Evening journal., 1898-03-11
VISITED NEW CASTLE JAIL
FRIENDS PHIIlANTHROPIC COM
MrTTEE REPORTS CONDITION OF
AFFAIRS THERE.

FRIENDS PTIIIlANTHROPIC COM |
MITrEE REPORTS CONDITION OF
AFFAIRS THERE.
Following Is the report Of the Com
mittee on Philanthropic Labor OF the
Wilmington Monthly Meeting, Of a
visit New Castle JAIL
Three Of the members of Wilmington
Monthly Meetings Committee on Phil
anthropic Labor, visited the prison the
14th of 1st mo-, January last. We
found 157 prisoners in all. Ninety-two
convicted, 20 awaiting trial. There
were As designated as fine and cost
prisoners. or vagrants There are 3S
cells, or rooms, IS by feet, beside two
large rooms for white and colored va
grants or tramps. called bum-cells. We
found 80 persons in the white vagrants'
room, not well ventilated and the air
impure and unhealthy. with very poor
recommendations for sleeping or clean
liness. The smaller cells are for two
persons each, but or are frequently
crowded into them from necessity, and
sometimes or Z. There were 3S pris-
oners whipped at the whipping-pOst
during the year 1897 Thirty-five
tramps were given dinner the day of
our visit. without being required to do
any work as Compensation.
We thought it very impOlitic that
these tramps should be fed without be-
ing required to work, thus encourag-
Ing their shiftless idleness. There is a
store kept in the prison open to all
prisoners, where provisions, vegetables,
tobacco, etc, are sold to any having the
means to buy. No intoxicants are al
lowed, but there Is reason to fear that
strong drink is sometimes smuggled IN
The prisoners do the cooking, and keep
their rooms in order, but have no other
regular employment, which we think
a great cause of decentralization. Some
make toys, which they try to sell
There is no classification of prisoners.
First offenders are put with old and
hardened criminals Our Delaware
prisons are rather schools of vice than
reformatories to uplift and improve
their inmates. The last report of our
Associated Charities says: "Our Jail
system is a constant menace to our.
people, and why our taxpayers have
not long ago risen in revolt against 1t
is difficult to explain. the heroic
efforts which have already been made
are however not in vain and reform
in this direction will surely come"
For years the moral sense of the
best citizens Of Delaware has been
shocked at the condition OF the prison.
ers Of this state, and they have petition
ed and demonstrated and urged, in
their associated capacities, that work
house or penitentiary be built which
would furnish employment for all able
to work, where good ventilation might
be had, and cleanliness and decency en-
forced.
while our Constitutional Conven-
tion was in session, our committee,
with those Of other bodies, made an
earnest endeavor by petition and in
other ways, to get the convention to
take measures for prison reform and
abolishing the whipping-post and pill
lory.' William G. Spruance, one Of the
members, introduced the following:
First. That the General Assembly
shall, as soon as practicable, provide
for the erection and maintenance of a
state penitentiary.
Second. The punishment of crime
by whipping-pOst or pillory shall be
unlawful after the first day Of January.
in the year of our Lord 1902" The CON
vention failed to pass these resolutions
and did nothing in favor Of prison re-
form
AT a meeting OF Delaware Union for
Public Good, held in December. 1896
Mrs. p. Williamson, secretary OF the
Board OF Public Charities Of New Jer-
sey, said. II never saw anything equal
to the horror of New Castle Jail, and ]
have seen the prisons in many states
She classed it as a prison run by pris.
oners and not fit for animals" II is
a great loss to our state, and a great
modification to her best people thai
we continue a penal system so barbar.
Gus and injurious.
We must not grow weary in our en-.
deavors for reformation, though the de
sired Improvement seems long DELAYED
Signed on behalf of the Philanthropi,
Committee of Wilmington Month,
Meeting Of Friends.
David Ferris.
Joseph A. Bond.
Sd Mo-, 9th, 1898
We do not want to put undeservet
blame on Sheriff Finn or those in
charge; under the circumstances tina,
cannot remedy these abuses.