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Jail Inspectors
Suggest Improvements
Treatment of prisoners and condition of the jail continued to be a concern for the young county and in 1892, a commission composed of Robert Heterick, W. Williamson and Joseph Nicklin were asked to inspect the jail and give a report.
They did so, finding the jail both clean and comfortable, and made some recommendations:
The undersigned commissioners appointed hg the Judge of the Circuit Court of Law and Chancery for Rappahannock County to inspect the jail of the said County, respectfully beg leave to report, that they have proceeded to execute the duties imposed upon them, they find that the state and condition of the jail is good. The size of that part used as a jail consists of four apartments, two for the safe keeping of prisoners charged with felony, each about ten feet wide and sixteen in length, and two for the reception of debtors, each about twelve feet wide and eighteen in length, and which are adequate to the convenient accommodation of the prisoners who may be confined therein from time to time. We find that the said jail is in good repair, that the same is capable of being sufficiently aired and ventilated in summer, that the debtors apartments are adequate!y supplied with fireplaces, and one of the apartments for prisoners charged with felonious offences has a stove in it which keeps it sufficiently comfortable, but the means proposed of keeping the other warm and comfortable by means of a drum from the other stove are in our opinion inadequate to that purpose, nor is there a fireplace in the last-mentioned apartment. And we find the whole properly secured by bolts bars and locks.
We have enquired into the treatment of prisoners by the jailors since the last inspection of the jail which we find to be good, and we are satisfied that the jailors have been accustomed to furnish prisoners confined in the jail by whatever authority with wholesome and sufficient food with sufficient fire when necessary and proper, and with cleanly and sufficient bed and bedding according to the season, that the jail has been duly whitewashed and kept constantly cleanly and properly aired, that there have been no sick prisoners requiring nursing, nor Itch there been an intemperate use of liquor permitted by the said jailors in the jail nor do we believe that they have received therein any Negro slave for safekeeping contrary to the provisions of this act, or without lawful commitment.
“We believe that while the jail is sufficient for the convenient accommodation of prisoners for debt that their comfort would be much increased if instead of some present fixtures in the apartments allotted to them there was a space adjoining the east and a part of the north side of the jail enclosed with a substantial wall sufficiently high to prevent escapes into which debtors might ha ve the privilege of going in the day time from the back door of the jail — and which is respectfully submitted by:''
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