The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-01-16
Terrible Crowding Of Convicts Made
Absolutely Necessary.
OFFICIALS ARE 1PoWERLEss.
Cells, Entirely Without Ventilation,
Transformed Into Sitting Dun-
seons, While the Sanitary Cen
ditions are Productive Of
Disease Alone-Some
Startling Figures.

The attention not only of Richmond
but of all Virginia has been called to the
condition of the State prison MeetlhSs
have been held in Richmond and else
where, and there is reason to believe
that at last the people of the State are
fully aroused on the subject, ana are
determined that some prompt acton
shall remove this disgrace from the Iail
name of the Commonwealth
Those who have taken the trouble to
inform themselves believe that a simple
recitation of the facts in the case Is all
that is necessary to insure some action
on the part of the coming Legislature.
The answer they make to those who are
sceptical when told that such things eN-
ist here in Richmond, is simply, Go and
| see.
In connection with this movement there
is no criticism whatever OF the omciais
of the prison. 1t is believed by all that
the administration OF the prison is
conducted with kindness and equity, ana
the superintendent and other of1cers
have been invariably kind, courteous,
and accommodating in facilitating IN
every way a thorough investigation OF
the prison.
! The prison is over-crowded to the last
degree; it's ventilation is awful, or, to pc
more accurate, there is no Ventliatioh'
and it's system of bucket sewerage Is
horrible beyond all possibility OF de-
scription. The authorities make faithful
| efforts at cleanliness. There is a regular
| merry-go-round of whiteWashlnS ana
| scrubbing and cleaning, but the Vernln
| in these hundred year-old walls laugh 10
scorn the scrubbing brush and the "hlte-
| NH 70 r,.ltn
the lesson that he who runs away VIII
| live to fight another day.
CHAMBER OF HORRORS
| A visitor to the penitentiary will proba-
| Div first he taken to inspecta cell MAS
| uring fourteen by six feet. Opposite the
| door of this narrow room will be one
| small window. Against this window two
! hunks are placed one above the other
| and of course across the entire
width of the six foot room, thus
| in a large measure closing TINS
| window for all purposes of Eentila-
| ton and light. Naturally thinking OF
| this as a room for two only. one is sur
| prised to see on the door the names and
| numbers of five or six men. Only a
| second inspection serves to show that
| what seemed to be a low ceiling of the
| room is in reality the bottom of the
| four bunks, which are reached by 4 lad
! der through a narrow central opening
! A broad-shouldered man lying in one of
| these upper or ceiling hunks has hardly
| room to turn over. so close above him is
! the slate ceiling OF the cell.The door or the
| cell is a solid wooden door without graf
| ing or opening, and when locked, as it is
| between P. NJ. and a. NJ, permits
| Of no ventilation. The oil lamps il the
| cells are a curse to the prison as they
| exhaust the little available oxygen in the
! cell long before the night is we'll over
Vic 70 no Ia 2 n
| even more distressing condition Of af-
| fairs. Between twenty and thirty men
| crowded together in horribly venti-
| lated room. one above another, side by
| side, in every conceivable arrangement to
| get the largest number of men in the
| room,
| Go and see it for yourself.
| THE APPEALS.
! At the meeting held Monday afternoon
the following address and petition We're
! adopted:
THE General Assembly of Virginia is
about to convene in extra session. There
| appears TO be some indisposition for it
| to engage in any general legislation, but
| the present condition of the penitentlary
| demands immediate legislative action
| Eleven hundred and eighty-tive male con-
victs are now confined within its walls,
and only 1872 cells are available for their
/ accommodation. It is apparent, there
| fore, that the most provident and humane
distribution OF them can assign TO none
q space adequate 10 the common humani-
/ ties of life. One thousand cubic feet IS
| the minimum estimate of medical scien-
| lists for the requirements of a healthy
| man. In none OF these cases can this
| estimate be approXimated for its inmates.
I'VE are informed that in one ON them
| with four occupants the average space is
| only 120 IL cubic feet, and in the largest
| two-one containing u inmates, it is 1SS
! cubic feet, and the other with % in
mates, it is 116 cubic feet These cells are
| not provided with any of the ordinary
/ convenienceS for the relief of nature, and
I the removal from the atmosphere to
which these convicts are restricted dur
| ing the night of foetid and noXious odors.
1t is almost a miracle that no scourge
| of pestilence has broken out among them
| and spread from them through the city
! all around them. If the penitentiary, in
| its present condition, were private in
| stitution, unprotected by the aegis of the
| Commonwealth, it can scarcely be doubt
| ed that the criminal courts would abate
| it as an intolerable nuisance.
Must this condition continue during the
| approaching summer or any longer than
| is absolutely unavoidable? We are sat
! isfied that the people OF Virginia will say
| No.
I've send you the form of petition to
the General Assembly, which we ask you
| to sign and to get all the good people
| OF your community to unite in.''
THE PETITION.
The form of petition to the Legislature
! is as follows:
| To the General Assembly OF Virginia.:
| Your petitioners would most respect
fully request your Honorable Body at its
ensuing session to make full enquiry in
d;+; of .
the statements set out in the public press
and mad the occasion of reproachful
criticism in and out Of the States be one
half true. they present condition which
imperlously demands immediate and efIi-
I cient action. These statements profess
i to have the sanction Of the best Informed