USA > Connecticut > Hartford County > East Granby > History of Newgate of Connecticut, at Simsbury, now East Granby: its insurrections and massacres, the imprisonment of the Tories in the Revolution, and the working of its mines. Also, some account of the state prison, at Wethersfield > Part 7
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and who, since that time until " head of improvements in cer " prisons, at least in the un " England states." He dila. Derry, New Hampshireedt June, 1848, aged sev com years. his death, was engaged in public business, discharging all his duties with accuracy and fidelity. He was the first warden of a prison who caused of tte the prisoners to earn more than their own support; and, * Amos Pilsbury, so brated as a prison-keeper rna successful manager of If victs, was the son of Moselju Pilsbury, and was born ha Londonderry, New Hamps. bu February 8, 1805. He att me ed school and worked on of to his honor be it said, he was the first prison-keeper who in- troduced the practice of read- ing the Bible daily to the pri- soners assembled. In the language of a celebrated writ- er on prison discipline, " Mr. " Pilsbury was the founder and farm until his thirteenth yt
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Newgate of Connecticut.
was possible. It has inaugurated a system cipline the most complete and perfect which ver been known, or adopted, and it is now rsally acknowledged as a model penitentiary. improvements in buildings, and machinery,
is father, having been ed warden of the New hire state prison, re- with his family to Con- that state. At four- ears of age, he was iced to the tanning and g business, in a neigh- town, and served a apprenticeship of four remaining with his em- until the failure of the . In April, 1824, he d the offer of his father ome a watchman or of the prison, of which ter was warden, and mmenced his career in nagement and govern- f prisons, for which he justly celebrated, and has continued to be the business of his life. At the he was but nineteen of age. Having per- the duty of guard for
about one year, he was next, with the approbation of the go- vernor and council, who were inspectors of the prison, ap- pointed deputy warden. On the resignation of his father in June, 1826, Mr. Pilsbury, at the request of the governor and council, remained with his successor until the December following. In November, 1826, Mr. Pilsbury was married to Miss Emily Heath, and con- tinued to reside in Concord and its vicinity until the sum- mer of the next year, at which time his father and himself were solicited to take charge of the new state prison then erecting at Wethersfield. In July, 1827, he commenced as deputy under his father as principal warden of that insti- tution. The younger Mr. Pils- bury removed the prisoners from the old, or Newgate pri-
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Newgate of Connecticut.
have recently been made under the supervisi the present efficient warden, Daniel Webster, who has kindly furnished statistical inform of the present state of the prison.
The whole number of commitments to
Habs
pri
son, to the new establishment, office in September, 18: which was completed in the thorough investigation vefte his own request, immec
fall of that year. Moses C. Pilsbury continued warden of instituted into the affa this prison until April, 1830, the prison and its ma ment, by a committee a} ed by the legislature irde Niti state. The committee rily t report to the legislatung their next session; ampbol Pilsbury was not only d pointed, but a resolutio este passed directing the tre h of the state to pay to hi Pi expenses he had incur fet defending himself again at charges of his opponent in four hundred dollars in his tion thereto, for his own ben He was reappointed in cou 1837, having been abser pris nine months. The cortes of the prison during Igh h sence, and at the time Įgisł when his son was appointed to fill his place. Gov. Peters, in his message to the legislature, May, 1832, says: " The friends " of the penitentiary system, " have great reason to rejoice "at the flattering results of " the Connecticut state prison " during the past year. After "paying every expense in- " curred for the support and " management of the establish- " ment, there remains a balance " in favor of the institution of " $8,713.53." A personal diffi- culty, which had occurred soon after his appointment, with one of the directors, and which had been very annoying and unpleasant to Mr. Pilsbury, re- return, may be gathereds fr sulted in his removal from the report of the dirof th
---
e
129
Newgate of Connecticut.
, including 81 from Newgate, is 1733. The e number in confinement, April 1st, 1859,
834. During Mr. Pils- ibsence one of the keep- I been murdered by two 3prisoners, for which they fterwards tried and exe- d From that time to y, 1845, nearly twelve a
Mr. Pilsbury remained orden, uninterrupted by litical changes that fre- ry took place, notwith- ing that he was during whole of that time sur- d by politicians who sted great hostility to- him.
