Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-12-12
PARDON SYSTEM WORKS WELL

the annual report of the Board of Di-
rcctors Of tho Virginia penitentiary came
from the printers yesterday There has
been a falling Off IN the receipts of the
perItentiary during the past fiscal year
ended septemhe.- 80. 1892 for reasons
SGT forth in the statements given below
winch arc taken from the report Of the
board, and that of Superintendent G. NJ
Helms
M&rcusc. and Joseph Bryan. constituting
tha board. in summing up the situation at
the pcpftentiary have this to say:
cur net gain at the pententiary was
IS 5G3 s.. against which there is an ap-
parent loss OF Sl.S40.S3 at the farm. We
say apparent because the avoidable lack
O.. cxac.ness Of uniformity in ta..ing in
veGtorles no doubt accounts for no little
OF thc difference comparing the opera ton
al I9I and 1902: besides in 1902 the farm
suffered a loss OF about 5000 by reason
Of frCshets and a memora bic storm of
wind and hail dana ing crops and
buildings In actual cash there remains
10 our credit in the State Treasu for
the fiscal year ending September SO, 1902.
Il.3IDS3.
The increase made by the General
Assembly in the pay Of the officers and
euaras. though well deserved. cuts a con-
7isara5lc figure IN the finances Of the
penitentiary ana farm. footing up 5000
annually.
The increased cost or provisions md
clothing has taxed US to the extent OF
s2$Sl.57; at the same time our earnings
rave been $9,Q4S.92 less than in 1901
Il ~ l,,a
10 two causes. to-wit: In the early spring
The shoe trade beng dull. the shoe con-
tractors put off a number Of hands, which
The superintendent transferred 10 coun-
r. roads. etc; and later on. when wanted
by the contractors. they could not be
recalled. Secondly, We had So less men
IN the prison rolls than in 1901.
SYSTEM WORKS WE'LL.
The conditional pardon system coniin'
ues to work we'll One of its excellent
effects is seen in the reduced number OF
purishments necessary. The act went
into effect on the Sd day Of March 1898.
ana OF the 4s5 convicts thus pardoned
only have been returned 10 this prison
8 wonderfully good showing all agree,
considering the class Of criminals which
comprises most Of our prison population.
AT The end of 1892 we shall relinqush
the lease of the Tucker Farm, across
The river from the State Farm. owing
% the danger of taking prisoners back and
,ortn on q fiatboat and because we be
ieye more profitable work for those hands
ran be found on the new cell building
here.
RECOMMENDATION
I'VE recommend 1ha. upon the reor~ar-
cation contemplated ny the new Consti-
mtion the present estimated value OF the
oenitentiary and Improvements, $s3l,-
f9l ~. and the farm and Improvements.
81. q33 IS be revised; also. that an en-
&rely new inventory or the personal pro
perty at the farm and at the penitentiary
pc made by skilled appraisers This VIII
qlICw the new Organization to start an
entirely fresh set OF books with values
properly fixed.
I'VE also recommend that the law be
changed SO that .he farm shall be charged
only Tith the prisoners furnished it ,Hho
ara useful laborcrs, and that the farm
be credited with the maintenance OF the
Jed-rtGden. crippled, aged and otner
infirm prisoners. II is beyond reason TO
expect tie farm to bear that burden and
nay expenses year in and year out II is
safe TO say that OF the convicts now at
the farm 100 out OF the Z93 have no earn
ing capacity Most OF these, indeed, must
have the daily attention OF the doctor.
and must be fed on hospital diet-facts
which should be weighed when the loss
at The farm is tailen into consideration.
'lf II pe practica bic to do SO, we should
Ike TO the see the fiscal year OF this insti-
,stion changed TO con-orm to the calendar
ysar. Such q change would be beneficial
in nany respects; especially would 1t
enable the officers TO give actual results
Of farm operations instead OF estimates.
nonle Of which are necessarily given upon
srops standing in the field"
FROM MAJOR HELMS'S REPORT.
S-l1erintendent Helms makes special re-
ference TO the decrease at the institution
ana at the farm in the following para
:raphs:
The year has not proven so profitable
10 the institution and farm as we had
reason 10 expect. On account Of the dull
season the shoe company laid off 100 men,
which reduced their rorce to the mini
nun? number allowed under their con-
tract. These men were removed to the
farm. and later On 70 the county ROADS.
Il is true the business of the contractors
revived soon after. and they were anxious
TO take on more men. which we were IN
eble TO furnish.
Statement No l shows a falling of
in the net profits at the institution OF
sI4549S6. which is accounted for by the
increase in the cost OF provisions, S2Ss.-S':
In Iepairs, S1,566.-3; increase in officers
and guards sal aries since the act was
approved, sl.605.32, and the decrease IN
hires, S9,0.3.93. making a total OF ~
602S5 Especial attention is called TO the
fact that. due 10 the several reasons
mentioned, the per capita cost ON mainte
nance has increased from Is ii-lW cents
10 y 40 cents perday-
Statement No. 8 shows a loss at the
farm OF 81, S4O.SS, an apparently large in
crease fer this department. but when