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11L political, fiiUratg, AgricultureEDITOR PROPRIETOR.ALTT. O. WCLSOS,JVEW store: KEW GOODSLDP'rtVOttcCom.x. Jcn«7riJ]«. Ih?-GMdB,ftmericA.bird t»ij qOKMiTOi, dothin*. bxu And Mhsa. lull, apt, xaJ, Cao^-Cotjoohc. *ann»U[[aZp-wttJ • C. u. BflBEKTS.ored to impress upon the mimis of those who; were ^objected to its use that they were undergoing a-thorough course of medical treatment. -: ; 1 ' 'The cold bath Ibavc used ever si) first month’s attendance, nod have no reason, thus far, for adopting any other,-. os 'those who present themselves, only pretendingJ, A L, S. METCALF.. W. CHAITEElTOi*, luility i i. o. iiar.EATTERTOflt ie ERJJECK,HAVENS it CiUKIUU,R. A- DUCKM ASTER fc CO., o al) kfni, or Carriage*, OujxIm, etc_ *WoS *.WEEKLY COURIER.ALTON, ILL., THURSDAY, FEB. 8.The State Prison.Although many of our readers reside tbin view of the walls of our State Pi tent jury, but few hava much knowledge of Its operations, and still less of the results of the system.We do not propose at this time to go Into enquiry aB to the best system, when con* sidercd as to its effects upon the Convicts themselves, or the interest of the State, hut merely propose giving a few extracts from the report of tho Inspectors of tho. Prison, hich has been been priatod and laid upon the tables of the members of the Legisla-By an act of the Legislature, passed ia JS45, the Prison was leased to the Hon. S. A. Bnckmaster for eight years, at tho yearly rent of $5,100. In 11151, tho lease was extended five years, making thirteen years in all. Tiro present leaso will expire in 1858.The Inspectors, in the report before us, say:To tho proper working of the prisoners, their health and moral advancement, some further improvements are necessary, one of which,' vis: The erection of a large. additional number of cells, cannot longer be delayed, without resulting in the most scrims consequences to the prisoners, and frus- ■rin buildingof tiie^prtsoE.“ Into the causes of the increase of crime in our State, it is not our province to inquire; but the facts, as exhibited upon the bosks of tho prison, we wish to place prominently before your honorable body, and respectfully, bat earnestly, urge yonr immediatesickness, after one or two applications, almost invar!ably ask to be discharged from tbs hospital.‘•By adopting tho. above named means,-I feel confidant that the-mortality has been much less than otherwise would hftTO been if erery one coming np had .been permitted .to lounge about tha hospitalj as then, their: systems become so deteriorated for wont of proper exercise, that it generates disease, and many die from the conscquentganera! debility, a consequence which might, in many cases, be avoided with, necessary care, and tbe enforcement.of the.rules and regulations laid down by the warden.. As to tbe'diet of the convicts, I recommended little or no change nntil .just before tho prevalence of cholera Inst spring. Oh hearing of tho rapid approach of tho disease, instead of tha;:eoa-af wheat,! recommended the'Ulter-)f corn bread, new potatoes; most all kinds Of fresh meat strictly prohibited j fresh pork and other fatty matter not.used at all. ...ihoraotor of tho diseases which h'tt-ri prevailed have been mostly of a chronic nature, app tha greater number, so far os 1 haveSImo able to judge, {such as 'dropsy in its various forms, pulmonary affections and. diseases of tho bowels} have been produced by the too free uso.of alcoholic drinks. I think I may safely say that two-thirds of tha deaths which have occurred during my attendance have been produced by tbenboranamed_ “You will perceive from looking over tha list of deaths und causes assigned, that dthough cholera prevailed in our city to an alarming extent during the past summer, yot not a case occurred within the prison, and bat one or two cases, came up presenting the premonitory symptoms. This result I canE“ Two years ago, at the date of our last report, the number of convicts in the prison was 217, and now they number 332, being an increase of upwards of fifty per cent, in the two ycaTB, and more than double cbenntu-rol increase of our population, great as that is shown to be-Every convict should have a separatecell. Hia health u.d morals imperatively demand it, but in the present condition of things it is impossible. The number of culls is 152. Supposing erery convict to ba in good health, and two of them placed in each cell, tbero wifi still remain 2d of them totally unprovided with cells uf any kind.