New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-02-13
THE PENITENTIARY.
Repor. Of the Committee Of the House
Of Representatives.

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The House Committee on the Penitentiafy
hav for several weeks been engaged in at
tending 70 the duties that have required
their attention. They have heard Che tes'
timony Of all witnesses whose evidence
would be valuable: have visited the ground;
have listened patiently to all arguments
that have been presented. and have sub
mitted to the House yoluminous report.
it is too long to bepublished at length,
but we present below fair abstract:
The committee visited Baton Rouge on
The thirtieth Of January. and thoroughly
examined the Penitentiary. They could
not tind out who che lessee was. not even
the clerk Of the institution knowing. The
report details the information the COMMIT
tee received from him. and from the repre-.
sentative Of Mr.. James: That the Peniten.
tiary was leased to Huger & James under
military authority; that the State ratified
it; that they disposed Of their interest. but
can not tell who has it; know the State is.
sued bonds for machinery, but don't know
what became Of them; don't know
what the machinery cos. or what the bonds
produced. The clerk, who is q sworn State
officer, 'faiis to mention SO trifling . matter
as the cost Of machinery upon which the
State is now paying interest in bonded
deb: Of $50O,0OO." He says the books are
kept in New Orleans. He and James re.
preventative thought the Penitentiary was
controlled lby the "Hone Manufacturing
Company" with Duncan +. kenher as
president and Martin Gordon as secretary.
Holders Of unpaid bills can find nobody to
sue.
Tho cases Of Anninias Spever, child
nine years old sentenced t. Imprisonment
for life. and Robert Small, who is now a
living skeleton and bearing "marks of most
cruel and inhunsn treatment" are referred
to.
Three luna tics arc confined a. convicts.
One, Morningstar, read . letter TO the com.
mittee which is published in the testimony.
Of 40 convicts who should be inside the
walls but seventy four are there; 375 are on
the levees and twenty-six ON Longwood
auU i13yUen pldnuatlOuss
The violation of the law governing con.
vict labor il shown. They can be employed
on the levees tor the joint account Of the
iessees and the State, according to the
terms Of the lease, though this is expressly
prohibited 0y the Revised Statutes. adopted
subsequent to the date OF the lease.
There is no permission to hire them for
farming purposes. and yet twenty-one were
working on plantations at the mowen: Of
the investigation.
he had no convicts working on plantations.
His clerk proves the contrary. Mr.. James
claims to have Governor Warmoth's writ.
ten permission to work the convicts on rail.
roads and levees, but he did not produce it.
He says he showed that permission to Gov.
ernor Kellogg. and that the Governor said
that was all that was necessary.
In answer 70 the question of the commit
Zee on that point Governor Kellogg says:
mo such application has been made to me-"
The committee believe the lease forfeited.
The fenitentiary, under any system. has
ucCA a Oulucn w lAC totdtCs DuV COAviCCo
can not be reformed by giving the control
Of them to speculators.
Citizens of Baton Rouge. merchants. Ia
borers, mechanics, physicians and ministers
testify e. cruel and inhuman treatment of
MessYs. Kenner. James and Hay.
den are absolved from personal responsi.
bility for cruelty in these words: 1.-The
complaint is that such outrages have been
by guards and Others in charge
Of conVicts while working on railroads.
Ieyees and plantations, and the charge is
that the lessees are responsible for these
.huses.''
Mr.. James and Captain Hayden admit |
that convicts could be whipped. and c:u.
ely SO. without their knowledge"
The report doubts the right Of sub-leas- |
ng. II refers TO evidence of bribery and !
corruption in passing the act ratifying it. |
It recommends that the law officers Of the !
State be instructed to proceed against the !
essees and their securities in the same
manner rs an individual would proceed !
lgainst an agent who had failed to salts.
dCCOTlly account IOT money 1ut1uSitU u
lim for disbursement" 1t says that the
eleasc Of Mr.. James securities was oh.
aimed by fraud, and refers to accompany.
ng testimony for proof.
The report is very lengthy and the docu
nents filed with it are voluminous. All Of
hem are important and deserve eonsidera-
ion. The above abstract does not do com.
lete Justice to the able report of the com.
,ittee, but it presents a resume Of the prin.
ipal points made.
The report is signed by Msssrs. Williams,
f East Baton Rouge; Southard. of Qua.
hlta: Davis. of St. Helena: Hetfner. of
addo. and Carey. of Orleans. of the Com
lit:ee on Penitentiary.
Jus. think, only one day more.
just think, only one day more.
just think, only one day more.
just think, only one day more.
Just think. only one day more.
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