The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-10-01

Rather severe criticism of certain
conditions which prevail in the Rich
mond City Jail were under considera-
ton yesterday morning BIZ the state
Board of Charities and Correction. The
facts were presented IN q report signed
by the members of the Official visiting
committee previously appointed by the
hoard. and composed of DR.. Moses d.
Hoge. Jr.. Mrs. Kate Peasants Mirror
ana NJ. j. Stratus.
Perhaps the most serious situation
at the Jail is in the lack OF sufficient
food for the prisoners. They are given
breakfast at 1870. dinner at /: go. and
have nothing moro to eat until tbe
next day The committee does not
consider this adequate. The taller Is
allowed is cents per prisoner per dav
Tor FOOD. and II is argued that thi.
should enable him 10 supply three
meals in each twenty-four hours In
this connection II is pointed out that
in the State Penitentiary the food costs
81 cents per day. while in the aims
mouse IT costs II cents per day. and
get three meals.
Horrible Dungeon.
Abolition OF the dungeon in which
refractory prisoners are punished 10
also recomm ended by the visiting com
mittee. 1t Is regarded as unsanitarv
1T is quite impossible" says the re-
port, to condemn this form OF pun
ishment too severely. No amount of
characterization justifes the imperilin p
OF prisoners. health" Besides, 1t IL
pointed out. the silence and utter
scanty food" are likely to combine In
dethroning the prisoners reason.
1t Is also recommended that accurate
records be kept of the crimes commit
ted by each prisoner received.
The report also covers the aims
house, or City Home. Here the mos,
serious conditions are the lack OF ade-
quate employment and the multiple
cation OF maternity. Children born
IN the almshouse. 1t is stated. rarely
remain with their mothers while
many of them are feeble minded.
This report was received and ap-
proved by the State board, of which
the following members were present:
Dr. George II. Denny. president of
Washington and Lee University, chair
man; DR.. Panlus A. Irving and James
Aston Cabell. with Secretary ]. t.
Mastin. The board examined the an
proved its scope and its recommends
lions. 1t will now go to the Governor.
1t was the opinion of the board that
the Richmond jail is far In advance of
most OF such institutions, while City
Sergeant Satterfield was oomplimented.
The report in full Is as follows:
Richmond. Va, September 26. 1s11
To the State Board OF Charities:
Gentlemen. Your committee ap-
pointed to visit the Richmond jail and
almshouss beg to inform you that they
have made their yearly inspection and
have to report es follows:
The Jnil.
The City Jail offers practically the
same problems which last year con-
fronted us. and much then reported
might be repeated in Identical terms
with truth. There still remains the
spectacle OF able-bodied men and wo-
men lounsing behind bars, kept in
idleness and away from the sunshine
and the fresh air. for there is still not
60 much as an inoh OF yard or other
place out of doors where the prisoners
may exercise.
The idleness Is not quite universal,
for the work Of keeping the Jail clean
and of cooking and washing is per-
formed by such OF tho prisoners as can
be used to best advantage. The new
steam laundry fills a long felt want.
and adds materially to the comfort and
sanitary condition of the prisoners.
There is not. as there should, a
place for the isolation of prisoners
suffering from any contagious disease
When the Jail physician discovers, a
case of tuberculosis he generally APP
plies to the Judge of the Hastings
Court for a pardon for the prisoner
and then sends him to the aimshouse
Continued on Fifth Page.)