The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1911-10-26
SURGEON TELLS (
OF PEN HORRORS
Wonderful Change for the Better
Since the Year 1000-Surgeon
Took Firm Stand at the
Start and Main
tanned It.


geon of the Virginia penitentiary,
who was defeated for reelection
by DIR. Herbert Mann, nephew OF
the Governor, has just completed
his twelfth and last annual re-
port, which is addressed 10 the
directors OF the prison.
In this communication the re-
firing surgeon conveys much val
liable Information as TO tho treat
ment, past and present, OF the
convtctS at the penitentiary,
though the report IL written dis
paSsionsteIy and contains no ref
c-encc to DR.. Carrington's recent
fight.
Here is the report:
Richmond, Va. Sept. 30, 1911.
To the Board of Directors of the yir-
ginia Penitentiary:
Gentlemen,-I hand you herewith
my twelfth and last annual report.
AS no one OF the present board OF d.
rectors was connected with the fnsti-
tuition when Governor Tyler appoint
ed me surgeon in 1900, and as q ma
jority of this board have only been
in office comparatively short time,
think 1t is proper in this, my last,
report TO you to give an account OF
my stewardship since 1900.
The daily average number of men
in the penitentiary in 1900 was 1,2I7
these We're crowded into 192 cells.
They were badly fed, improperly
clothed, and the barrel and the
AetSAls the ClUD ana the cross held
high carnival. Brutality reigned SUI
Dreme. Anything is good enough for
a convict" was the motto of the place.
The board of directors in 1900 and
early 1901 supplied flannel shirts TO
every convict. This was an expensive
innovation and was bitterly fought by
the then authorities. Previous to this
time flannels had only been issued to
very limited favored few. Pneu-
moDia and lung complications was the
order of the day.
Allowed Brutal Guard to RESIGN.
In early 1901 the board permitted
brutal guard Ito resign" and go
home. This man had SO brutal1y beat
en- a poor negro that for a time he
was necessarily confined to the hos
pital until the cuts from the lash on
his bare back had healed, these cuts
being two and one-half inches by two
inches wide in some places. The au-
thorities supported this guard to the
last ditch. and it was necessary for
the board to take action before he
concluded to resign" Every cause
has TO have it's martyr, and the brutal
beating this poor negro got demon
strated the fact beyond the peradven-
ture Of doubt that the surgeon
that became brutal or were injurious
to health
IL would never do for the sur
geon TO undertake to manage the
discipline OF n prison-that is
the peculiar province OF the SUI
perintcndent-but the surgeon
should Interfere with an iron
hand whenever discipline be-
comes brutal and hurtful TO
health have, without excep-
ton, while surgeon OF the peni-
tertiary, brought every instance
] OF brutality coming under my OBJ
Servatton to the attention of the
then superintendent, either I'm
writing or verbally, and have fol-
lowed each case TO = termina-
In 1900. I am informed. the con-
victs were fed three CD meals day.
for five cents or a little less each
per day. The quality. variety and
mode of preparation of their food has
.teadily improved from that time. and
now, in 1911, we are feeding three
meals day at about ten cents each
rer day. and in my hospital men are
feeding at about sixteen cents each
per day.
Overcrowded Cells.
The most horrible thing about the
peniteutlary In 1900 was the over
crowded condition of the cells-Qver
]. 200 men in 1872 cells. A majority
of these cells not as large as an or
dirary hall bed room. Good men
and better women had been praying
and working over some scheme to re-
lieve these fearful. overcrowded con-
ditions for sometime. In February
1901, the Penitentiary Commission
consisting Of DIR. George M. LeCato
ID. @. Eggleston. S. NJ. Newhouse and
A S. Priddy were appointed by the
| Legislature Ito investigate the over
crowded condition at the penitentiary;
to suggest the best and most avail
able means for remedying the same
and report to the next General AS
sembly."
This commission, after due deliber-
alton and exhaustive investigation
reported: 'As to the overcrowdeo
condition of the Virginia State peni-
Tertiary. there can be but one verdict
The condition is almost inconceivabls
to the human mind. and it would bt
difficult. indeed. to conceive of any
penal institution being permitted &c
continue under such intolerable con.
ditions. Visitors from all parts of the
icountry-from Florida to Maine
have turned away from the contem
plation of it's siclSening horrors IL
wonder and amazement that the Stat,
continuance of such dreadful condi
tons. We can no better describe {
part of it's horrors than in quoting
from the penitentiary surgeon DR.
dress made last year before the Rich
mond Academy of Medicine and Sur
gerry, on the unsanitary condition o
the Virginia penitentiary, Said"-ant
then the commission were kline
enough to take my paper and incor
porate it verbatim into their report
> and closed by recommending an,
lighting for the necessary funds from
the next Legislature with which t
build our splendid sanitary, well-ven
} tilated and up-to-date new prison
building, containing it's 334 steel cells
! with every proper sewerage. waite
and light facility.
Check on Accusing Guards.
In 1905 the directors did q SIM
. pie, but very splendid, thing for
the betterment Of the cOnvicts.
An order was issued that in fu-
Z ture "the accusing guard should
not be the one to administer the
h whipping TO the convict
II About this time another excelleT
: order was issued-viz.; That any cor
e Wet who had any money with hin
: within the walls. could turn it in fC
{, his own credit without any prelude
d 10 himself. Previous to this time,
: any convict was caught with an
e money. he was whipped and the none
III Cd