Chapter VI: Section 4: That the said inspectors shall direct the warden or

superintendent to give to each prisoner, who may in consequence of good conduct be discharged at an earlier period than he would otherwise have been entitled to, a certificate thereof, stating therein the number of days that have been deducted from his original sentence for good conduct.

_Approved_ the first day of May, Anno Domini one thousand eight hundred and sixty-one.

* * * * *

MEMBERS.

Ashhurst, Lewis R.
Armstrong, William
Anderson, V. William
Atmore, Frederick B.
Brown, John A.
Brown, Frederick
Brown, Moses
Brown, Thomas Wistar
Brown, Abraham C.
Brown, N. B.
Brown, Benneville D.
Brown, Mary D.
Bell, John M. D.,
Biddle, William
Biddle, John
Barton, Isaac
Burgin, George II., M. D.
Bohlen, John
Binney, Horace Jr.
Bayard, James
Beesley, T. E., M. D.
Beesley, B. Wistar
Bowen, William E.
Bettle, Samuel
Bettle, William
Baldwin, Matthias W.
Barcroft, Stacy B.
Bailey, Joshua L.
Baily, Joel J.
Burr, William H.
Boardman, H. A.
Branson, Samuel
Bunting, Jacob T.
Bacon, Richard W.
Bacon, Josiah
Brock, Jonathan
Barclay, Andrew C.
Brooke, Stephen H.
Brooks, Henry
Baines, Edward
Budd, Thomas A.
Bispham, Samuel
Broadbent, S.
Brant, Josiah
Bringhurst, George
Beaux, John Adolph
Collins, Issac
Cope, Alfred
Cope, Herman
Cope, M. C.
Cope, Henry
Cope, Francis R.
Cope, Thomas P.
Colwell, Stephen
Caldwell, James E.
Caldwell, William Warner
Cresson, John C.
Claghorn, John W.
Chandler, Joseph R.
Carter, John
Campbell, James R.
Comegys, B. B.
Childs, George W.
Child, H. T., M .D.
Caley, Samuel
Cooper, Joseph B.
Chance, Jeremiah C.
Coates, Benjamin
Chamberlain, Lloyd
Conrad, James M.
Cook, Jay
Corlies, Samuel Fisher
Clark, Robert C.
Collier, Daniel L.
Comly, Franklin A.
Demmé, Charles R.
Ducachet, Henry W.
Dawson, Mordecai L.
Dorsey, William
Dutilh, E. G.
Ditzler, William U.
Dreer, Ferdinand J.
Dickinson, Mahlon H.
Dickinson, John M.
Davis, R. C.
Derbyshire, Alexander J.
Derbyshire, John
Donnel, Robert
Dennis, William H.
Duane, William
Earp, Thomas
Evans, Charles M. D.
Evans, William Jr.
Evans, Robert E.
Evans, J. Wistar
Erringer, J. L.
Edwards, William L.
Ellison, John B.
Emlen, Samuel
Eyre, Edward E.
Eyre, William
Erety, George
Farnum, John
Fraley, Frederick
Foulke, William P.
Fullerton, Alex.
Farr, John C.
Frazier, John F.
Ford, William
Ford, John M.
Furness, William H.
French, William H.
Field, Charles J.
Fox, Henry C.
Franciscus, Albert H.
Funk, Charles W.
Garrett, Thomas C.
Greeves, James R.
Gilpin, John F.
Grigg, John
Gummere, Charles J.
Gardner, Richard, M. D.
Hunt, Uriah
Hockley, John
Holloway, John S.
Husband, Thomas J.
Hughes, Joseph B.
Homer, Henry
Homer, Benjamin
Hancock, Samuel P.
Holman, D. Shepherd
Hand, James C.
Hazeltine, John
Hastings, Matthew
Hollinshead, Benjamin M.
Huston, Samuel
Hacker, Morris
Hurley, Aaron A.
Harbert, Charles
Heiskell, Coulson
Ingersoll, Joseph R.
Ingram, William
Iungerich, Lewis
Jeanes, Joshua T.
Jones, Isaac C.
Jones, Jacob P.
Jones, Isaac T.
Jones, William D.
Jones, Justus P.
Jones, William Pennel
Janney, Benjamin S. Jr.
Jackson, Charles C.
