THE EASTERN PENITENTIARY

Under the rights thus conferred those members of the Acting Committee of the Pennsylvania Prison Society assigned to the Eastern Penitentiary visit prisoners in their cells. It is found that this personal work of Christian men and women is productive of good results. In the privacy of the cell hearts and lives are laid open, impressions are made, resolutions are formed, and changes are brought about that under a less personal and individual system of treatment would be well-nigh impossible. The corridor for female prisoners is in charge of a matron, and is regularly visited by women members of the Acting Committee.

During the past year I made over three hundred visits to the Penitentiary; and have had more than three thousand personal interviews with men. Those who need it receive a complete outfit of new clothing on their discharge. But looking after the physical well-being of a man when he leaves I regard as the least important of my duties. I ascertain what his past has been, what his prospects are for the future, and in what way he can be aided in carrying out the good resolutions he may have formed. Thus with good advice and helpful service the man is again given an opportunity to rehabilitate himself.

Besides caring for those just discharged, the General Secretary and the Agent of the County Prison also extend aid to men who have been released for some time, but who have failed to secure employment. This is done at the relief station maintained near the Penitentiary, which is open every morning. Here men who are found to be really deserving are supplied with meal tickets, lodging-room rent, and goods to sell.

The total amount expended during the past year from the Fund for Discharged Prisoners was $3,795.56. Tools were given to men to the amount of $69.16.

As heretofore, Divine services were held in the different corridors each First Day morning under the direction of the Moral Instructor, the Rev. Joseph Welsh. The speakers were supplied by the Local Preachers’ Association of the Methodist Episcopal Church, the Protestant Episcopal City Mission, and the Lutheran City Mission.

The Sunday Song Services at 4 P. M. by choirs from different churches, arranged for by the Rev. H. L. Duhring, D. D., Superintendent of the Protestant Episcopal City Mission, were continued during the year.

I am greatly indebted to all the officers and overseers of the Penitentiary for their uniform courtesy and their valuable assistance in the prosecution of my work. Charles C. Church has proved himself to be an able and efficient warden, to whose administrative ability and genial manner the discipline and good order of the institution are chiefly due.

From the Annual Report of the Penitentiary I gather the following statistics:

POPULATION
	White		Colored		Total
	Males	Females	Males	Females
Remaining from 1905	859	13	257	13	1,142
Committed during 1906	303	8	111	9	431
	——	—	—	—	——
Total population	1,162	21	368	22	1,573
Discharged during 1906	336	6	96	5	443
	——	—	—	—	——
Remaining at the close of 1906	826	15	272	17	1,130

THE DISCHARGES WERE AS FOLLOWS:
By	Commutation Law	406
“	Order of Court	7
“	Department of Justice	8
“	Order of Huntingdon Reformatory	4
“	Pardon	3
“	Suicide	1
Died		14
		——
	Total	443

Average daily population, 1906	1,144
Largest number in confinement during year	1,175
Smallest number in confinement during year	1,103

TABLES RELATING TO THE 431 CONVICTS RECEIVED DURING 1906.
(1) SCHOOL
	No. of Convicts.
Attended public school	348
Attended private school	8
Attended public and private school	6
Never went to school	69
	—
Total	431
(2) EDUCATION
Read and write	312
Read and write imperfectly	56
Illiterate	63
	—
Total	431
(3) TRADES
Number having trades	159
Number having no trades	272
	—
Total	431
Number idle at time of arrest	116

(4) AGE OF CONVICTS
Age					White	Colored	Total
From	15	to	20	years	31	14	45
“	21	“	25	“	74	34	108
“	26	“	30	“	61	36	97
“	31	“	35	“	53	14	67
“	36	“	40	“	31	7	38
“	41	“	45	“	26	6	32
“	46	“	50	“	15	3	18
“	51	“	55	“	11	2	13
“	56	“	60	“	5	1	6
“	61	“	65	“	2	1	3
“	66	“	70	“	2	1	3
Above 70 years						1	1
					—	—	—
Total;					311	120	431

(5) CONVICTIONS
First	Conviction				268
Second	“	1st	time	here	63
“	“	2d	“	“	31
Third	“	1st	“	“	16
“	“	2d	“	“	11
“	“	3d	“	“	8
Fourth	“	1st	“	“	8
“	“	2d	“	“	4
“	“	3d	“	“	1
“	“	4th	“	“	1
Fifth	“	1st	“	“	2
“	“	2d	“	“	2
“	“	3d	“	“	1
“	“	4th	“	“	2
“	“	5th	“	“	1
Sixth	“	2d	“	“	3
“	“	3d	“	“	2
Seventh	“	2d	“	“	2
“	“	6th	“	“	2
Eighth	“	5th	“	“	1
Eleventh	“	3d	“	“	1
Fifteenth	“	7th	“	“	1
					—
Total					431

PARENTAL RELATIONS AT 16 YEARS
Parents living	295
Mother living	65
Father living	38
Parents dead	33
	—
Total	431
CONJUGAL RELATIONS
Single	254
Married	152
Widowed	25
	—
Total	431
NUMBER HAVING CHILDREN
Number having children	112
Number of children	301
NATIVITY
Born in the United States	346
Foreign born	85
	—
Total	431
Of the foreign born, naturalized	31
Of the foreign born, Not naturalized	54
	—
Total	85
RECEPTIONS CLASSIFIED AS TO DISTRICTS
Received from Manufacturing Districts	161
Received from Mining Districts	70
Received from Agricultural Districts	200
	—
Total	431

The following figures were gathered by the Moral Instructor, the Rev. Joseph Welsh, in his interviews with the prisoners admitted during the year:

Total number received during the year	431
Number who attended Sunday School	286
Number who attended Church	232
Number who were members of Church	157
Number who were abstainers from use of liquor	63
Number who were moderate users of liquor	159
Number who were intemperate users of liquor	170
Number who were users of tobacco	356
Number who gambled with cards	29
Number who gambled on horse races	11
Number who visited immoral women	158
Number who kept mistresses	2