Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-01-19
NAMES PRISONERS NEED AIR
AND WORK, SAYS PRISON INSPECTOR
MORRILL, -OLD PRISON IS UNShNITARY

There is no doubt in the minds of
many of our people about the prison,
Quit in 1924, being unfit for perna-
nent or temporary home for the wards
OF the State called prisoners.
Humane society has discovered that
prisoners need work: their physical
and moral life demand it. This being
fact 1t is also true that the prison
labor should be applied to the most
healthy and profitable business posi-
BILE
is II not possible under present
conditions as they now exist at Thorn
aston? Everyone who has investigat-
Ga the question says NO.
NO man or woman can visit the pri-
son and say that they are proud as
cltl2ens of Maine on account Of the hu-
name and sanitary conditions of the
prison, or of the chances for reform
ellher morally, mentally, bodily or
financially. No one. ever so capable
can make II profitable or sanitary.
make this statement without fear of
any contradiction from any fair mind
ed person who has ever thought on the
subject with an open mind. If the
PRISON remains where il is and is re-
modelled two cells will Slave to be
made into one This will reduce the
number of cells nearly one-half. as
there are but twelve cells that are
more than four feet wide At least
seVenty-five new cells will have to be
built. The cells are three tiers high
now and another tier. making four
tiers high, would result in Alsfin the
nor. lar ~ In =
cells would be cold
There is no hospital for tubercular
patients. A few cells are set off on-1he
lower corridor for them, and. they as
soclate with the other prisoners Are
the people of Maine willing to stand
for this? Not if they know il and they
are fast finding il out. l was SURPRISED
when / was told al the prison that the
tubercular ward was few cells set off
from end Of the corridor when there
We're patients to fill them. and if not,
then the other prisoners filled Them
when needed.
The blacksmith's shop is veritable
Hell in hot weather. The walls Of the
present prison are as high as the top Of
the shop.
The steam boilers are situated under
the building occupied BY the wood
working department Of the carriage.
trimming, painting and broom SHOPS.
In case the boilers should explode
many lives would be lost. and the peo-
pie Of Maine would be morally reepol-
slble, if not legally SO, especially TO
prisoners serving time less than life
Are good air. light and sanitary con-
6ifiNrS n q, - q. Lev !,
Of life? If so does the State Of Maine
have the moral right or the legal ris,ht
to confine life prisoner where the
rays Of the sun never penetrate as is
now the case in many cells. The short
term prisoner is especially entitled 10
good environments so as 10 enable
him mentally and physically, al least
10 start life anew after he leaves
prison.
am sometimes asked by people who
are naturally in favor of capital pun
ishment, if prisoners do not live long
enough now in Thomastort My reply
is that it would be long enough for me
il sentenced for lfe. as life there now
under present conditions is continuous
living death. Life prisoners confined
in such q place. being in normal con-
dition. ought TO be parolled az the end
Of 20 years, especially, where men are
sentenced Is years for man slaughter
and are parolled in u l-2 years L is
better to have a review on soma of the
old cases
In the spring of 1913 the fun board of
prison Inspectors recommended to the
warden, Frank ]. Ham, that the prs-
oners should be allowed every Satur-
day afternoon TO play baseball. or any
other civil game. The warden complied
with the request and afterwards said
that the men did more work in five
days and half than they formerly did
in six and also did away with the use
of the dungeon almost entirely If a