Pilsbury having made ethersfield prison supe- , any similar establish- in the country, next t n his attention to the im- nhent of the county jails. couraged the building of mprisons in each of the n es of the state, and h his recommendations, gislature authorized him · from the surplus earn- " the state prison, one
thousand dollars to such coun- ties in the state as should build a jail on the plan of the new prison at Hartford; and he soon had the satisfaction of knowing that Connecticut pos- sessed, not only the MODEL STATE PRISON, but the best coun- ty jails in the country.
We afterwards find Mr. Pilsbury engaged in improving the condition of the insane poor, especially that of the in- sane prisoners under his care. In a communication to the di- rectors in 1841, he suggested that the surplus earnings of the state prison should be em- ployed in erecting and support- ing an establishment for crimi- nal and pauper lunatics. This was sent to the legislature and referred to a joint committee; from the able report of which is the following extract: "If " the state should adopt the " humane suggestion of our re- " spected warden of the state " prison, which has been refer-
17
130
Newgate of Connecticut.
The places of their nativity are as follows :
Connecticut
96
Delaware, Tennessee, Ohio alnd
Massachusetts 10 Texas, 1 each. 4
Rhode Island.
9 England
4
New Hampshire
1
Ireland 26
Vermont .
1 France
4
New York
33
Germany
.
7
New Jersey.
2
Island St. Jago
1
Maryland
2
Pennsylvania
3
203
"red to your committee, and " which does honor to his head " and his heart, the additional " sum which would be required "to sustain the institution " hereafter, would be compara- " tively small indeed."
A desperate fellow by the name of Scott alias Teller, was sent to Wethersfield, for fifteen years; he had previously been confined in Sing Sing and other prisons. He was determined not to work or submit to any rules. Of course Capt. Pils- bury treated him accordingly. He very soon cut one of his hands nearly off, on purpose to avoid labor; but his wound was immediately attended to, and in less than one hour afterwards, he found himself turning a large crank with one
hand; it was then that 'ne de- clared he would murder the warden on the very first oppor- tunity. Soon after this, the regular barber of the prison being sick, and Scott who had, it was said, when young, work- ed at that trade, was directed by the deputy warden to take the place of the barber, and shave the prisoners throughout the establishment. Mr. Pilsbury on going into the shop soon afterwards, was told by one of the assistants, that the prison- ers did not like to be shaved by this man, he had behaved very bad since he had been an inmate, and they were afraid of him. Mr. Pilsbury immedi- diately took the chair and di- rected Scott to shave him. From that moment he became
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Newgate of Connecticut.
Ages of the convicts at the time of their con- viction :
Over 15 and less than 20 there were
31
"
20
65
68
25
66
30
66
66 .
46
30
66
66
40
66
11
40
66
66 45
66
12
45
66
50
66
8
50
66
55
66
7
55
66
66
60 25
66
2
203
66
66
one of the best behaved con- victs in the prison, and remain- ed so until Mr. Pilsbury left it, in November, 1832. Soon after the appointment of a new warden, Scott tried to escape, and murdered one of the keep- ers. For this crime he was hung at Hartford, in 1833. The late Hon. Roger M. Sher- man, in a report which has been published, speaking of the Connecticut state prison, makes the following remarks: " Instead of being a charge on " the treasury, it is a source of " revenue. In ten years the net " earnings, above all expenses, " have been sufficient to pay " every expense of its erection, sup-
"port and management, and " leave a surplus on hand of "over $10,000. The state, " however, is greatly indebted " to the Messrs. Pilsbury for " their superior skill in con- " ducting the institution. By "one who was competent to "judge, and had made exten- " sive inquiry in this country " and in Europe, they have " been pronounced the best " prison keepers in the world."
From 1810 to 1827 (seven- teen years), the money drawn from the state treasury for the expenses attending the sup- port of the old Newgate pri- son, over and above its earn- ings, had been upwards of one
35
21
66
35
132
Newgate of Connecticut.
Crimes for which the prisoners were sentenced :
Murder
4 Burglary and horse stealing 2
Murder, 2d degree.
7 Burglary 63
Attempt at murder
2 Burglary and theft. 3
Manslaughter
5 Theft 28
Assault with intent to kill
5 Bigamy
1
Rape
4 Bestiality
2
Attempt at rape.
3 Felony
1
Arson
2 Attempt to poison
1
Incest
3 Perjury
2
Adultery
2 Burning barn. 3
Perjury, with intent to take life ..
1 Burning factory 2
Forgery
5 Stealing from person 2
Robbing U. S. Mail.
3 Obstructing railway ..
3
Counterfeiting 3 cent pieces
1 Forging pension papers
1
Passing counterfeit money
5 Forging land warrants
2
Abusing female child.
