ened, and are more likely to fall into their
old ways and to be returned to the prison
Tor some new offense than are those who
have improved thmselves in body and
mind by constant labor.
In it's efforts to bring about the refor-
NATION of the criminal there rests upon
the state a further obligation which
should not be overlooked.
Many who have been led by tempta-
ton and association to commit their first
crime: and have suffered Imprisonment
therefor, ave the prison thoroughly re-
pentant and anxious and willing to lead
a new life. In many cases, with health
broken and hope almost gone, they are
nearly bankrupt in character and in
means. They are discharged with funds
to their homes, with one suit of clothing
and are branded with the stigma of a
prison life.
They y hesitate to appeal for help to
Inelf OLD Gn1Iq1ntQnnnC kIs, IL
period IN the history Of their lives, and In
this the hour of their greatest need. with
ai mo every avenue Of employment
that SO many weaken n succumb to
temptation. At this juncture the aid Of
the State could be most wisely extended.
ana 70 That END It is well to consider
humane policy for the State to appoint
tnrougn the proper agency, some compe-
ten person. whose duty it should be.
thropic societies, 10 ~acquaint himself with
the character and tendencies of the ner-
sons who are about to be discharged. and
ron Inns NUMBER select such as show
employment n visit and watch over and
encourage them after their discharge.
Ihe state, IN the employment of such
an agency. would be more than compen-
stated IN the savings which would result
from the decreased number of arrests.
trials and irnprtsonments."
" those now ncarcerated In the State
prison, six are there for their natural
life, one is serving a 40 years sentence.
Two "a years sentences, two are in for 80
years, two for rs years, two for 81 years
"a for 20 years, 80 for Is years and 100 for
IL years. There are 165 serving FIVE wear
sentences. Three hundred and sixty-
eight OF the prisoners are native Jersey
men, while 14l come from New York.
There is n Cuban and two Mexicans
among the felons. Germany has 81 sons
IN Keeper Moore's charge, Ireland has so.
Italy AZ, England 80. Scotland Holland and
switzerland 8 each, France s, Austria S
and Switzerland one. Russia has ten rep
resentatives, hungary two. Poland two
Greece three, Belgium three, and there is
one each from the West Indies, Cape Col
ony East Indies, Wales, New Foundland.
Panama, Australia, Denmark and Cane
Deverdy Island. Eight hundred and fftv-
nine prisoners can read and write; 122 can
neither read nor write; 40 can read only.
and there are two who can give their auto
graphs-nothing more.
The question of visitors to the prison is
one which has from time to time engaged
the serious attention of the Prison Board.
The number o: visitors, impelled by idle
curiosity, has Increased to such an extent
that a number of deputies are REQUIRED to
be on duty for the purpose of showing
them through the institutions. The result
is, Increased expense to the State. disturb
ance of the prisoners minds to the detri-
meht of discipline and a marked decrease
in the production of the prison shops. In
some States visitors are entirely excluded.
while in others an admission fee Is
charged, the proceeds being appropriated