The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1913-01-07
EVERY STATE
HAS A PRISON
BUT FLORIDA
soy. elLcHRisT, WHO RETlREs
TO-DAY, GIVES BOARD or STATE
INSTITUTIONS THE BENEFIT OF
WHAT He HAS LEARNED AT
CONVENTIONS.
SPECIAL 10 THE JOURNAL


Tallahassee, Jan. Ex-Governor Gill
christ today submitted to the board
Of commissioners of state institutions,
which consists of the entire cabinet.
the following interesting communica-
ton:
Tallahassee. Fla. Jan. s. 1913.
Gentlemen Of the Board of Commits
sioners of State Institutions:
Having attended several Of the
prison congresses and conferences of
governors, deem it only proper to ex-
press TO you some Of the results of my
observations. especially as relating to
the management Of prisoners. In Colo
rado, prisoners are worked on the
roads as well as on farms or in state
penitentiaries. Every stats has a
pepitentiary except Florida. Most OF
them have prison farms. In Georgia
there are two prison farms. When
their prisoners were placed on the
reads by act of the legislature, TWEEN
ty-odd counties refused to work the
prisoners on the roads. They were. Of
course, state prisoners, and naturally
its protest, to take care of them. In
working them on the roads, Georgia
uses the nenagerie cage system-a
large iron cage on four wheels. similar
to those used in travelling menagerie
shows. Little shelves are constructed
ia the cages, the shelves abo2t three
deep, and two prisoners to the shelf
In this way. twelve or more prisoners
are housed in cage about the dimen-
sions of a cage used for a lion or a
tiger in the ordinary nlenageries.
* On Sundays, when / visited the
camp in Georgia, they were sitting
afound on the ground or On a bench,
+ some of them under a canvas awning,
all being Joined together except the
TRUSTEES, by a big chain. This Is the
kind of a system which | understand
the last legislature wanted TO have
adopted in Florida, with this excep-
tion: Florida has no renitentiary or
hospital. Georgia has.
Colorado System Coed.
Whenever the state prisoners are
placed upon the roads, I would recon-
mend the system employed in Colo
RADIO. In Colorado, they have. OF
course, penitentiaries and the neces-
sary hospitals. When the prisoners
dtG HEoI -COuNlOleus aluSy arg sent 10
the penitentiary Under the law, they
have a certain gain time for good
conduct. the law being based upon the
same principle as the present Florida
claw for gain time. II . prisoner con-
Nducts himself properly, he Is pun upon
The roads. They call it, when placing
prisoners on the roads, putting them
on their honor. They are really ap-
plying to the prisoner the great NOV
ing principIe-self-i interest. When they
are placed upon the roads. an addi-
tiona1 gain time is allowed them for
good behavior. Foremen are placed
over them, but no guards. That is
mountainous country, and in some
places the prisoners necessarily would
be sheltered at some particular place
for several weeks or months in con-
siructing mountain roads. In other
places, presume they would use tents
or other easily movable shelters.
Penitsntiary Needed.
Before our prisoners are placed upon
the roads, II will become necessary to
erect a hospital, q penitentiary and
other improvements on the 1900 acres
purchased by the state for a prison
farm in Bradford county. At the
present time, about $4,000 is an
nually received from the hire and lease
Of state prisoners. This amount, less
some incidental expenses, such as the
pay OF inspectors, etc, is paid to the
counties in proportion to their as
sessed valuations. In the payment Of
witnesses and Jurors fees. and in the
! proportional part Of the salaries Of the
judges and state attorneys. a part Of
their salaries being proportional on
account OF criminal prosecutions, the
state pays fully $500 900 year towards
securing these convictions. The money
, necessary to build this hospital and
penftentiary should be paid from the
s34o, 600 fund received. If the legisla-
ture sees ft to place the convicts upon
the roads, suitable arrangements could
be made for the contamination OF such
at the end of the present lease, by
making the proper arrangements for
the erection OF a suitable penitentiary,
hospital for consumptives, and q gen.
eral hospital Or It might be well to
lease the convicts for about two years
longer.
Often Refuse to Work.
In our prison camps. often convicts
refuse TO work. In one state they put
q screen around the cell OF such a
prisoner to prevent him from being
Seen and from being nagged by his
fellow prisoners. Rocks are then
Placed in his cell. Nothing is given
him to eat until the rocks are crushed.
! Rave oeen informed that the rocks
are always crushed in due process OF
time. In other institutions they are
put in a little cell. food being refused.
Sometimes they are made to stand up.
food being refused until they are will
ing to work. OF course. prisoners who
are well enough to work and won't
/ work, must be made to work. or there
viii be no discipline in the peniten-
tiary.
There are fully 1000 patients at the
Florida hospital for the insane, nearly
half or whom are negroes. There are
but few acres, forty or fifty, suit
able for cultivation. Man enjoys bet
ter health. physically ard mentally. If
he can do some work. think 1t
would be well for negro hospital for
=.