The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1910-07-28
WANTS PRISONERS
PLACED AT WORK
Fee System Blamed for Many Defects
In Prison System Of the State
Capital-Deslre Medical In
StructiOns.

r Il II M o N ID, VAS pecia l.
Declaring that the inmates OF the
city Jail should be put to work, that
the fee system Is responsible for main
tanning so many persons in idIeness
that idleness in Jail is conducive to
the spread and teaching of crime
that a farm on which inebriates and
loafers should be made to earn their
living is desired; holding that the city
Jail and the city almshouse are in
excellent condition, that the prison
ers in the jail should be segregated
the women being sent to the old fail
in washington Ward, and the men
Kept In Richmond, and that there
should be some method for determin-
ing who are worthy of admission To
the city almshouse, a committee-Dr
Moses ID. Hoge, Mrs. Kate Peasants
Minor and NJ. ]. Straus-yesterday
State Board of Charities, making
strong recommendations for the cor
rection of the evils named.
The section Of the report dealing
with the prisoners in the Jail is per-
haps most interesting. The condi-
tions there are very good. The COM
mittee would have the time-serving
men and women separated from those
awaiting trial or those held as wit
nesses.
Another interesting phase Is that
which urges that a farm for the en-
plOyment of the drunks, the loafers
the Migrants and the inordinately lazy
and shiftless. The committee believes
that this would result in forcing many
of the men to go to work or else
seek new fields in which to spend
their life in resting and living off OF
those who work for a living. The full
text of the report submitted yester-
day afternoon is as follows:
Rev. j. T. Mastin, Secretary:
Dear Sir.-In compliance with your
request, we have together visited the
Richmond jail and aimshouse, have
questioned both officials and inmates
of these institutions, have observed
for ourselves existing conditions, and
have together discussed the questions
these Investigations have raised.
We now are prepared to report TO
you the conclusions we have reached,
together with some few suggestions
which seem to us pertinent.
We would like to commend both in
stitutions-first, for the scrupulous
cleanliness in both, and, second. for
che courteous consideration we re-
ceived from the officials. We were
given every facility to investigate, our
questions were answered fully and
freely, and il gives us pleasure to eX-
press our cordial endorsement of the
gentlemen in charge of both institu-
tions.
Fattening Jailbirds.
We found the jail not over-full on
the day Of our visit, and were given
to understand that we had chosen a
day which might fairly be ranked as
average.
There was a pen in which were
gathered eleven boys ranging from
eleven to sixteen years, all colored,
some older ones from sixteen to eigh-
teen were gathered on the outside of
the pen and the crowd were all on
intimate terms. Three OF these boys
were brothers and some of them were
awaiting trial, as yet convicted OF no
Of1ense, while others were serving SEN
fences for stealing and other grave
crimes, and still others held as wit
Desses.
They were all without any SEM
blance of employment and free to en-
JOY each others conversation unmo-
Tested, while for those inside the pen
the direct rays of the sun were i'm
possible at any hour of the day and
the prevailing tone was that of dark
and cloudy day. Upstairs there were
cells in which were confined white
men. These were practically private
rooms and here were confined prison
grave nature; but the previous life of
the prisoner. his habits of decency or
cleanliness, led the officials to spare
him the humiliation Of life in a pen,
or even in a corridor.
There was a pen somewhat better
nSnleQ anu OF ldTBST OlIneHSlOnS loI
the cOlored women. These, too, were
without occupation and lounged on
their beds as they watched us; one
withdrew behind a small calico cur
tain, glad of the shelter ii afforded.
An Efficient Matron.
Other women were busily engaged
in washing the steps and floors, but
there were many more idle than busy
ones.
A matron in charge of the women
showed us around. She has superVis-
ion which enables her to enforce per-
sonal cleanliness among her charges.
and it is she who directs their labors
in the cleaning Of the Jail. The rooms
reserved for the hospital are well fur
nished and comfortable. The only oc-
cupant observed there was man well
dressed and suffering from alcohol
ism, an excellent subject for the de-
graduation of the pen, if such a treat
ment can ever have a beneficial eff
feet.
We have outlined the above condi-
lions in order to give point to the con-
illusions here set forth.
There are two absolutely essential
requirements for our city Jail, and
several minor details worthy of care
full consideration.
First. The prisoners need employ
ment. Their idleness is the most fruit
full source of evil that could be de-
Nised if we were striving to create and
perpetuate crime, as wholesome and
steady occupation is the surest pre-
ventiVe Of a second term.
The work on the roads is a most
valuable and simple solution of this
problem for able-bodied men, but as
long as the fee system prevails and
the emolument of the official is made
to depend upon the number of in
mates in the Jail, so long will there
be able-bodied men behind the bars
rather than out in the country air
saving the State in the matter OF their