Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1908-01-18
PEHITENTIARY REPORT
Warden Haddox Says Federal
Prisoners Corrupt Young Men,
FOR STATE BOARD or CONTROL
Lengthy Paper in Which Warden Dis
cusses the Needs Of States
institution.

We're given By Warden G. f. Haddox
OF the West Virginia penitentiary in
his address to the members Of the
joint committee appointed by the last
legislature to Investigate the state
institutions.
Some interesting features are
brought out in the address. The tax
payers are very much interested in
the condition Of the Institutions main
tanned BY the state and they vii all
be pleased to learn OF the conditions
existing at the penitentiary. the one
establishment that requires no APP
preparations for maintenance
The address showed IN itself just
what has been done at the states
penal institutions.
The warden gave interesting stalls
tics showing the improvements made
at the institution since 1902. Since
that time the Institution has been pay
ing its own expenses entirely and I'M
provements and repairs in the sum Of
sos. 309T9 cash cost have been, in
addition to the value Of labor Of which
no itemized account was kept.
Regarding federal prisoners, the
warden SAYS:
We have about 9G3 feheral prison
srs. for whose maintenance we obtain
IS cents per day. and 50 per cent OF
them work in the shops at an aver
age income to us OF 81 cents each per
day. This very materially assists us
financially, although In every other
respect the keeping OF federal pris-
oners here is highly Objectionable.
The total revenue derived from
them is about $4,000 per month. The
extra cost Of maintaining them, i
the food, clothing and medicine they
consume, as all other expenses practi-
eally, are incurred any way.
These items of EXPENSES amount
in this case to about s1700 per month
SO that 5000 per month is the amount
of net profit from their being here,
not counting anything for the officers
or guards salaries. fuel, repairs, 70
expense account. all of which prac-
tically would have TO be incurred
whether the federal prisoners were
here or not. But some time since,
the federal authorities asked us to
take these men at a lower price. In
view of the fact that the actual per
diem cost of running the institution
is SO cents per day, and everythipg
is advancing rapidly In price, we feel
that we could not do so.
They ordered men sent to Trenton,
New Jersey in the future, and are
now figuring on tranferring number
of men from this institution to Attain
Ia where they have federal prisoners.
they have also announced it to be a
policy of theirs not to have over two
hundred men in any one prison at
one time.
They never made contract with
this prison Our people made an Of
fer in 1898, and they have sent men
here ever since. except Tor about one
year. once before when they sent the
men. TO Trenton But they refused to
enter into any contract. and they take
men from here without days rotice,
and we are in continual uncertainty
as towhat they propose TO do.
In every way, except financial one,
federal prisoners. are a great detri-
men$ to the prison. They form dis
tinct class, and in many ways demand
and get different treatment.
There is no parole law affecting
federal prisoners, and since have
been here, but three federal prison
res have been pardoneed. AS result
they have none Of the incentives for
good behavior that are held out to
state men, and give us infinitely more
trouble than all our state men, al
though they number less than one
third of the population.
Eighty per cent. OF them are the
lowest class of negroes found in Wash
ington and are inconceivably vile. or
| the other 20 per cent, larger, num-
Der are professional burglars, porch
climbers, diamond thieves and forgers
who go from city to CITY, round into
Washington for the congressional sea
son and are picked up.
| Many of our prisoners are young
men, who in thoughtIessness, or when
| intoxicated. commit their first crime.
They would, under proper conditions
be redeemable, but associating with
/ thaco da ri opad criminals who glory