Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1911-11-04
WIGHT REPORTS
PRISON FOOD IS
POOR At TIMES
BIames Conditions at Trenton on
Old Kitchen Equipment and
Convict Cooks.

TRENTON, Nov. 4.-Some time age
a complaint was made I" Governor
Wilson By a released prisoner h a the
food supplied at the State prison was
unit FOR use and that other matters al
the State penal institution needed
looking into. Governor Wilson asked
George b. Wight. commissioner of
charities and corrections, to investi-
gate the charges. Mr.. Wight's report
10 the governor follows:
To His Excellency. Governor Wilson.
Sir-I have the honor to submit the
following report of the result of my
inquiries into the complaints concern
ing the food served and certain items
of management in the State prison.
The report has, been un~avoidably de-
Iayed, but | think the facts are as |
shall state them:
The complaint as to the food was
that the meat vas very bad, the
hash sour and the fish rotten.
Fresh meat is furnished by Stein d
t,o.. one of the most reliable Trenton
firms, and is of good quality, clean
and wholesome. The fish served on
Friday comes to The prison Friday
morning, packed in ice, and is served
thai day. | have not been able to find
any evidence of IL being unfit for use.
Ment liz Inspected.
After inspecting the meat in the
storage, questioning the warden, he
supervisor and two other officials, [
summoned half a dozen prisoners from
different corridors and questioped them
~, - H. 1fta1ff ~ hf fhaifs
food. One stated that it was bad
usually, another hat it was OCCASION
ally bad, and others that it was fairly
good, but could be prepared and served
in better manner. There vas a cause
of complaint for a week or two dur
ing the heated spell in July when the
refrigerator, which was old, had to be
repaired. During that time several
mornings the hash was sour, and other
articles of food below the usual grade.
This was explained to the prisoners
personally by the warden, who went to
the different corridors during meal
time and told them hal the refrigera-
tor was out of order, and that for a
few days there might be some difficulty
with the food, but 10 endure it as best
they could and he would make it right
with them subsequently,. BY this he
meant that he would give them extra
allowances as as possible.
Kitchen Is Old.
The kitchen of the prison is old and
with worn out appliances, but the last
session OF the Legislature appro-
priated $4,000 for new equipment, the
contract for which | understand has
been awarded. The cooks are pris-
oners, and ! am satisfied hat much of
the complaint. if valid. is due to. the
inexperience of the cooks and the i'm
adequacy of the equipment to prepare
food for 1,4O0 persons. e
/ respectfully suggest that the board
of Inspectors appoint IL dietician who
can inspect the food as it is brought
to the prison, and who has experience
in its preparation for use, This is be-
ing done with excellent results in q
number of our institutions as a mat
ter Of economy and good service.
The complaint that there are. favored
prisoners who receive u different kind
OF food Is without foundation. The
dietary of the prison, fixed by the board
of inspectors, Fan be changed only by
the order of the house physician. DIR.
Mackenzie, a careful and efficient of
ficer, who assures me that he permits
no change except where the health of
the prisoner in his Judgment makes it
necessary.
One item of complaint was thai the
prisoners do not receive a sufficient
amount of food and were half
starved" During the month of July
$3.50 pounds of fresh beef, 1926 pounds
Of corned beef, 3,469 pounds of mutton,