Johnson, Israel H.
Johnson, Ellwood
Johnston, Robert S.
Justice, Philip S.
Kimber, Thomas
Kaighn, James E.
Kane, Thomas L.
Kean, Joseph
Kelly, William D.
Kelly, Henry H.
Kintzing, William F.
Kneedler, J. S.
Knorr, G. Frederick
Klapp, Joseph, M. D.
Kitchen, James, M. D.
Ketcham, John
Knight, Edward C.
Kidderlin, William J.
Kester, John Jr.
Kinsey, William
Latimer, Thomas
Lambert, John
Lovering, Joseph S.
Lovering, Joseph S. Jr.
Lewis, Henry Jr.
Lewis, Edward
Lippincott, John
Lippincott, Joshua
Lytle, John J.
Longstreth, J. Cooke
Ludwig, William C.
Landell, Washington J.
Laing, Henry M.
Lesley, Robert
Lathrop, Charles C.
Lynch, William
Luther, R. Morris.
McCall, Peter
Meredith, Wm. M.
Myers, John B.
Morris, Isaac P.
Massey, Robt. V.
Maris, John M.
Morris, Charles M.
Morris, Wistar
Morris, Caspar, M. D.
Morris, Anthony P.
Morris, Elliston P.
Montgomery, Richard R.
Mercer, Singleton A.
Mullen, William J.
Megarge, Charles
Martin, William
Martin, Abraham
McAllister, John Jr.
McAllister, John A.
McAllister, William Y.
MacAdam, William R.
McAllister, F. H.
Marsh, Benjamin V.
Morton, Samuel C.
Merrill, William O. B.
Morrell, R. B.
Mellor, Thomas
Mitcheson, M. J.
Norris, Samuel
Neall, Daniel
Newal, William
Needles, William N.
Nesmith, Alfred
Nicholson, William
Newman, C. L.
Ormsby, Henry
Orne, Benjamin
Packard, Frederick A.
Purves, William
Parrish, William D.
Parrish, Joseph, M. D.
Poulson, Charles A.
Perot, William S.
Perot, Francis
Perot, Charles P.
Perot, T. Morris
Patterson, Joseph
Patterson, William C.
Patterson, Morris
Potter, Alonzo, D. D.
Price, Eli K.
Price, Richard
Perkins, Samuel H.
Pearsall, Robert
Pitfield, Benjamin H.
Pearson, William H.
Peters, James
Peterson, Lawrence
Potts, Joseph
Parry, Samuel
Palmer, Charles
Richardson, Richard
Richardson, William H.
Robins, Thomas
Robins, John Jr.
Ritter, Abraham Jr.
Rasin, Warner M.
Read, W. H. J.
Robb, Charles
Rehn, William L.
Rutter, Clement S.
Roberts, Algernon S.
Ridgway, Thomas
Rice, John
Rudman, William C.
Robinson, Thomas A.
Randolph, Philip P.
Rowland, A. G.
Richards, George K.
Smedley, Nathan
Shippen, William, M. D.
Scull, David
Schaffer, William L.
Scattergood, Joseph
Shannon, Ellwood
Sharpless, William P.
Simons, George W.
Stokes, Samuel E.
Shoemaker, Benjamin H.
Speakman, Thomas H.
Starr, F. Ratchford
Smith, William H.
Saunders, McPherson
Stokes, Edward D.
Sloan, Samuel
Smith, Joseph P.
Stone, James N.
Simes, Samuel
Stuart, George H.
Stewart, William P.
Townsend, Edward
Taylor, Franklin
Taylor, John D.
Taylor, George W.
Trewendt, Theodore
Tredick, B. T.
Thomas, John
Taber, George
Troubat, Raymond, M. D.
Thompson, John J.
Troutman, George M.
Thornley, Joseph H.
Thissell, H. N.
Van Pelt, Peter
Vaux, George
Wharton, Thomas F.
Wood, Horatio C.
Wood, Richard Jr.
Welsh, William
Welsh, Samuel
Welsh, John
Wetherill, John M.
Williamson, Passmore
White, John J.
Wainright, William
Wright, Samuel
Wright, Isaac
Willets, Jeremiah
Wiegand, John
Wilstach, William P.
Williamson, Peter
Warner, Redwood F.
Walton, Coates
Williams, Jacob T.
Whilldin, Alexander
Zell, T. Ellwood

LIFE MEMBERS.

