Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-01-16

could offer no objection TO this, provided,
however, that it was distinctly understood
that no compensation be paid TO him ior
any service rendered TO the Levy ooure
during the hours Of his services rs work
house guard,
In reference to the other case cited, the
board of trustees had no knowledge what
ever of this until it was brought to their
attention in the Grand Jury room The
board of trustees would under no circum-
! stances authorize or tolerate anything ot
ibe kind had it been within their knowl-
edge that such thing was being done
| APPREHENSION OF ESCAPED PRISONERS.
As to the apprehension of escaped prs
oners as referred to In the report OF the
Grand Jury. the board of trustees state
that undoubtedly notice should be mn
mediatelv given to the proper authorities
including the Police Department OF the
city of Wilmington, State detectives and
county constables, and the warden dls-
tinctlv stated TO us that that was MS
| constant practice.
PHOTOGRAPHS AND FINGER PRINTS
As 10 the allegation in the Grand
/ Jurv's presentment that the warden had
/ made application to the Police Depart
! ment to have the photographs and hnger-
| prints taken of a number OF long term
/ prisoners confined within the workho'ise,
/ the board of trustees desire To STATE IhaI
/ no such application was made 70 ~ pu'
we desire to say that IN 1911 Warden
! Crawford was authorized and instructed
/ 10 D,lrchase complete Photographic
/ eolIinment for this purpose, and that
photographs we're taken by him as long as
h.. remained warden of the institution
" hen he lett the instrument was lett IN
/ the charge of Warden Cross and stun Is
the property of the institution.
The Grand jury in its prcscntmcnt stat
! cd that thev had found that certain long
term prisoners. especially those convicted
of homicide. were allowed entirely too
much freedom without the walls 81 ne
: workhousc We desire to say that Nh,c
/ this practice has been carried on hN me
warden under his authority 10 place men
! at work, and sometimes II has heeh d'he
with the knowledge of the trustees, we be-
/ lievc that the practice should ne diS'oh-
tinued and no longer allowed
In regard to the statement contained IN
The prescntment Of the Grand jury that q
we'll managed prison IS not a palace, nor
parlor. nor is il primarily a place OF ahCs'~
mcnt for convicts, or for making money
out Of their labor, the board desires 7"
say that il docs not know exactly Wha' i
meant bv this reference. We have never
heard Il charged that the workhouse was
palace. a parior. or primarily place lot
the amusement Of conviCts. It IS place
where c0nvicts are compelled to labor III
order. If possible that they may he sell
supporting and the board % truStet'S
believe that thc ConvIcts should !" inAdt'
while under sentence, 20 labor lor '!RlF
s,s+cnancc. No convict Is reformed or
1,
,dlencss In fact. under the act establish
mo the New Castle county workhousc, II Is
tho imperative duty of the trustees q
rlace All persons convicted 81 any crime
ana committed to the custody ot sad
tr1stnes AT labor AZ some suitable employ
mcnt eight hours each secular day unless
phvxicallv disabled, and IN putting these
con,icts NJ labor the board ol trustees
believed II was not only carrying ont the
command placed upon II hy tho act itScti.
but was doing something hat would lnurt
10 the benefit of the conNCts ami the
public generally
HAvr rA1r OH SIS. 600
The trustees hcIng unahIc to furnish
any labor Tor certain classes ot prisoners
within the laIl proper. II became IN M
rseratlve dujv for them 10 provide oppor-
funitv Tar work. and ln order ID DC TINS
the trustees purchased 326 acres ot tarn
Land and equipped them with suitable
buildings Wc also furnished Labor toT
road building, and have az tmcs furnished
labor to the farmers AT their request. ioT
ne harvesting az their croyS when i was
inDossIblc for them 10 secure labor else
where. The employment OF the conucts
al labor in addition to what We have r1-
ccivcd from the Levy Courts Of each
county. has enabled the trustees to pay
Sf52 600 of its bonded Indebtedness, the
interest on its bonds, and 70 pay the entire
cost for the purchase of the farms and e
make improvements thereon; the value
Of the farms now hcinC al least Slo0 600
Notwithstanding hat some prisoners have
escaped while employed on the outside we
believe that il has been for he welfare oi
the institution and the bettarment Of tht
prisoners.
Last wear We paid 10 prisoners as then
share for the compensation q the labor
performed. By them over ST.. 600, which
IN most cases went for the support OF th3l
families
As 10 the matter complained Of in tht
r,resrntrnent that al attorney took 10 Tn
workbouse 500 in new one dollar blil.
Ii