New York State Governor Reports of Deductions of Sentences by Prison Agents, Wardens, and Superintendents

Chronological by date of deduction or date writ mailed (beginning volume 2).

Legislation of 1862 (Chapter 417) allowed convicts in state prisons and penitentiaries to earn commutation of part of their sentence for good conduct or labor performed. A specified number of days were to be deducted from the sentence for each month served. The prison warden or superintendent was to report deductions monthly to the Governor, who at his discretion would direct the deductions to be made.

This series consists of reports of deductions of time from prison sentences as required by legislation of 1862. For each convict listed, the reports provide the following information in columns: name of convict; county; crime; date sentenced; term; prison; date received at prison; months and days earned (in volume three, this column is labeled "commutation"); name of agent and warden making report; date deduction ordered; date writ mailed (rare in volume 1; consistently appears beginning in volume 2); and date received in prison (volume 3 only).

A0604Series A0604, Registers of Discharges of Convicts By Commutation of Sentences, is the successor series to this series.

Volume list is available at the repository.

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