_On payment of twenty dollars and upwards._

Barclay, James J.
Bache, Franklin, M. D.
Bonsall, Edward H.
Besson, Charles A.
Cope, Caleb
Ellis, Charles
Fotteral, Stephen G.
Hacker, Jeremiah
Horton, John
Hollingsworth, Thomas G.
Knight, Reeve L.
Leaming, J. Fisher
Love, Alfred H.
Longstreth, William W.
Marshall, Richard M.
Ogden, John M.
Perot, Joseph
Parrish, Dillwyn
Powers, Thomas H.
Potter, Thomas
Perkins, Samuel H.
Sharpless, Townsend
Sharpless, Charles L.
Sharpless, Samuel J.
Steedman, Miss Rosa
Turnpenny, Joseph C.
Townsend, Samuel
Whelen, E. S.
Willits, A. A.
Weightman, William
Williams, Henry J.
Yarnall, Charles
Yarnall, Benjamin H.

CONSTITUTION

OF THE

Philadelphia Society for Alleviating the Miseries of Public Prisons.

When we consider that the obligations of benevolence which are founded on the precepts and examples of the Author of Christianity, are not cancelled by the follies or crimes of our fellow-creatures; and when we reflect upon the miseries which penury, hunger, cold, unnecessary severity, unwholesome apartments, and guilt, (the usual attendants of prisons,) involve with them, it becomes us to extend our compassion to that part of mankind, who are the subjects of those miseries. By the aid of humanity, their undue and illegal sufferings may be prevented; the links which should bind the whole family of mankind together, under all circumstances, be preserved unbroken; and such degrees and modes of punishment maybe discovered and suggested, as may, instead of continuing habits of vice, become the means of restoring our fellow-creatures to virtue and happiness. From a conviction of the truth and obligation of these principles, the subscribers have associated themselves under the title of “THE PHILADELPHIA SOCIETY FOR ALLEVIATING THE MISERIES OF PUBLIC PRISONS.”

For effecting these purposes, they have adopted the following CONSTITUTION.

ARTICLE I.

The Officers of the Society shall consist of a President, two Vice-Presidents, two Secretaries, a Treasurer, two Counsellors, and an acting Committee; all of whom shall be chosen at the stated meeting to be held in the first month (January) of each year, and shall continue in office until their successors are elected; but in case an election from any cause shall not be then held, it shall be the duty of the President to call a special meeting of the Society within thirty days, for the purpose of holding such election, of which at least three days’ notice shall be given.

ARTICLE II.

The President shall preside in all meetings, and subscribe all public acts of the Society. He may call special meetings whenever he may deem it expedient; and shall do so when requested in writing by five members. In his absence, one of the Vice-Presidents may act in his place.

ARTICLE III.

The Secretaries shall keep fair records of the proceedings of the Society, and shall conduct its correspondence.

ARTICLE IV.

The Treasurer shall keep the moneys and securities, and pay all orders of the Society or of the Acting Committee, signed by the presiding officer and Secretary; and shall present a statement of the condition of the finances of the Society at each stated meeting thereof.

All bequests, donations and life subscriptions, shall be safely invested; only the income thereof to be applied to the current expenses of the Society.

ARTICLE V.

The Acting Committee shall consist of the officers of the Society, ex-officio, and forty-four other members. They shall visit the prison at least twice a month, inquire into the circumstances of the prisoners, and report such abuses as they shall discover, to the proper officers appointed to remedy them. They shall examine the influence of confinement on the morals of the prisoners. They shall keep regular minutes of their proceedings, which shall be submitted at every stated meeting of the Society; and shall be authorized to fill vacancies occurring in their own body, whether arising from death, or removal from the city; or from inability or neglect to visit the prisons in accordance with their regulations. They shall also have the sole power of electing new members.

ARTICLE VI.

Candidates for membership may be proposed at any meeting of the Society or of the Acting Committee; but no election shall take place within ten days after such nomination. Each member shall pay an annual contribution of two dollars; but the payment of twenty dollars at any one time shall constitute a life membership.

ARTICLE VII.

Honorary members may be elected at such times as the Society may deem expedient.

ARTICLE VIII.