1 Horse stealing.
7
Assault with intent to rob.
2 High crimes and misdemeanors .. 1
Abandoning child
1 Stealing horse and wagon
1
Attempt at rape and stealing. . ..
1 Burglary and breaking jail. 4
Attempt to burn court house ....
1 Miscellaneous crimes 16
hundred and twenty-five thousand dollars. From a report made to the legislature of Connecti- cut, in May, 1844, by the di- rectors of the state prison, it appeared, that in the seventeen years it had been in operation (during three of which it was under the government of his father), the income or profits thereof, after defraying every expense for the support and management of the convicts, amounted in the aggregate to
the enormous sum of ninety- three thousand dollars. After having directed its concerns and been connected with its management nearly eighteen years, Mr. Pilsbury left the Wethersfield prison on the first day of January, 1845 ._ For financial prosperity and every other excellence, it had not at that time its equal in America. Mr. Pilsbury then moved to Albany, on the invitation of the commissioners appointed by
-
133
Newgate of Connecticut.
One convict is in the prison for the fourth time, and one year intervenes between each sentence, and each term has been for two years. The aver- age number of U. S. criminals here is 8; average number of female convicts, 11; average number of the whole, 210; the average length of all the sentences, 4 years and 2 months. About 20 are sentenced for forgeries, averaging in amounts about $100 each, and it may be remarked that here, as elsewhere, forgers for large amounts- upper-crust forgers for thousands, are very apt to escape the meshes of the law and go unwhipped of justice.
In all prisons and penitentiaries, there are criminals possessing some strange and unaccounta-
the legislature of the state of of the Albany institution al- New York to construct a peni- though serving at the same time as General Superintend- ent of the Metropolitan Police in the city of New York, a most arduous and responsible position. As such he intro- duced important reforms; but soon resigned the office, to avoid the annoyance of poli- ticians, having shown his ca- pability of putting the police of that great metropolis in an tentiary. He engaged with them in that enterprise, and when the buildings there were so far completed as to allow the confinement of prisoners therein, was, without solicita- tion on his part, unanimously appointed by the city and county authorities its superin- tendent for three years, with almost unlimited powers. Mr. Pilsbury is still at the head efficient and honorable position.
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Newgate of Connecticut.
ble characteristics; but whatever their propensi- ties, they are generally influenced by one motive, which is common to all of them, and that is a desire to escape from confinement. But the Con- necticut penitentiary has furnished one singular exception to this general rule, or rather the rule has been transposed in one singular case. A
young female was committed in 1853 for the term of four years, for the crime of horse steal- ing. She served out her term, was duly dis- charged, and presented with her former arti- cles of clothing, &c .; and with the present usu- ally given to all at their departure, of two dollars in money. She soon obtained employment at housework in the neighborhood, and for a while appeared to behave herself well ; but at length her former habit of thieving predominated, and some of her pilfering was detected by the family. Abby Jane (for that is her name) took her leave, but soon privately returned, and stealing a horse blanket from Genl. Welles, she ensconced herself under his barn floor, which she appropriated as her lodg- ing apartment, with the stolen blanket for her coverlid. Here she lived for several days, subsist- ing upon whatever plunder she could get, and by milking the cows in the neighborhood in the
135
Newgate of Connecticut.
night, retreating each day to her kennel under the barn. But the remembrance of prison life had such fascinating charms, that she contrived a plan to scale the walls, and get into the prison, by climbing a tree which stood near. She leaped down from the top of the wall into the yard of the female apartment, and secreted herself among the rubbish in the wood-pile. Her female cronies, sur- prised and gratified to enjoy again the company of their cunning visitor, clandestinely supplied her with food, whenever they found opportunity. In this manner she lived four or five days, thieving whenever she could, and finally took up her lodg- ing in an old ash-hole, or oven. The matron had missed provisions and other articles, and was puz- zled to account for the loss. A general search was made, when the warden, on removing some pieces of refuse stove pipe under the oven, discovered the once fair face of Abby, peering through the sooty canopy, and she was again in the clutches of the law. No one, however, seemed willing to indict her for the novel crime of breaking into a prison, and she was sentenced for theft to the county jail for one year. There she served out her time and was released, but soon after she broke into a dwell- ing, and appropriated to herself a pair of panta-
136
Newgate of Connecticut.
loons, containing in the pockets $500, besides other articles, for which she is now in jail awaiting her trial, and will probably soon be an inmate at her old quarters, the prison.