“The cells are very small, being three and a half feet by seven feet, and are barely large enough for one. To continue thisBtate of things would engender disease in winter, and is summer invite, ani almist insure, a deadly epidemic. With two in. a cell, in n great majority of cases, the hope of the moral _____ of the convict is destroyed.-The comparatively innocent are placed in the closest relations with the moat hardened and desperate, and cotnc out of prison at the expiration of the time for which they were sentenced, educated in the ways of crime, and ready for any desperate deed, and thus tho object of their incarceration, aside fromthe public security, wifi have totally failed.“To accommodate the present number of convicts, will require the erection of one hundred and eighty additional cells, and if tbo earns ratio of increase in crime is continued, not less than two hundred and twenty-addilJUalwill berequ»rlt;during the coming year•‘Another improvement which would add greatly to the health and comfort of the convicts, and which we recommend to be done, is the paving of a portion of the yard. In wet weather portions of the yard much in asc arc almost impassable.“ Several cases of insanity; having occurred in the prison, and there being no provision made for the proper treatment, of such eases within the prison walls, we would respectfully represent the propriety of Borne legislative action on that subject, by which the insanity of the convict can bo tried, and if bo pronounced, that some provision be made for their admission into the State asylum, Or otherwise disposed of, as your honorable“ There is another class of cases to which we would invite your attention and immediate action. We refer to a. class of female convicts who come into tho prison pregnant. Tho laws passed for the government of the prison do not appear to bare contemplated j—t „n evmit. and no provision bos been Tho prison is neithernrovided with a lymg-in-hoapital or nurses. The convict and her off-spring arc -an incumbrance on the warden. The child cannot be separated from its mother, and yet it has no proper place there- The inspectors and warden have no power in the premises; and if it should be understood that executive Clemency could'be successfully .nvoked «» such cases, tbe evil would only bo increased, for it is not to be doubted that such as are convicted of crime, or expect to be convicted, would not long hesitate to commit one crime tho penalty attached tuthecom-f another.5’-mission of another.5The present Prison Physician, Dr. R. L. Mktcaif, was appointed about fourteen months ago, so that his report is not as full as itwoold otherwise have been, but bis report presents several' very interesting facts, not only as to the prevailing diseases of tbe prison, and Bie method of . treatment, but also in relation to its policy. Ho ssj*:“ At the time I entered upon my duties as physician to the prison, you are probably aware that the condition of . prisoners, especially these who came under my care and treatment, was poor. Tho first day of mv attendance thero were from twenty-five to thirty in tbe hospital, many of them, I eup: posed, were only complaining, for tbe purpose of avoiding their duties, but some really Deeding medical attention.“ To discriminate betweon those who wcrc: entitled to commiseration and medical oore, and those onir, the enforcement of prisonattribute to no other, cause than tbe cbacgi and the-paiticnldT attention paid to thci diet during the prevalence of the disease t“But two cases of dysentery bava occurred within the last six months, which is an an-1 natural thing, as ii is a disease which almost always prevails as an epidemic after tbeaab-sidenee of cholera. Tha only reason i can imagine for the almost entire exemption from this disease, is that the discipline aDd means used for the prevention of cholera, also operated ns a propnluctic to dysentery.55The Chaplain, Rev J. B. Basble, has also made a report, but it is a matter of regret that it ia not moro full and explicit. No doubt the Chaplain has been attentive and unremitting in his duties, but it would baye been much more satisfactory if ho had given more particulars. Be says:I become more and moro impressed with the importance of this work. No people of whom 1 hare any knowledge more imperatively demand the faithful labors of the ro ini filer of the gospel than the inmates of a State prison.1 labor, sot without hope. However depraved the human heart, there is power the “cross of Christ55 to subdue it; and that power I trust.