ONE HUNDRED AND FOURTEENTH
ANNUAL REPORT
1787. OF 1901.
“THE PENNSYLVANIA PRISON SOCIETY.”
In the beginning of this Twentieth Century the public mind seems to
have given more thought to the reformation of the prisoner, and his
care after he goes out, rather than to the security of bolts and bars
to hold him for the limited time. The march of progress is to treat him
more like a man capable of being partially educated and taught some
craft that he may follow when the sentence is ended or when paroled.
To this end, the statute law of our Commonwealth allowing only a
small per centage of convicts to be employed, has been a drawback to
progress, until all the Boards of Inspectors and Wardens (influenced
by public opinion) have had the courage to use their better judgment.
Convicts in our penitentiaries should, if physically able, be required
to labor, both on the grounds of health, and of sound public policy,
and such labor should as far as practicable, be such as will aid in
paying the entire cost of their keeping. Military discipline and prison
discipline--and still more, prison science--are essentially unlike, for
one deals with men in the mass, while the other individualizes to the
finest possible point.
Thirty-five years ago there was almost a complete indifference in the
public mind concerning the reformation of prisoners, but now, the
progress of the times seems to be fast changing sentiment, and leading
onward to the requirements of a stated law making our penitentiaries
more of a reformatory nature; prisoners classified, merit of grades,
and employment in manual work for health. No doubt many of our prisons
and county jails would require inexpensive additional buildings for
reformatory plans; this would give work for many of the convicts under
proper direction. It may be said that at the Eastern Penitentiary there
is no room for additional buildings; but where there is a will, a way
is generally found, though the space might be a little cramped and
exclude a part of the current of air over the roofs of the present
plant.
THE EASTERN PENITENTIARY has at this date, January 1st, 1,115 prisoners
in 750 cells, which cells are intended for one prisoner each. So we
see how our long-cherished cellular or separate system of Pennsylvania
(still on the statute book) is fast passing into the congregate, though
all foreign countries are even now following our former plan as the
best.
Our prison Wardens, Chaplains, and Official Visitors by their oft
personal visitations in the cells, have done faithful work endeavoring
to reform the morals of the men, but after all, only a small percentage
can be determined as really reformed from crooked ways, for many return
a second or more times. Much of the kindly suggestions and godly
teachings are lost to the official visitor by having to address two or
more in a cell at one time, at the Eastern Penitentiary. Therefore, the
sooner we arrive at the introduction of the Reformatory System, (known
as such) and applied to all our penal institutions, the more hopeful
for all our charges and benefit to the community in general.
The Reformatory System has four main principles as established in
Massachusetts. 1st. Classification and advancement by merit. 2nd.
Education and Sloyd work. 3rd. Trades and manual training. 4th. Parole
and care of those discharged.
This State has not yet introduced a Parole System, though such a law
has twice been passed by the Legislature and vetoed by different
Governors. At the beginning of this century, the bill appears for the
third time, but it is not intended to affect those now in custody.
An Indeterminate sentence law is still a future possibility of the new
century. At the last National Prison Congress of Wardens and State
Delegates held at Cleveland, Ohio, Sept. 1900, the Indeterminate
Sentence System, was unanimously recommended.
The Official State delegates of this Prison Society present at that
Congress were, Mrs. Deborah C. Leeds, John J. Lytle, and Rev. R. Heber
Barnes, whose report will be found further on.
The matter of a House of Detention, for our first-class cities,
juvenile prisoners between 8 and 16 years, has made but little
progress, and it still awaits consent to appropriate one of our unused
school-houses for that purpose.
The inequality of sentences often come to the knowledge of the Acting
or Visiting Committee, both at the Penitentiary and the County Prison;
and we often wonder that our Judges do not adopt some uniform length
of sentences, especially for first imprisonments for minor offences.
The Acting Committee of 50 of this Society, and who are official
visitors to the Eastern Penitentiary and County Prison and annex, have
been untiring in their efforts to reform those whom they have visited
in their cells. The monthly reports show that members of the Visiting
Committee have made the past year 731 visits to prisoners at the
Eastern Penitentiary on 15,616 prisoners, and at the County Prison and
Convict Dept. Holmesburg, 848 visits to 6,191 prisoners.