The Society shall hold stated meetings on the _fourth_ fifth-day (Thursday) in the months called January, April, July and October, of whom seven shall constitute a quorum.

ARTICLE IX.

No alterations of the Constitution shall be made, unless the same shall have been proposed at a stated meeting of the Society held not less than a month previous to the adoption of such alterations. All questions shall be decided where there is a division, by a majority of votes; in those where the Society is equally divided, the presiding officer shall have the casting vote.

OFFICERS OF THE SOCIETY.

PRESIDENT,—JAMES J. BARCLAY.

VICE-PRESIDENTS, {TOWNSEND SHARPLESS,
{DR. WILLIAM SHIPPEN.

TREASURER,—EDWARD H. BONSALL.

SECRETARIES, {JOHN J. LYTLE,
{EDWARD TOWNSEND.

COUNSELLORS, {HENRY J. WILLIAMS,
{SAMUEL H. PERKINS.

_Members of the Acting Committee._

Charles Ellis,
W. S. Perot,
Thomas Latimer,
John M. Wetherill,
Samuel Caley,
Abram C. Brown,
Benjamin H. Pitfield,
Isaac Barton,
James E. Kaighn,
Alfred H. Love,
Jeremiah Willits,
William H. Burr,
Jacob T. Bunting,
John C. Farr,
George Taber,
William J. Kiderlen,
Mahlon H. Dickinson,
William Ingram,
James Peters,
Robert E. Evans,
Albert H. Franciscus,
William R. MacAdam,
Charles Palmer,
Charles P. Perot,
Charles C. Lathrop,
Thomas A. Robinson,
Samuel Emlen,
William Dorsey,
Abram Martin,
R. B. Morrell,
John Adolph Beaux,
Dr. Wm. Armstrong,
F. B. Atmore,
Wm. Nicholson,
Charles W. Funk,
Philip P. Randolph,
Joseph R. Chandler,
Samuel Townsend,
A. G. Roland,
Coulson Heiskell,
Benj. H. Shoemaker,
C. L. Newman.

_Visiting Committee on the Eastern Penitentiary._

Townsend Sharpless,
Edward H. Bonsall,
John J. Lytle,
Edward Townsend,
Samuel Caley,
Abram C. Brown,
Isaac Barton,
James E. Kaighn,
Alfred H. Love,
Jeremiah Willits,
William H. Burr,
George Taber,
William L. J. Kiderlen,
Mahlon H. Dickinson,
James Peters,
Robert E. Evans,
Albert H. Franciscus,
William R. MacAdam,
Charles Palmer,
Samuel Emlen,
William Dorsey,
Robert B. Morrell,
Frederick B. Atmore,
William Nicholson,
Charles W. Funk,
Samuel Townsend,
Albert G. Roland,
Benj. H. Shoemaker.

_Visiting Committee on County Prison._

William Shippen, M. D.,
Charles Ellis,
William S. Perot,
Thomas Latimer,
John M. Wetherill,
Benj. H. Pitfield,
Jacob T. Bunting,
John C. Farr,
William Ingram,
Charles P. Perot,
Charles C. Lathrop,
Thomas A. Robinson,
Abram Martin,
John Adolph Beaux,
Wm. Armstrong, M. D.,
Philip P. Randolph,
Joseph R. Chandler,
Coulson Heiskell,
C. L. Newman.

☞ WM. J. MULLEN is agent of the County Prison, appointed by the Inspectors, and acting under their direction, and also appointed by the Prison Society.

Transcriber’s Note

Words and phrases in italics are surrounded by underscores, _like this_. Dialect, obsolete and alternative spellings were left unchanged. Printing errors, such as backwards or upside down letters, were corrected; duplicate words were deleted; missing punctuation was added.

In the original book, the Society’s Constitution was split, printed on the inside front and rear covers. The text of the front portion was moved so that it is contiguous with the end portion.

The following items were changed:

‘Glocester’ to ‘Gloucester’ …the County Gaol at Gloucester…
‘indiscrimnately’ to ‘indiscriminately’ …lying indiscriminately upon…
‘Commonweath’ to ‘Commonwealth’ …parts of the Commonweath,…
‘Misstatments’ to ‘Misstatements’ …Misstatements corrected….
‘started’ to ‘stated’ …objection has been stated…