Of the 45 who defaulted 37 have been returned to prison, 7 are at large and two are in prison in other states and will be returned to Wisconsin penitentiary to serve out their terms as soon as they have completed their other sentences.
Under the Wisconsin law “lifers” are eligible for parole after they have served a certain number of years and have been on “good behavior.” In the time the law has been in effect, the applications of 34 “lifers” have been considered. Fourteen have been granted and twenty refused. Of the fourteen granted, 10 are now making monthly reports, two have died and one returned to the prison voluntarily claiming that he was not fitted for the world and that “prison is a more desirable place for me.” One violated a rule of the board of control, was returned to prison, but when it was discovered that others were probably more to blame for the technical violation than the prisoner, he was paroled. He is now making regular reports.
For the past calendar year 227 applications for parole from the prison were considered, of which 114 were granted, 108 denied, 2 withdrawn and two were continued. Of the 114 granted during the past year 66 have received their final discharge, 33 are now making monthly reports, 13 have defaulted, and 2 were not discharged on account of not having proper employment.
Of the 13 who defaulted, 11 were returned to prison and two are at large. In the six years out of the 480 paroles granted there were only 46 who defaulted. This is less than ten per cent.
“The men who are on parole draw from $20 to $35 a month and some of them more,” said President Smith.
Honor Camp in Georgia.—On motion of Commissioner Winn the first honor convict camp to be established in Georgia was recently authorized by the Fulton County board of commissioners, recently. A force of negro convicts, who have long been trusties, will be put to work grading. Some of these trusties will take the place of drivers, who are now employed by the county at a cost of $4,000 per year.
Two other resolutions tending toward convict reform were adopted. One provides that the convicts shall not be worked more than ten hours a day at any time during the year, and fixes longer dinner hours than have heretofore been allowed. Another provides that the convicts shall not be forced to walk a longer distance than three-quarters of a mile to their work.
Up to Father.—We copy the following story from the annual report of the Pennsylvania Prison Society.