Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-04-15
MAJ. MYERS ELECTED
CHOSEN PRESIDENT OF THE PRISON
ASSOCIATION or VIRGINIA.
Mr.. CASKIE INSISTS ON Withdrawing
His Views on Report of The LeEfs-
Iafivc Investigation Committee
The Laurel RcfOrmatory May Re
IGic-Annuai Election of Officers.
Infivc InvcstiGotin
The Laurel T.

The annual meeting Of the Prison AS
ISOLATION OF Virginia was held in the
blue room Of the Young Mems Christian
Association last night 1t had been ex'
pected that In view of the recent investi-
cation by the Legislative Committee, and
the report which followed It, that several
members of the board would tender their
designations. but the meeting passed OF
without any allusion 10 the report of that
committee, other than that contained in
President Caskie's report. which is given
below.
1t is significant. however, that several
changes have been made in the personnel
Of the board, and Mr.. Caske insisted
upon retiring from the presidency, though
he consented to serve in a subordinate
capacity. There were present at the meet
ing Messrs. James Caskie presidenD,
Major Robert Stiles, John 6. Hsrwood,
Thomas Pondexter T.. b. Addison,
George c. jefferson. S. ". Woodward, j.
w. Cringan, Rev. Il. b. Williams (secre-
tary), and Thomas Potts.
After the reading and adoption OF the
minutes OF the last meeting President
Caskie read his annual report. 1t dealt
at the outset with the situation as re-
CARDS the contract with the manufac-
turing firm that is now operating the
plant at the Laurel RefOrmatory. The
present contract expires i'm about one
months time, and the president insists
upon the necessity Of making arrange
ments to provide suitable employment at
an early date.
THE RECENT INVESTIGATION.
The report contains the following refer
ence TO the recent investigation conduct
ed by the committee of the Legislature:
During last January and February an
investigation Of the management of our
school was had by the Committee on Asy-
lums and Prisons Of the House Of Dele
gates. You are. no doubt. familiar with
most Of the evidence taken by the COM
mittee, as our city newspapers devoted
much space TO it. The report Of the COM
mittee, whilst it was in some respects
disappointing to your board. yet in the
main it was a vindicatlon OF the manage
ment of the association. The committee
I'm the laws relative to the commitment
to our custody of minors by the associa-
ton. As a result OF this recommends
tion. the Legislature passed four acts, all
of which are satisfactory to your board.
except the act of February q. 1898. The
first of the three satisfactory acts pro-
vides that the Governor of the State
shall have the power to pardon any boy
cd 70 re :
refused TO discharge the boy.
"The most onerous and disagreeable
tluty which devolves or your board is
the decision Of applications for the dis
charge Of boys. The grant Of the power
to the Governor 20 act on the application.
which your board has been constrained
10 reject, viii have, We believe. a most
salutary effect in removing a prejudice
existing i'm some minds against our as
ISOLATION, due to the fact that hereto
fore the Governor had not the power
to pardon prisoners committed to us.
whilst he has the power as TO prisoners
committed to the jails and penitentiary
of the State. The second act provides
that no person shall be committed to or
received into our custody, after such per-
son shall have reached the age of Il
years.
SHACKLES VS.. IRON CAGES.
"The testimony taken by the Asylum
and Prison Committee of the House Of
Delegates showed that the use Of chains
on the ankles Of boys, which was SO
distasteful to some persons and as a sub
stituton for which the committee recon-
mended an iron cage or cages. was
limited to boys over II years of age.
These boys are usually committed to
us on account Of serious crimes. are
generally so hardened that The percentage
OF them actually reformed is small. en-
brace practically all the runaways from
the school, and are the disturbing and
disorderly element in the scnool
THE enactment Of a law forbidding us
to receive them should be welcomed bv
us The third act provides. in substance.
that when boy is committed 10 us as a
Vagrant or disOrderly person the court
shall ascertain whether the parent or
guardian is able to support the minor.
and if so, shall order the parent or guar
dian TO pay us, not exceeding s. per
month towards the support of the minor.
"The object Of this act is 10 prevent pa-
rents who desire 10 rid themselves OF
the expense of supporting their children.
and who are able TO support them, from
sending them TO us.
OPPOSED TO THIS LAW.
"The act of February 2S, 1895. which is
the fourth. and last. act and which did
not meet with our approval makes some
very radical changes in the laws Of COM
mitment and custody under which we
formerly acted
Under the old law the period Of deten-
tiOn of a minor committed TO Us was un-
limited. except that he could not be de-
tainsd after he became = years of ace.
The theory of the old law was that re-
formation IS gradual quicker in some
cases than in others. and that If a boy
is TO be reformed he should be kept under
proper discipline until reformation is had
and that the time i'm which this can be
accomplished is necessarily indefinite.
Under our badge system, the avera &c
time OF detention Of the boy who obeyed
the rules of our school is about TWO
years. and if he is detained for a longer
period the cause is to be found I'm his
misconduct. The act Of February 2S 1895
provides that in cases of conviction as
Migrants or disorderly persons the
period of detention shall not exceed
eighteen months; in misdemeanor con-
Visyious. not shorter than two nor Longer
tnan three years, and in felony conyic-
ton not shorter than three nor longer
thdn hve years This act does away with
the indefinite commitment. and substitute
in It's place definite commitment.
GROUNDS OF OBJECTION.
This change is liable to the objection
tnat boy committed for a definite Pc
Rod, and especially IL that period is as
snort as two years may so act that wher
his time Is up no substantial refOrma-
ton has been accomplished. They know
when committed that at a certain time
they must be discharged no matter what