A life convict, John Brown, alias George DeWolf, is imprisoned for the murder of a woman in Cov- entry, Ct. The woman was found near the house, cut and mangled in a most horrid manner, and for a long time no trace could be found of the mur- derer. At length suspicion began to be entertained that some member of the family had committed the deed. The husband of the murdered woman felt the imputed suspicion so keenly, that his anx- iety of mind induced him to furnish his sons with means to travel in various directions, and in every possible way to ferret out the murderer. After a patient search for many months, they found in Tolland county jail this man, who had formerly lived in the family. The evidence of his guilt was very conclusive, but the common plea of insa- nity divided the jurors in their verdict of murder in the first degree, and in the second degree he was sentenced for life. During his trial officers from New York appeared with a requisition for him on a charge of murdering his wife in that state, and public opinion, sustained by evidence, brands him
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Newgate of Connecticut.
as a blood thirsty wretch. Since his confinement, he at first feigned insanity, but a few thorough trimmings by the officers, effectually cured him of his tricks, and he now readily performs his alloted tasks.
DAILY ROUTINE OF DUTY PERFORMED AT THE CON- NECTICUT STATE PRISON BY ITS OFFICERS.
At daylight the bell is rung for the officers, who immediately repair to the guard-room. When it is sufficiently light, the deputy warden gives the signal for manning the walls, and the overseers take their keys, go to their several divisions, and again wait the signal, when they unlock, and march their men, with the lock step, to their re- spective shops. The convicts immediately com- mence work, and also begin at a given point in the shop to wash, which each man does in regular order before the breakfast hour.
At 7 o'clock the bell is rung for breakfast, the convicts stop work, form into a line in their shops, and wait the signal of the bell, when they are marched into the prison yard, and form a line in front of their buckets. At the word right, each man turns to the right; the word up is given, and each man takes his bucket upon his left arm, when
18
138
Newgate of Connecticut.
they form into sections in close order, as marched from the shops; and at the word forward, they march in the same manner to the hall, where they are seated to hear the reading of the Bible and at- tend prayers. From thence they are marched around the cells, take their kids containing their breakfast as they pass the kitchen, and are im- mediately locked up. Each officer then reports the number of men in his charge to the deputy warden, who, finding it right, gives the signal of All's well; the watchmen leave the wall and repair to the guard-room; all the officers then go to their meal, except one in the hall, and one in the guard- room, who are relieved in turn.
From half to three quarters of an hour is allowed, when they are again, as above, marched to their work, and there remain till twelve o'clock; the signal is again given, they are again marched upon a line, and in the same manner marched into and around the hall, the same as at breakfast with the exception of service. Time allowed for dinner, one hour in summer, and forty-five minutes in winter. At one o'clock they are again marched to their shops, and work till six P. M., when they again form a line in front of their buckets ; the word is given, " one pace in the rear, march," each convict steps
139
Newgate of Connecticut.
one pace back; the officer having charge of each division commences searching, by passing his hands over the arms, body, and legs of the prison- er, and as each man is searched he steps to the front. When all are again in a line, the word is given to uncover, and each convict takes the cover from his night bucket; the officers pass and examine them ; the words, cover-right -up -forward ; and they march to the hall, attend prayers, and to their cells, as in the morning. The officer then in the hall lights up, examines each lock and door, recounts the convicts, and reports the number to the warden or deputy warden. At half past seven the signal is given, and each convict retires to his bed; the officer again examines the doors, sees that all are abed, and is then relieved by the over- seer, taking the first tour, which continues from half past seven to eleven o'clock. He is then re- lieved by a watchman, who takes what is called the middle tour, from eleven o'clock to half past two; the watchman taking the morning tour, or from half past two till light, relieves him. The above officers are required, while doing duty, to be constantly on their feet, marching around the cells and upon the galleries to see that all is quiet and in good order. If any sickness or disorder takes place,
140
Newgate of Connecticut.
he calls the watchman, who acquaints the warden or deputy warden, who immediately repair to the hall, and take the necessary measures for relief of the sick or the suppression of disorder.
DUTIES OF THE SUBORDINATE OFFICERS.
Deputy warden takes the principal charge of the internal affairs under the direction of the warden; spends the whole day in visiting the several shops and departments ; sees that every officer performs his duty; attends to the wants and complaints of the convicts ; and has a constant supervision of all the internal operations.