Our female members visit the female prisoners in both institutions.
Kind-hearted willing souls are found among the subscribers of our
Society, who are willing to freely give and have spent their time and
money for the recovery of those who have stumbled and fallen. What we
need most is a classification of prisoners, that all may be employed in
some work, and a merit system. The nearest approach to a merit system
now is a shortened term or commutation for good behavior, and every man
receives his pardon from the Governor which restores him to citizenship.
Eastern Penitentiary Board of Inspectors have done wisely in the
sanitary improvements of the institution the past year, under the
direction of our esteemed warden, D. W. Bussinger. The place once so
cold and cheerless, has been brightened up and made scrupulously clean,
and the foul draughts of air are no more. The fronts of out-buildings
have been rebuilt and present an appearance of firmness and stability.
The cells are kept neat and clean, and the food is much better, being
in a larger variety, and by careful economy, at no greater cost. When
you reach a man’s stomach with good things, it seems to brighten up his
countenance; every visitor realizes this. The men have daily exercise
in the yard, for health; and an instrumental band has been formed of
those in the bakery department, and allowed in the rotunda two evenings
in a month to entertain the entire population of the institution; they
have become very creditable performers.
Our Prison Agent, John J. Lytle, is at the Penitentiary nearly every
day of the year, and in advance of a man’s going out, provides
through this Society what the State does not, a new suit of clothing
when needed, and procures a railroad ticket if he is to go to some
distant home, and then when the man has a place to work (if a trade),
he provides tools and a suitable boarding-place until the man is
able to do for himself. After a time he may have fallen, or met with
misfortune, and again he comes for help that he may again be placed in
position where he can earn a support; in all these cases the prisoner
is identified by his prison number, which no man ever forgets. In
order to carry on this work for the discharged prisoners, the income
from the funds of the Society is but a third of what is needed; and as
the Legislature and Governors have failed the past six years to grant
the Society the accustomed $3000 annually, we have been compelled to
solicit donations from benevolent donors for the discharged prisoners
of the Eastern Penitentiary. The aid given for the discharged prisoners
of the County Prison, is from the income of the Society.
It seems hardly just that we be compelled to solicit for discharged
prisoners of the Eastern Penitentiary from Philadelphians, when many of
the convicts are sent there from most of the eastern counties.
PHILADELPHIA COUNTY PRISON, MOYAMENSING.--A recent personal inspection
of every nook and corner of this old prison (erected 1835) revealed the
fact, that under the present Board of Inspectors, with generous modern
ideas for alterations and improvements, it might truly be called an
up-to-date city prison; scrupulously clean and in order everywhere,
inside and out. Our highly esteemed Superintendent, Robert C.
Motherwell, Jr., shows his especial adaptation to the work; for during
the past year 45,688 persons passed in and out under his eye, about
3,800 per month; of these the received were white males, 17,788; white
females, 1,889; black males, 2,508; black females 653. Total, 22,835;
of these 532 were boys under sixteen years old. Total discharged,
22,853. This large number of juveniles, caused the remark of a keeper,
that if he had to choose between the care of 12 boys or 500 men, he
would prefer the latter. These boys are never placed in a felon’s cell,
but in a portion especially assigned them, and are always apart from
the other older prisoners.
All the repairs or alterations are done by the convicts, and many
are employed in the shops. There is now a first-class steam-heating
arrangement, and electric plant with sufficient voltage for an
electrocution-chair in place of the gallows, if the State so directed.
In connection with this, is a Kenyun steam disinfectant apparatus
(the latest and most approved device) for the renovation of clothing,
mattresses, and bedding from vermin, microbes, and possible contagion;
treating it by high pressure of steam then by vacuum.
The officers of the Moyamensing prison are all well tried conscientious
men, and have a very promiscuous lot of people to deal with.
There is a very good library of 2,700 volumes, used by all the male
departments, besides other reading matter is furnished. The cleanliness
and hygienic atmosphere of all the corridors and cells could not pass
unnoticed. Three religious services are held in this prison every
Sunday, and excellent volunteer choirs contribute, which are greatly
appreciated.
