Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-03-29

I as possible 1t should have members Sc
lected with special reference TO tse!r
familiarity with courts and courts pro-
cedure and with some knowledge OF the
criminal classes.
The conditional pardons act requires
| that the Board Of Directors Of the peniten-
tiary shall report upon the applications
for conditional pardons. Among other
J things It requires them TO say II the APP
plicant is "a 1T person" TO receive Execu-
tive clemency.
That law ought TO be amended so as to
require the Penitentiary Board 10 report
only upon the prison record Of the man.
! The board may refer 10 the records of the
institution and may examine the prison
officers TO ascertain the character OF n
petitioner but outside OF this they have
no means Of knowing whether the appli-
cant Is "a 1t person" upon whom to exer-
else the pardoning power. What they do.
however is 10 write TO the trial judge or
Commonwealth Attorney sometimes
both-for information on the subject.
| Now this latter part Of their work would
! better BE- devolved upon the advisory
board, when created, leaving to tho peni-
Tertiary management the duty Of making
report as to "the prison record" Of the
applicant.
It is with great pleasure the Dispatch
sees growing disposition upon the part
Of the Virginia public to look more care
fully after the welfare of our prison pop
ulation. The Laurel Reformatory was
great step in that direction. The estab-
lishment of the state Farm was another
And the condltonal-pardons act We be-
liove, has had a most beneficial influence
upon the conduct OF the prisoners.
NOW. an organization has been formed 20
do for young negro boys what the Laurel
Reformatory does for young white boys.
This association has already purchased
a farm on the Pamunkey river, near
Hanover Courthouse and is prepared 10
take a number Of boys and subject them
to reformatory discipline. Moreover, they
are promised large contributions by WELL
TODD northern friends, with which TO add
TO their farming lands and erect addi-
tional buildings.
If the experiment they propose TO make
should prove successful a large number
of the tiny negro thieves who are now
sent to our prisons may be committed
hereafter to their hands. We hear that
Governor Tyler looks with favor upon
this scheme, and it has the written en-
d0rscmcnt OF some Of the most prominent
whites Of Richmond and vicinity. The
Governor will probably grant conditional
pardons to several little colored boys who
are now in the penitentiary as soon as he
is satisfied that the Prison Associations
charter and organization are as complete
as is desired.
The charter in question may possibly
be construed by the courts to clothe the
management with all necessary power.
If not. then the association will have to
wait until the General Assembly meets
and ask for legislation on the subject.
The friends Of this reformatory are Of
the opinion that when it is once gotten
upon satisfactory footing, they can
raise great deal Of money for it in the
North.
The colored reformatory would rid our
prisons OF some portion of its juvenile
population ana would give the youngsters
an opportunity to reform, which they
would not have if they were kept in con-
slant association with hardened old
thieves.