The Clerk assists the warden in keeping the books and other writing; attends generally to the transportation of convicts from the county jails ; and when not thus engaged, performs such other duties as are required of him by the warden.
The Overseers, after performing the duty of marching the convicts, as above described, to their shops, remain constantly in them, with their men. They are not allowed to sit down, but must not only remain on their feet, but also exercise the utmost vigilance in seeing that their men work diligently, in order and silence. In case of sick- ness or disobedience, they are required to send
141
Newgate of Connecticut.
immediately for the warden or his deputy; they also report in writing, before nine o'clock, A. M., all who express a wish to see the physician.
The Matron and her assistant have charge of the female department of convicts. Those employed in the cooking are unlocked by the matron at four o'clock A. M., and are employed in cooking and washing, under the constant and immediate super- vision and direction of the matron, who attends personally to the weighing, measuring, and divid- ing of the daily rations. After the labors of the day, they are assembled for religious service and instruction, immediately after which they return to their cells, and are locked in by the matron.
The Watchmen are employed, all the time, in duty upon the walls, in the guard-room and hall, hospital, and in waiting upon spectators who visit the prison; they are not allowed to sit, read or write, while upon any post of duty.
The Gate-keeper has the care of the gate lead- ing into the yard, and takes charge of the out-door hands and work.
The convicts have at all times free and unre- strained access to the warden, and can, whenever they wish, see and converse with the directors, or director, when they visit the prison, but not in
142
Newgate of Connecticut.
presence of other convicts. All punishments are inflicted by the warden or his deputy. No subor- dinate officer is allowed to leave the prison day or night, without permission of the warden, or in his absence, the deputy warden.
DAILY RATIONS.
One pound salt beef three days in the week.
Three-quarters of a pound of pork one day in the week.
Three-quarters of a pound of fish one day in the week.
One pound of fresh meat with vegetables, made into a soup, one day in the week.
One pound of bread made of rye flour and corn meal for breakfast and dinner. Five bushels pota- toes to each hundred rations.
Thirty-five pounds of corn meal and six quarts of molasses made into mush for supper, to each hundred rations.
One gill of vinegar and a sufficient quantity of salt and pepper per week.
The rations are varied according to the season and other circumstances.
FINIS.
INDEX.
Abby Jane, 134. Accidents, 84. Adultery, convictions of, 131. Agag, 56, 68.
Albany penitentiary, 134. Ancient Windsor, history of, 21, 28. Annæ reginæ, 9. Aristotle on tyrants, 63. Arson, convictions of, 131.
Assembly, sessions of, 38. Athaliah, 55, 68, 69. Athenians punished only small thieves, 65. Bacon, Richard, 23.
Barber, Lieut. , 119, 121.
Barber's Hist. collections, 77. Barnes, brothers, 98, 99. Barrel making, 90. Barter traffic, 18. Bastile, 85 .. Baxter, Rev. Simeon, 47, 49. Beds in caverns, 83. Beef contractor, 118. price of, 18. Belcher, Jonathan, 10. Bestiality, 131. Bethany, robbery at, 77. Bew Hist. Connecticut, 75.
Bible reading introduced, 126. Bigamy, convictions of, 131. Bills of credit, first, 19. Bissell, Josiah, 38. Blacksmiths, remarkable men, 15. Blockhouse burnt, 40. rebuilt, 41. Boston, 19, 27, 78. company, 10. prison discipline society, 124, 126. Bradford's separators, 24. Bread and water diet, 89. Bridgewater, battle of, 112. Brinley, George, 48.
Brother Jonathan, 76. Brown, John, 136.
Brutus applauded, 67.
Buck, Dr. Eliphalet, 118, 119.
Bullets of tea pots, 27.
Burglary, convictions of, 131. how punished, 26.
Burrows, Stephen, 105. Butter, price of, 18. Buttons, keys made from, 97.
Cæsar, Julius, 67, 71. Caligula, 70. Cambridge, 77.
144
Index.
Canada expedition, 19. Case, officer, 109.
Caverns, appearance of, 83.
favorable to longevity, 83.
extent of, 12. first tory tenants, 26. first used as a prison, 26. passage to, 82.
Cells, separate, 123. Chaining, custom of, 116.
Child, colored, dead, 103.
Churches, taxes for building, 18. Cicero, 53, 68, 74. applauds Brutus, 67.
Clark, Commodore, 120.
Clarke, Capt. Wm., 80.
Cleanliness neglected, 97. Clergymen first smelters, 8. convict, 47. pay of, 17.
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