Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-01-13

gerald Of Bath, which was fled Friday
with me Governor and Council, states
that there are some ideas which they
believe should be enacted into sta
tutory laws
One is that the men when com
mitted should have a larger sum OF
money credited to them, especially
those who have families and some OF
their earnings should be paid over TO
the support Of these families" says the
report.
When released a sufficient sum
should be given them, not only 10 con-
veE them 70 tehir homes. but enough
% enable them % secure food and
lodging for short time until they NAV
ind honest employment. AS il is now.
on leaving the prison nearly every
man is penniless. Is il any wonder
that with no helping hand extended 10
him he again seeks his old habits?
AT the commencement OF the prison
year there were confined in the prison
EOS convicts; received during the past
year. ~; discharged at the expiration
OF their sentence. II: paroled BY the
governor and board OF parole. A.; par
doned by the governor and council,
FIVE; committed 10 insane hospital,
six; died, one: escaped, one: returned
from insane hospital, three parole
v,o!ators returned. eight; making a
total remaining in prison al the close
OF the year eli
Your board Of inspectors believe
that the condition OF the prison under
the control OF Warden Waterhouse is
as good as could he expected corsid-
ering the poorly ventilated cells and
wholly inadequate facilities OF so large
an institution. II IS hoped that the in
coming legislature will continue the
work Of remodelling the prison ALREADY
begun. WI refrain from making any
detailed recommendations for extern
sive repairs, as we believe that should
be left wholly to the commission al
ready created for that work.
We are glad to be able 10 state that
in several Of the jails. more effort is
now being made than formerly TO give
prisoners daily exercise in the open
air" say William J. Bradbury Of Saco,
James ". Meserye OF Bars Mills and
John w. Fitzgerald OF Bath, members
of the board o. inspectors of prisons
and jails. in their annual report which
''S-' $780, y 4t4I bi't ES' :! chr ana cOUn-
Gil Friday
1T is pleasing TO be able to report
also that in number Of jails, sugges-
tons which have been made relative 70
improved sanitary conditions have
been acted upon and these have in
volved very little expenditure. but have
added materially 70 the healthfuIness
OF the establishments and 10 the com
fort Of the prisoners" continues the
report.
Improvement is 10 be noted in sor,e
instances. too, in the manner in which
food is served-seeminglv a small mat
ter-but one which has a moral effec.
and which may possibly react favor
ably upon the health of the prisoners
The members Of the board have
made the regular visits to the several
jails in the State during the past vear
as the law directs. and we are Mica sad
TO report that there has been marked
Improvement in discipline and santa
ton.
Several OF the jails have made ex-
tensive repairs, Somerset county hav-
ing expended over $4,000. and is TODAY
one Of the best, if not the best
equipped in the State.
We still believe that some arrange
ment should be made whereby the
small jails, as well az some of the
larger ones, could find suitable en-
ployment for the prisoners In many
OF the jails the number of prisoners is
so small that it would be difficult 10
arrange for employment without add
ing considerably 70 the cost of the
maintenance: but several of our iaiIc
have population sufficiently large to
lead one to feel that the work which
might be done therein would be
economically profitable. That moral
and physical benefit would result 10
those who are employed seems to be so
certain that argument on the point
seems unnecessary"