The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-06-19
A VISIT TO CELLS
And recommendations in
Humanity's Name.
The Death Penalty is Limited to Few
Crimes But Unless These Things are
Done Death May Strike from
Those Walls Themselves.

for your word of encouragement to the
ladies and gentlemen of the Jail I'm
provement Committee who have con-
scientiously at heart the amelioration
of the conditions in Wake county jail
They are not acting from sentiment
but have seen and known whereof
they speak. A committee of ladies
made an inspection, not trusting to
their own judgment, they requested
five prominent citizens to visit the
Jail and give them the benefit of their
deliberate opinion. Members of each
of these committees appeared before
the board of commissioners and elo-
Quently advocated the changes recon-
mendeG>
The Constitution and the statutes
of North Carolina outline humane
treatment Of prisoners, but the inter-
pretaticn of the law is often arbl-
trary.
Section 6. Article XI of the Consti-
tuition says: 1T shall be required by
competent legislation that the struct-
ure and superintendent of penal in
situations of the State. the county
jails. and city police prison, secure the
health and comfort of the prisoners,
and that male and female prisoners
be never confined in the same room
or cell.'t
The Code in furtherance of the Con-
stitutional requirement for proper
buildings. etc.. which are ito secure
the health and comfort of the pris-
oners." goes on to define the duties of
the sheriff to the prisoners as fol-
lows: 1.-The sheriff or keeper of any
Jail shall, every day cleanse the room
of the prison in which any prisoner
shall BET confined. and cause all filth
to be removed therefrom, and shall
also furnish the prisoners a plenty of
good water three times in every day;
and shall find each prisoner fuel, one
pound af wholesome bread, and one
pound CT good roasted or boiled flesh,
and every necessary attendance. -
Sec. 3464, V. 2, of The Code.
In reifard to buildings. section 1865,
" 2, Code, saws: THE Board of Coun-
ty Commissioners, from time to time,
as may be necessary. shall order the
sheriff Of their county to purchase,
for the use of their JAIL a certain num-
Der of good warm blankets or other
suitable bed-clothing, which shall be
securely preserved by the jailer and
FURNISHED to the prisoners for their
use, ana comfort, as the season or 9TH
er circumstances may require, and
the shefiff at least once in every year
shall REPORT to the board of commits
sioners the condition of such blankets
and bed-clothing."
These laws clearly show that the
State expects and intends that prison
ers convicted or merely awaiting trial,
should be well housed and warmed,
be provided with sufficient food. bed
ding arid fresh water for their "com-
fort" and to have "every necessary
attendance" The law does not say
that more may not be allowed. but it
says that this much must be done for
of ,aIr
less under the power of the law.
Crowding, insufficient bedding, want
of ventilation. no facilities for proper
bath and in consequence vermin are
the ex sting conditions in Wake Jail
as repo rted by the committees.
The secretaries of the Board of
Health and of the State Board of
Charities, accompanied these commit
tees and agreed with them in the re-
concentrations made to the board of
commissioners. 1t was said in the
report that six to a cell G1ax11 feet)
or eight for short while with proper
ventilation, would have sufficient
breathing space. The number varies,
of course, high water mark is reached
just before Federal court in the Fall,
when the number has been eighty
more than once. This nearly doubles
the proper number for the capacity of
the present building. The question
was asked at the last meeting of the
board of commissioners: "Mr. Sheriff,
how did the eighty lie DOWN." They
did not lie down." was the response.
The casual visitor will see eight cells
in. the mems prison, four generally
unoccipied. He naturally wonders
why they should be empty and the
other four packed like Sardine boxes
Oh! they are not secure enough for
strong men; they were used by the
women prisoners several years ago,
when men and women. white and
black were confined in the same room
merely sheet iron partitions dividing
the cells. No? then there are virtu-
ally Two cells for white and two for
colorad male prisoners. An average
of 1Q) to 500 annually, 5000 in seven
years, pass through this Jail. The
Constitution limits the death penalty
TO marder, arson, burglary and rape"
Who dare say that many a Wake
county prisoner. the innocent as we'll
as tie guilty has not come out with
the seeds of disease implanted or nur-
tured by term of awaiting trial. in
such an atmosphere? Can we deny
that capital punishment is written
in tie pallor of those hollow cheeks
MeE have passed two years in this
jail without exercise or sunshine
HentorrhageS after attacks of grippe
are not infrequent The four weak
cells should be strengthened or re-
placed by new ones. To put prison
ers in the present cells in the wo-
meifs department is simply inhuman.
We recommend that an annex for
wosaen be built at the north end of
the Jail, that the present rooms used
for the women be turned into bath
rooms. with hot and cold water. That
the Jail be properly heated by furnace
in the winter. that prisoners be re-
quised to battle before entering the
cells and at least once a week there
after, and that arrangements for pro-
PEI! ventilation be made.
We also recommend that a secure
stoekade be erected at one side of the
jais that the prisoners properly guard
ed fbe allowed exercise one at a time
or 'in squads.
The board of commissioners APP
pointed a committee of three to visit |
the Jail. Twenty-Five hammocks were
recommended, some small change in |
tire sewerage system and four round |
trhc to be placed in the cells. We are /
grateful to them for the hammocks. |
i ae tubs fail to meet the desired end |
iri any way. The object of the en-
f,frced bath is to prevent the introduce