REPORT.

To the Speaker, and

Members of the 'House, of Delegates

of Maryland:
GENTLEMEN :

The undersigned composing a select Committee, appointed
by your Honorable Body, with instructions to investigate the
affair of the Maryland State Penitentiary, and report to the
House of Delegates, &c., having discharged the duty assign-
ed them, would beg leave most respectfully to report as fol-
lows :

CONDITION OF THE PRISON.

A careful inspection of the present condition of the prison
discloses a state of affairs which elicited expressions of aston-
ishment from your Committee, although we had been led to
expect a good deal from the statements set forth in the last
annual report of the Board of Directors of the Institution.—
We found not only ample verification of the correctness of the
statements made in the Report, but much more of which to
complain and your Committee unhesitatingly pronounce the
Maryland Penitentiary "a nuisance" of the worst kind;
a burning disgrace to the State, and an outrage upon the poor
unfortunates who are confined within its limits. Without
attempting to further discuss its condition we would call your
attention to the following facts.

The Penitentiary property covers an area within the walls
of 4 acres, 2 roods and 28 perches, and of the entire area,
there 1 acre and 39 perches occupied by the various build-
ings now crowded within the enclosure, to the number of four-
teen, large and small. The original plan of the buildings,
was such as to provide a Warden's house in front, a Dormi-
tory on either side of this house, and in the rear, the
necessary workshops. Our first examination was of the

EASTERN DORMITORY.

This is a brick building, 150 feet in length by 40 in width,
containing 820 separate cells, arranged in stories, four in