Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1906-04-13
NO GRAFT IS DISCLOSED
STATE INVESTIGATING COMMITTEE
REPORT TO GOVERNOR.
superintendent Cakes Exonerated and Com.
mended-warden Harpin Severely Cen.
Superintendent Lowell Commended
and Criticised Recommendation

and Criticised Accommodation
The report Of the state investigating com,
mliee ON conditions az the state prison al
Windsor made by n. g. Williams OF Bellows
Falls, ii. r. Brigham Of bakersfield, aud o.
II, \. Stafford OF Worthwhile, to Governor O.
~. Bell, was given 10 the public Monday. II
states that the prison buildings are in fairly
good condition, but recommends some
changes both for healthfulness aud security.
The cells are described and better lighting
and ventilation is recommended Hospital
accommodation is declared TO be unsuitable,
and the erection of a separate building with.
! In the prison yard for the purpose is rec.
commended, The committee also recommend
the maintenance OF a school, in which prison.
ers, especially the younger ones, may be in,
struoted. They lind sanitary conditions about
prison and shops very unsatisfactory, and
recommend new sewerage, closets, etc, with
oil modern sanitary requirements complied
with In connection with same. The guard
walk, wall and gate OF prison yard were
found old and unsafe, but repairs are already
IN progress. Fire protection is generally
good, but standpipe of proper size is rec
commended 10 be put in for fire purposes only
and connected with water main SO that full
pressure Of the water system may be obtained
in the arrangements for heating, fuel, and
engineering.
The report suggests that proper care he
given the prison cemetery, which has not
until recently been done. II strongly con
dennis the arrangement OF rooms in the cen
trail building by which there is nothing to
prevent the guards from communicating with
the female prisoners and employees, II they
are so disposed, This condition of affairs,
II holds, is undoubtedly responsible for the
scandals regarding alleged criminal intimacy
between the guards and female prisoners and
the criminal intimacy between officers and
female employees, as shown by the evidence.
Recommendation is made that the stairway
leading from the officers dining room to the
wardens office be extended or continued to
the women's quarters on the floor above, and
that partition about eight feet long be
erected on the first floor above the guard
room, which will separate the women's de.
partment from the hallway on that floor and
prevent all communication with the womens
department except through the office Of the
warden. This department will not be in
satisfactory condition until provision is made
for the care Of female prisoners in sepa.
rate and distinct institution.
The report also disapproves the arrange.
ment of rooms whereby female prisoners EN-.
through the wash room used by the officers,
thus coming in contact with the guards and
officers.
Miss Durkee, the matron is pronounced
generally conscientious and capable; but is
criticised for having employed her young
niece, Gertrude Kimball, 10, as assistant
matron, having full charge of the female pris-
oners A deplorable scandal with one of the
guards resulted.
Owing to the crowded condition of the
cells, there now being 1S4 prisoners to 1852
cells, it is recommended that the west wing
be extended to the west, that the room thus
provided, also part Of the now unoccupied
space between the cells and the guard room
in said west wing, be utilized for additional
cells, and that in size, sanitary conditions,
and all other respects, the most modern ideas
be adopted.
The committee recommended that the
prison uniform of black and red be changed
to solid gray and that provision be made so
that prisoners may take their meals in one
common dining room and be permitted to
converse during the meals They find the
prisoners at Windsor under good discipline,
treated humanely, and given a sufficient guam.
tity of wholesome food.
As to punishment the committee says:
1--WE find that the usual method of punish
ment of convicts for violation of prison rules
has been confinement in the dark cells, bread
and water being substituted for the regular
prison fare, and no bed furnishings of any
kind, except bucket, provided. We find
corporal punishment to have been very in.
frequently resorted to during Superintendent
Oakes's administration, but were lately in.
formed by Superintendent Lowell that he had
in a large measure substituted this form of
punishment for confinement in the dark cells,
p,b;ob y,,o consider a stem backward and ron.
domn wa racommend that the dark cells
ho ,,roy;ded with sleeping boards elevated at
- ,d and hlonl,at nc ;s the custom in
otbor lilo institutions that corporal punish /
mopt he inflicted only in extreme cases and
,hat tbo rrison diroctors rive ms matter
tbo;r most carefuI attention. in order that no
r.. ,,,a,, croo,, in in This respect''
Tho custom Of reouiring several prisoners
IN take tbe shower hath at the same time,
standing nude in each others presence, is
sS ",lsa,,,s,,d as docrodipo and the use of
booths is recommended. The enactment of
Ivy, ,'.,,,ittinr tho uee of ''trustv' labor
IA" a. -r;oo, ,,aIls AZ suner;ntendent's
,.'.. :; ,.a,,,r,,oordod
~ y. y: I.atoa tba+ since tho first contract
,o ,,,;so,, Iobor with A F. Mann & Co. went
~ affoot about ton wears ago. the prison
,as haor solfssunnortinr As far as known.
az ~ raooiras for ;ts convict labor at
tbo biobast nrice maid TO any state
,or tbo labor Of its convicts which is large.
:, dno ~ tho excellent discipline maintained,
y que 70 tne ~ ~ ~. thrao Golf. snnnort;nr
'hu Is one " .no .hn ITritad st,tos The di.
'tate priSon9 ~ .a,.r,otoJ With Nessrs
,ecluis nv a. +Io hnr If tha prisoners for
NAM wu ~ fve veors Mt co cents per
,ho'iel pe.iu ,t;oot bowover to the add.
i ny per MANI ."n of fonr cents per day per
lohal pay 49, 49,. boi1 ;s nrovidad further
nan u's 80 on+s nov dov nor man if
h hn saent Of the prison shop is given over
ne p"se'ie' nth viii nocessitote the re.
- - tho engine and its installation else