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It is enacted by the General Assembly, as follows:

SECTION 1. The oversight, management and control of the state prison shall be vested in a board of seven inspectors, to be appointed annually by the general assembly. They shall elect their own chairman and clerk. In case the person elected clerk shall not be one of the board, he shall receive such reasonable compensation for his services, not exceeding two dollars per day for the time in which he shall be actually employed, as the said board of inspectors shall direct.

SEC. 2. The board of inspectors shall hold quarterly meetings at the prison on the second Wednesdays in the months of January, April, July and October, at which four shall constitute a quorum for doing business: and they may hold special meetings when necessary, all the members having notice. thereof; they may make all necessary rules and regulations for the internal police of said prison, for the mode of employment of the convicts imprisoned therein, and the manner and extent of the punishments to be inflicted for the breach of said rules and regulations: provided the same are not inconsistent with law; which rules and regulations are to be entered in a book kept for the purpose, and a copy thereof given to the warden and other officers of said prison. One of said board shall, at least once in every week, visit each prisoner, and in the absence of the warden and underkeepers, examine into his situation, hear any complaints that he may make, and see that the rules and regulations of the prison be strictly observed they shall keep a particular record of all their meetings and proceedings, of their weekly visits and complaints made to them by prisoners, whether well or ill founded.

SEC. 3. The board of inspectors shall appoint the warden and physician of the prison, and may license any proper person who will serve without compensation to visit the convicts as a moral and religious teacher. They shall advise with the warden as to the purchase of necessary supplies and provisions for the convicts, and materials to be manufactured by them, and as to the sale of all articles made in the prison. They shall annually audit the warden's accounts before they are presented to the general assembly. Each of said board shall have power to administer oaths in relation to all matters connected with the prison. The board of inspectors may remove the warden or physician at any time for good cause. They shall serve gratuitously, and during their continuance in office they shall be exempted from military duty and from serving on juries; and any inspector who shall hold that office for five years shall be exempted from such military duty ever after

ward. They shall make a written report of all their doings to the general assembly at the October session in each year.

SEC. 4. The board of inspectors shall have full power and authority over the prisoners now under sentence, and over all that hereafter may be committed to said prison, to enlarge their confinement and regulate their labor by permitting them to perform labor in the corridor of said prison, or in any workshop that the general assembly may provide for that purpose; by permitting more than one person to remain in a cell, or a nurse to be with a prisoner in his cell in case of sickness; by permitting them to go into the yard of the prison in the day time; by admitting such communication to and from their friends and among themselves, and such books and other articles as they may deem expedient, consistent with the safe keeping of the prisoners, under such general rules and regulations as they may from time to time make.

SEC. 5. The warden shall reside at the prison, and shall not absent himself therefrom for a night without the written permission of two inspectors. He shall give bond to the state in the sum of five thousand dollars with sureties to the satisfaction of the inspectors, for the faithful performance of his duties. His compensation for his time and services shall be a sum not exceeding eight hundred dollars per annum, at the discretion of the said inspectors, in addition to the perquisites mentioned in the ninth section of this act.

SEC. 6. He shall from time to time appoint so many underkeepers as the board of inspectors shall advise, and may dismiss them when he thinks proper, or the board of inspectors shall direct him so to do. He shall be responsible for the faithful conduct of such underkeepers, and may require bonds with sureties from them upon their appointment.

SEC. 7. He shall keep a journal, in which he shall regularly enter the reception, discharge, death, pardon or escape of every convict; all complaints that are made to him by the convicts; all punishments by him inflicted for breach of prison discipline, and the visits of the inspectors and physicians.

SEC. 8. He shall see that the rules of the prison are strictly obeyed; that the convicts regularly receive their allowance of food and clothes; that they are cleanly in their dress and cells, and actively engaged in the work prescribed them; and he shall enforce obedience to the prison rules by such punishments as are prescribed therein; but neither whipping nor any other corporal punishment shall be inflicted, except under the direction of one of the inspectors.

SEC. 9. The warden of the state prison shall be purveyor of supplies for the county jail in the county of Providence, as well as for said prison. He shall be supplied with fuel, oil and board for himself and family, out of the supplies furnished for said establishments. Under the advice of the board of inspectors, he shall purchase the raw materials to be manufactured by the convicts under his care, and shall make sale of all articles manufactured.

SEC. 10. He shall keep a correct account of all receipts and expenditures; and at the October session of the general assembly shall present such account, together with an account of stock on hand, after the same shall have been examined and certified by the inspectors to be correct. He shall also at the same time present a written report which shall contain the number of persons in confinement, the sex, age, place of nativity, time of commitment, crime and term of imprisonment; noting also what convicts have left the prison during the preceding year, and under what circumstances.

SEC. 11. He shall not receive from any one confined in the state prison, nor from any one in behalf of any such prisoner, any gift or reward, or the promise of any, for any services or supplies, or as a gratuity, under the penalty of five hundred dollars.