[Illustration: PHILADELPHIA COUNTY PRISON, Moyamensing.]
Rev. Joseph J. Camp, the highly-esteemed Prison Agent of the Inspectors
for the past sixteen years, interviews many prisoners brought in, and
often goes to court when the case comes up for trial.
Mr. Frederick J. Pooley, our meritorious Prison Agent of the
Pennsylvania Prison Society, is doing good work and assists the Rev.
Jos. J. Camp. He has to do principally with those minor cases which
are discharged with short detention and without trial, by order of the
magistrates.
The Acting or Visiting Committee of this Society appointed to the
County Prison, have done good work in aiding reform of both men and
women; often have helped to shed that ray of light into the heart of
some suffering one, by kindly advice and good reading matter; some have
even taken pains to look after many women on their discharge, keeping
in touch with their better interests long after.
The Woman’s Ward, under the care of Miss Anna B. Harshaw, matron,
impresses you as one whose genial disposition and good judgment, well
prepares her for the care of her charges. During the past year there
were received 1,889 white women and 653 black; average, 212 per month.
On January 1st, there remained 62 convicts and 33 awaiting trial.
The entire building is clean and neat, even the cells, the kitchen,
storeroom, and laundry: here twenty women are daily at work, (do the
work by hand) for the whole institution, a number are employed in
making up and repair of clothing, for the men also. They have a good
library and other reading matter, and are often visited by the ladies
of the Acting Committee.
COUNTY PRISON CONVICT DEPARTMENT, HOLMESBURG JUNC., Under the efficient
care of Capt. Charles A. Abel, Deputy Superintendent, a recently
constructed plant, to which are sent all the convicts of the county’s
charge, the number at present being about 450.
They have various kinds of trades work (limited of course). This
institution is the same as all the penal institutions of the State,
save one, lacks two things:--classification or grades, and manual
work for all the convicts. There is a large choir of colored men,
who, on Sunday afternoons, in the rotunda afford, pleasure for the
rest of the institution, as part of the religious exercises. In all
these departments of the County Prison, Sunday religious exercises are
provided, and often good volunteer choirs, under the direction of the
management.
The County Prison’s daily charge is little more than eleven hundred.
AT THE ANNUAL MEETING, January, 1901, George W. Hall, our high esteemed
Treasurer for the past ____ years, tendered his resignation, and was
unwilling to be re-elected to that office on account of recent sorrow
and apparent failing health, desiring to be relieved from some of the
responsible active duties and cares of this life. We appreciate his
good judgment, and a Trust Company was appointed until the annual
meeting when Charles M. Morton was elected to fill this office;
unwilling to part with our faithful officer, he was elected one of its
Vice-Presidents.
HOUSE OF CORRECTION, at Holmesburg Junction, usually has about 800
inmates, and consists of those sent there for drunkenness or for
minor offences committed through intoxication. Most of these are
compelled to work; a large number in the stone quarry, facing stone,
and breaking for road-dressing, different sizes are sifted by hand
labor. On Sunday all are required to be at chapel service and they have
many reasonable privileges. It is a very well conducted institution
in which this Society takes an interest; but the majority, on being
dismissed immediately return to their dissipated habits and are often
recommitted. Heretofore these prisoners were taken from the lower part
of the city, on police tugboats to the House of Correction wharf, but
in consequence of the Act of Congress recently going into effect,
some other plan is devised until the boats are modified. The new law
requires that the boats shall carry a sufficient number of lifeboats
in proportion to the number of prisoners, and as the tugboats are only
equipped with one yawl they cannot be used for this work until the
necessary changes are made.
JUVENILE OFFENDERS. Judge Audenried believes in a sound spanking, as a
more beneficial punishment than imprisonment, when a lad first shows
inclination towards evil, and many times rather than send a boy to the
House of Refuge, he has allowed him to go upon the parents promising no
longer to spare the rod.
[Illustration: PHILADELPHIA COUNTY PRISON,