“Moat of the men here have a common ucation. Some of them arc well educated and but very Few of them but that are abb i read. They have each of them the word of life’-5 in their cells, and other proper hooks.“ They listen, most oF them, with apparent interest to the preaching of the gospel.“Since my last communication a bnildinj has been erected of sufficient sisej which •affords us a very pleasant and convenient place in which to worship.Every facility has been afforded n tbe warden and officers in the discharge of my duties. To them I shall ever feel gratrfui.To them I shall■a are treated with kindness,Theprtbe management of the concern.“The'moral elevation of these fallen degraded human beings is a work worthy of our untiring efforts—especially when reflect that «tan is immortal.“ This great number of prisoners are well provided far. Special care is taken of their health. Every prisoner that hog n heart that can feel must feel kindly treated.A joint committee of both Houses of the Legislature was appointed to examine ato the condition of the Prii formed their duty several days ago, but we their report. It will doubtless be published, and should there be itter of particular Interest in it, we will recur to this subject again.Too. Coffee, and Sugar Warehouse.The attention of dealers, both 5a town and tho surrounding country is called to the advertisement of Mr. David Nicholson, who offers to Bupply retailers with the above named staples, together with all kinds of Preserves, Pickles, KotcbupB and Sauces on very liberal terms for cash.3 warehouse is 1 coated on the north-east comer of Fourth and Market streets, St. Louie, Mo.Murder at Port 'Wayne, Ia.The Daily Standard of the 5tb says that a most cold-blooded murder was committed tn that place recently. Three persons had been arrested on suspicion of connection with the i me, one of whom made a confession, which the Standard giTes as follows :Remaine and Madden . learned tho day before the murder that the old man Dunbar had a considerable amount of money in bis possession, and they determined to possess, themselves of it, II possible by robbing, if not, tbeD by murder and robbery. Tbcir first attempt was by the uec of chloroform,: but the druggist from whom they purchased ■ it, suspecting all was not right, gnvo them —j article too weak to produce any effect.Failing in this attempt, they met at a grocery on Main strcot, end resolved to follow and rob the old man on his way to Msboard-ig bouse, to which he hud just started. At the door they met Keeler, to wham they unfolded their scheme, and who readily consented to unite with them. This was about seven o’clock io tho evening, and tbe streets were full of persons returning from theirJoscfaCostagiving•nppcr to their business, and attending tho Wednesday-evening meetings at the different churches, and seemingly tbe moat unpropl-tioushour of all others for snob a deed..They dodged Dunbar until he reached Berry street, at which point, just opposite tbe brick ■ Presbyterian .church, where ho stopped and tumbled into Mr. Milter’s lumber yard. Romaino then wontco to the rear of the house on the corner of Berry and Barr streets, where he procured the stick of hickory stovo-wood found near the murdered man. This he concealed under bis coat, and returned to where Donbnr was, and with it; quickly dispatched him. After killing Dunbar, they all three hastily fled, and separated; but meeting in a few minutes again, near thcgrocery from which they started, they, returned to rob tho body.Romaine and Madden did this,. leaving K:rior on the street to watch. After getting tho money, thev remrned to Calhonn streetwhere, by the light from a window, Romaine divided the money, giving Keeler forty-five dollars in gold, and Madden a twenty dollar bill, and keeping the rest himself. They then accompanied Keeler to near the west end of Colombia street, where he buried his money, and the three separated. This is Madden’S ststemeot, confirmed by tbefinding of gold at the plnce designated, and by r number of other circumstances eqoally coo vineing. They ore committed for trial at ibc next term of oor Circuit Court.G^* The philosophy of dyspepsia is thusripple*p’XI
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Alton Weekly Courier
Alton, Illinois, US
Thu, Feb 08, 1855
Page 1
Full Page
Clipped by
Hayner P.
IL, USA 08 Dec 2023
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