SEC. 12. The warden of the state prison shall ex-officio be the keeper of the jail in the county of Providence; his compensation as warden shall be in full for all his services as keeper of said county jail.

SEC. 13. All fees that may accrue to the keeper of the jail shall be credited to the state in his account of credits and disbursements, and also the amount of money received for board of persons committed to his charge.

SEC. 14. The keeper of the jail in the county of Providence shall receive and safely keep in said jail, all such prisoners as may temporarily be committed to his keeping while being transferred from one county to another, under charge and in the custody of any of the officers of this state; and of all prisoners in custody of any officer of another state, while passing through this state. The officer having charge of such prisoners shall certify their commitment and discharge on the books of the said jail, and the warrant of such officer left with the jailer during such prisoner's detention shall be a sufficient protection to him therefor.

SEC. 15. Whenever a vacancy shall occur in the office of warden of the state prison, by death or resignation, or removal, the inspectors shall immediately give notice thereof to

the sheriff of the county of Providence, and proceed as early as possible to the election of another warden; and in the interim, and until the bond of the warden is executed as by law required, the said sheriff of the county of Providence shall ex officio be the warden of the state prison and the keeper of the jail in the county of Providence; and shall be entitled to receive such compensation as by law belongs to said office.

SEC. 16. One underkeeper shall every day visit the cell of each prisoner, shall see that his meals are regularly delivered, that he is diligent at his work, and that his cell and all its contents are in good order; all deficiencies in any respect he shall report in writing to the warden, and to the inspectors also when required.

SEC. 17. No underkeeper shall absent himself from the prison without the leave of the warden; nor shall any one receive from any convict confined in the state prison, nor from any one in his behalf, any reward, or gift, or promise of any, either for services or supplies, or as a gratuity, under the penalty of imprisonment for thirty days. He shall also be immediately dismissed, and shall not afterward be employed in said prison.

SEC. 18. The compensation for underkeepers shall be fixed by the board of inspectors.

SEC. 19. The underkeepers shall have no conversation with the convicts other than is necessary for understanding and supplying their wants, and enforcing industry and obedience to the rules of the prison.

SEC. 20. The physician shall visit each convict in the prison once in every week, and oftener if need be. All directions given by him in relation to medicine, diet, clothing, cleanliness and exercise of the sick, so far as not inconsistent with law or the rules of the prison, or the safe custody of the convicts, shall be strictly attended to by the warden; such directions shall be in writing, and entered on his journal.

SEC. 21. He shall examine each convict on his first visit to him, as to the state of the health both of his body and mind, his habits and mode of life, and make a memorandum thereof in his journal.

SEC. 22. The physician shall present to the general assembly at their October session in each year, a written report of his proceedings, and of the state of health of the prison for the year preceding.

SEC. 23. He shall also have the medical care of such of the prisoners in the jail in the county of Providence at the suit of the state as need medical aid; and for his services in

both establishments shall receive the annual compensation of one hundred dollars.

SEC. 24. No prisoner shall be dismissed from the state prison while laboring under dangerous disease, unless at his own request, although entitled to his discharge.

SEC. 25. Any person or persons licensed by the inspectors shall be allowed as free intercourse with the convicts, for the purpose of giving them moral and religious instruction, as is consistent with their safe custody.

SEC. 26. Public religious exercise may be held by such person in the corridor of said prison on Sundays; measures being taken to prevent the convicts during the same from holding any communication with any one which is not authorized by the rules of the prison.

SEC. 27. Every cell shall be furnished with a bible, and one hour each day shall be allowed each convict for the perusal of the same.

SEC. 28. The governor and lieutenant governor of the state, the speaker of the house of representatives, the secretary of state, the attorney general and the justices of the supreme court shall, ex-officio, be official visitors of the prison.

SEC. 29. No person not an official visitor shall be allowed to visit the prison without a written permit from one of the inspectors; nor shall any person other than an official visitor have any conversation or communication with any convict, except as provided for in the general rules established for the prison. This rule may be dispensed with in favor of any person visiting the prison from without the state, for the purposes of general information, by a written permit from two inspec

tors.

SEC. 30. No person shall deliver to or receive from any convict any letter or message whatever, not authorized by the rules and regulations adopted by the board of inspectors, or supply any convict with any article of any kind, under the penalty of one hundred dollars.

SEC. 31. Every convict imprisoned in the prison shall be clothed in the uniform of the prison immediately on his commitment. He shall be examined by the warden and other officers, and his name, height, apparent and alleged age, place of nativity, complexion, color of hair and eyes, length of foot, and trade or occupation, as near as may be, ascertained and entered in a book provided for that purpose, together with such natural and accidental marks as may serve as a means of identifying his person.

SEC. 32. All the effects on the person of the convict, as

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