SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT OF THE VERMONT STATE PRISON. To His Excellency, the Governor of the State of Vermont : The Superintendent of the State's Prison respectfully submits the following report: On the first of October, 1842, the number convicts in the Prison was 73 Received during the year, by the Governor, 23 96 18 1 1 8 Taken for new trial by order of court, and returned on new sentence, 2 Their present employment and condition are as follows: 30 in the shoe shop, 2 in the blacksmith shop, 1 in the gun shop, 7 carriage making, 3 basket making, 2 in the cook room, 1 tailor, 1 painter, 1 cooper, 1 washer, 1 wood sawyer, 1 yard waiter, 1 prison waiter, 1 hospital waiter, 2 lumpers, 3 in cells unable to labor, 6 sick in hospital, and 1 in solitary confinement under sentence of death; total 65. The conduct of the convicts generally has been good, rendering frequent and severe punishment unnecessary, to enforce obedience and establish good discipline. The mode of punishment, however, has been varied, according to the nature of the offence and the disposition of the offender, as in my humble judgment would best effect his reformation. In pursuance of this object, I have erected an apparatus to punish with cold water, on the plan of the Auburn prison, which has exerted a very salutary influence in subduing the refractory, saving time and the loss of health, caused by the former mode of solitary confinement. During the present year sickness has been unusually prevalent. In June last the influenza, a prevailing disease of the country, made its appearance in the prison, and before it subsided nearly every inmate was confined with it, leaving some, since then, in a condition unable to labor. The old wooden bedsteads in the cells were found to contain numerous insects, which infect such places not usually well cleansed, and notwithstanding the commonly used means were resorted to, to destroy them, in a few weeks after, such immense numbers were again found, as to be swept up by handsfull. In order, therefore, to make a clean sweep, I removed all the old wooden bedsteads and substituted others of iron in their G places, such as are used in other prisons for like purposes, which have entirely obviated the use of those means heretofore employed without effect to destroy them. On entering upon the duties of my appointment, by advice of the Directors, I closed the copartnership of L. Damon & Co., and since that time, the convicts able to work, with few exceptions, have been in the employment of the State, manufacturing such articles only as could be done by the convicts themselves, and such as could find a ready market in exchange for the produce of the country. As to the final result of this copartnership, in a pecuniary point of view, I am unable at present to state definitely, the returns of sales in Boston not having been received by Mr. Damon, who has charge of its concerns, in season to effect a settlement.The accounts, however, have been transferred to the prison books and are included in balances of accounts; and I have so far examined into its transactions as to enable me to form the opinion that no gain, but a loss will be realized, on the winding up of its affairs. On the prison books are demands against Damon & Cotton- the facts of which were reported in 1839 by Mr. Brown, then Superintendent of the prison, and by him put in suit for collection in this State against Furbush & Townsend, of Boston, Mass. In relation to this claim, I have been advised, that, as no suit was commenced against the persons or property of the defendants, the judgment obtained will avail nothing in Massachusetts, where the defendants reside; and that if any further action is deemed necessary to enforce the collection of this claim, another suit must be commenced, as I am informed the payment ever has been and probably will be resisted. On examination of the books of the old engine company, consisting of the Prison and I. W. Hubbard, I found that he paid the debt of the company to the prison, excepting the interest, by charging himself on the prison book, while he was Superintendent, with the sum of five hundred two dollars and fifty-four cents. Including this sum, the books show the amount of nine hundred ninety-two dollars and seventeen cents due from the company to said Hubbard. Many open accounts still show balances due the company from debtors in the Western States and elsewhere, some of whom are reported irresponsible; and Mr. Hubbard claims all the available accounts, to cancel the indebtedness of the company to him. The tannery is of little or no value in connection with the prison. I succeeded in renting it the past year for fifty dollars, but the lessee has abandoned the occupation of it, for the want of water; and could this evil be surmounted, I am of opinion that it could not be carried on by convict labor successfully, situated as it is, out of the walls of the prison. The fiscal concerns of the prison will be seen by reference to the report of the Directors. A large amount of the notes and accounts due the prison, included in their report, are of long standing and are not at present available, and can never be collected. In comparing this report with the reports of the prison for several of the last preceding years, a greater pecuniary loss will appear to be sustained in the management of the prison this year; while the fact is otherwise, and easily proved, by reference to the actual expenses incurred during those years. During the last five years preceding my appointment there has been, by appropriations of the State and drawn from the Treasury, the sum of twenty-five thousand nine hundred ninety-one dollars and sixty-five cents, to defray the expenses of the prison in those years; the average being more than five thousand dollars per annum; still leaving a balance |