AN ABSTRACT OF THE History of Maine State Prison.* 1822-1886. Under a resolve of the Legislature, passed February second, 1822, the Hon. Daniel Rose and the Hon. Benjamin Greene were appointed a committee "for the purpose of collecting information and investigating the subject of the punishment of convicts and the establishment of a State prison or penitentiary." They reported to the Legislature January 23d, 1823, * * * "that State prisons should be so constructed that even their aspect might be terrific, and appear like what in fact they should be, dark and comfortless abodes of guilt and wretchedness; * * no mode of punishment ever has been or ever can be adopted so good as close confinement in a solitary cell, in which, cut off from all hope of relief during the time for which he shall have been sentenced, * * * * the convict shall be furnished with a hammock in which he may sleep, a block on which he may sit, and with such coarse though wholesome food as may be best suited to a person in a situation designed for grief and penitence, and shall be favored with so much light from the firmament as may enable him to read the New Testament, which shall be given him as his sole companion and guide to better life; a plan for a prison is herewith submitted, by an inspection of which it will appear that the committee propose to have each con*By J. W. Porter. * vict confined in a separate cell, and entirely secluded from all intercourse with any mortal, * * and the committee further propose that there should be erected and built at Thomaston, in the county of Lincoln, a State prison or penitentiary of stone according to a plan exhibited." The report was accepted, and by an act approved February 8th, 1823, a State prison was authorized to be erected at Thomaston "in conformity with the principles of the plan returned to this Legislature by the committee." A new committee was appointed, consisting of Dr. Daniel Rose, of Boothbay, then President of the Senate, Hon. Benjamin Ames, of Bath, and Hon. Thos. Bond, of Hallowell, "to procure a suitable site for a State prison." The committee met February 18th, 1823, and carefully examined the town of Thomaston, and decided May 7th, by one of those remarkable coincidences supposed to happen only in modern times, to purchase of Ex-Governor William King, what was then known as "Limestone Hill," at a cost of $3,000; the site consisted of ten acres of land, including a quarry of limestone, and extended from the county road to Georges River, and is said to have been a part of the Gen. Knox estate. The chief argument in favor of this location was that the manufacture of lime could be carried on by the convicts with profit to the State. Dr. Daniel Rose was appointed to superintend the building of the prison, and immediately proceeded to contract for its erection. On the 20th of May a contract was made with William Wood & Co. of Quincy, Mass., to do all of the stone work of the prison and house. Other contracts were made for other portions of the work. The house was 40 feet long and 30 feet wide within the walls, the hospital was in the rear of the house and adjoining it. The prison consisted of two wings adjoining the hospital and of the same width of 23 feet, the east wing was 80 feet long and contained 28 cells, the west wing was 634 feet long containing 22 cells, making in the whole 50 cells. The length of the whole building, including the hospital, was 1864 feet. The floor of the prison was granite stone, laid on three foundation walls running the whole length of the building. The walls were of split stone three feet thick. The exterior walls of the prison and hospital were of stone two feet thick, six courses of which made the height of the cells. The walls were 12 feet high. The cells were 9 feet long, 4 feet wide and 10 feet high, covered with stone. They had an aperture in the external wall of 8 by 2 inches, for the admission of air, and an aperture on the top of 22 by 24 inches, for the admission of light and air and for the admission of prisoners. Messrs. Wood & Co. finished their contract October 15th, when it was inspected and accepted by Governor Parris and a committee of the Council. A fence enclosing the prison yard was commenced, to be built of cedar posts, about 10 feet in height above ground. Dr. Early in 1824 the other contractors completed their work. Daniel Rose,* of Boothbay, was appointed warden, and Edwin Smith of Warren, Isaac G. Reed, of Waldoborough, and John Spear, of Thomaston, were appointed Inspectors, by an act approved February 25th, 1824. The Inspectors held their first meeting June 7th, at the prison, and reported that they had "carefully examined the prison, prison yard, and out-buildings, and from their appearance and the representation of the warden, the prison will be ready for the reception of convicts on or about the 20th of the present month." The Inspectors report that 20 prisoners arrived from Cumberland and Oxford counties July 3d; July 14th, 14 convicts arrived from Kennebec and Lincoln counties. [Eaton's History of Thomaston says: July 14th, 14 convicts arrived by water from Charlestown.] July 25th, 10 convicts arrived from Washington and Hancock counties. Number 1 was John Johnson, whose real name in after years was found to be Richard Pelham. The warden's engagement in the affairs of the prison, &c., prevented his being able to make up his accounts, so that the Inspectors could not at this time examine them according to law. January 8th, 1825, the Inspectors report that the prison has as fully answered the purpose of its institution as its advocates would *Dr. Rose was a gentleman of integrity and ability, and the appointment was generally regarded as a most excellent one. He was born in Connecticut October 25th, 1770, graduated at Yale College, 1791. In the war of 1812 he served in the engineer department of the United States army. For several years previous to 1820 he was a member of the Massachusetts Legislature, and under the act of separation was appointed one of the commissioners to divide the public lands. He represented the town of Boothbay in the convention which formed the constitution in 1820. He was a member of the Senate for three years after, having been president of that branch when he was appointed to build the prison. In 1828 he was appointed Land Agent, resigning the office of warden. He died at Thomaston, October 25th, 1833, aged sixty-three. |
