The weekly clarion., 1876-02-09
HOUsE-TWENTY-sIXTH DAY.
TnURsDAY, Feb. 3. 1876

THURSDAY, rep. d lS1o'
Mr.. Speaker Street in the chair. Prayer
by Rev. Mr.. Zealy- Present 100; absent
Ii. Leave of absence was granted TO Mr.
Boyd.
Mr.. Powell. chairman, reported upon the
contracts under which the cOnvicts of the
Penitentiary have been leased, as follows
That on Feb. y, 1875, the Inspectors of the
Penitentiary entered into contract with
O. G. French and O. ). Jobes, for the labor
or $50 male convicrs, TO be worked outside
the Penitentiary, but within the Limits of
the State contract to terminate January
st, 1880: the Inspectors, on May IL, 1879,
made another contract with the said Jobes
Il French for the labor of 200 male convicts
until January 1st. 1880; that JObeS q
French. on the same day, February 27, 1870
snb-Iet 100 of said 250 convicts to +. Rich
ardson. until January lst, 1880 and that for
the sub-contract +. Richardson paid Jobes
4 French $1,000 cash; that said sub-con-
tract was approved by the Peaitentiary
Inspectors and the Governor. That on Octo-
Der Sth. 1873, Jobes q French sub-let to Il.
Richardson 100 of the 200 c0nvicts contract
ed to them on May 18th, 1873, the lease to
terminate January lst. 1880; that for this
sub-contract T.. Richardson paid JObes a
French $6 $50 cash; said sub-con5ract was
approved the same as the other. That
4J0 cOnVicts have been delivered under
said contracts; that the number has been
diminished by deaths, escapes, and eXpira-
ton OF TERMS Oh SebItittG. 1Dt committee
was impressed with the indecent haste eX-
erciSed by the Penitentiary Inspectors in
leasing said convicts. The law authorizing
the lease was approved Feb. 26th, 1875, and
the next day, Feb Z7th, $50 0were leased to
Johes q French and the same dav 100
of them were sub contracted by said Jobes
aud French to +. Richardson at profit of
$500 Two of the Board of Inspectors,
A very and Cessor, and one of the contract
ing parties, French, were members of the
Legislature that passed the.law authorizing
the lease. Whv such indecent haste in
leasing said convicts? Why could not the
Inspectors have made the cenvicts as profit
able tor the State as JOOeS Il French made
for themselves by sub-leasing? The COM
mittee believe the act allowing the lease was
81 legislative job, and that the contract be-
tween the Inspectors and JObes Il French
was IA Swindle upon the State. They have
not discovered any violation of the contract.
They report that they can find no law au-
thorizing e sub-letting the labor and in
aSmuch as it is Il legal question they recon-
mend that the subject be referred to the Ju-
dietary Committee. Copies of the contracts
accompanied the report; referred as request
ed.
The bill to provide an Office for the Super
iutendent Of Education was taken from the
hands OF the Judiciary Committee, and was
referred to Il special committee-Messrs
McNair and Dear.
Mr. Featherston, chairman, reported a
substitute for the bill in relation to the rev.
enue of Marshall county; and the bills to
protect the Interests Of agriculture. and to
change the criminal laws. With the recon-
mendation that they do pass.
The eommittes'e substitute. entitled an
act to provide for the payment of the out
Standing warrants of Marshall county, was
passed.
The bill to protect the interests of agri-
culture and change the criminal laws was
taken up.
Mr. Barksdale offered substitute, and the
bill and substitute were discussed at length.
Mr.. Hall moved to table the substitute; !;
carried; yeas, 5Gi nays, 10; absent, IL 4; and
the bin passed.
YEAs-Messrs, AldricF, Amacker. Bailey,
Baker. Bassett, Bean, Byrd of Franklin.
Bird of Lawrence, Carter of Holmes, Causey,
Grassland, Chiles, Dabney, Dear, Erwin,
Floyd, Garrett, Gayden, Gibson, Hall. Har-
per, Hebron, Hicks, Hogan, Horton, Hud-
dleston, Jarnigan, Jayne, Johns, Leigh.
Massengale, Meade, Miller, Muldrow, Nc
Cargo, McInnis, MeLaurin of Jasper, Nc
I.aurin of smith, Nelson, Nichols, Parker,
Pound, Powell. Reynolds, Rowan, Saunders.
ShandS, Shrock, stebbins, Tison, Trice,
Tucker, Turley, Wilkinson, Vaughan and
EelloWley-51.
NAYs-Messrs. Barksdale, Bell, Blount,
Boyd, Bridges. Brown, Campbell, Clay,
benson. Edwards. FeatherstOn, Fortune,
Gillis, Gowan, Guthrie. Guytou. Hudson,
Hussey, Jacobs, Jenkins, Johnston of TIA
wanda, Jones OF lssaquena, Lester. Mallo-
ry, Milsaps. Monroe, McNair. McNeise,
McWhorter, Oyerton, Parsons Pennington,
Percy, Riley, Rogers. Sanderlin, Shattuck
Southworth. Sykes, Warren, White, Walden.
Young and Mr., Speaker-46.
ABSENT AND GOT VOTING-M Messrs, Carter
of Warren, CeSSor, Clifton, Cochran, Crum,
Drake, Dyer, Jagers, JohnSon of Winston,
Jones OF Kinds, Mccormick Shelby, Spight,
Troup and -Natkins--l5.
The bill rs naSSpa DrOTlipS-SPptlOD /
That it shall be grand larceny to steal any
hog, pig, COW. calf. yearling. steer, bail,
sheep, lamb, goat or kid, regardless of value.
See. ,. Enacting clause.
COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE.
Mr.. Tison in the chair. The House went
into the Committee of the Whole to consider
the Senate and House bills on salaries.
After some time spent in the consideration
of the bills, the Committee rose and asked
leave TO sit again tomorrow,
HOUSE.
BY Mr. Featherston: That when the
House adjourn Friday it be until Monday;
lost. Yeas, 80; nays. 81.
Mr.. Tison. chairman, reported 4 bill TO
authorize the Secretary of State to furnish
books to the Clerks OF the Courts OF Jackson
and q reen, with a substitute to repeal Sec.
1897, Code of ISL relating TO the relief of
the poors to authorize L0wndes county to
sell It's uncuTrent funds, with the recon-
that they do pass. Also to aseer-
tain the outstanding indebtedness OF New
ton county; in regard 10 settlements of
County Treasurers; 70 amend sec. 265, Code
Of 1871 relating TO County Treasurers, roe
that they do not pass.
BY Mr.. McNair: To extend the privileges
of the House 70 Drs. IL. Z. Atkins aad r. Il
Applewhite, OF Lincoln; adopted. Ad
journed.
TWENTY SEVENTH DAY