Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1878-01-29

Nv AO0o0 NAluOuL
inqairing into the true condition Of the
frost-bitten and suffering prisoners on
President Island as the last report would
imply, still it is well enough 10 read and
consider the statements of others than
the grand jury. In order to give the
public information respecting the sub
ject a LEDGER reporter this morning in.
terviewed the chairman Of the County
Court, the attorney general and one of
the l%essees.
ATTORNEY GENERAL LUKE Z WRIGHT
yesterday visited the county work-house
on Presidents Island, and is of the opin.
ion that the condition of the prisoners is
not so bad as report would have it. He
found several frost-bitten, and that some
complaint had been entertained against
the former warden, Mr.. Emerson, who
worked the convicts quite hard. So far
as he could ascertain there was no desire
on the part of the lessees to neglect the
matter, but to avail themselves of the
earliest opportunity and speediest means
for reconstructing buildings for the &C.
commodation Of the convicts. The pres.
ent warden or manager was doing all in
his power to make the convicts comfort.
able, and was disposed to treat them
properly and justly. Our reporter next
had an
INTERVIEW WITH WIN. FORREST,
one of the %lessees, who made the folio
ing statement:
We did not get the present contract
until January 10th, 1878, before which
time the lease, being iu the name of Gen.
eral N. B. Forrest, had been annulled
because Of his death. The buildings
burned early in December, and as the
lease had expir,1 and it was not known
that we would get the contract renewed
we had to wait the action Of the County
Court before replacing the buildings de.
stroyed by fire, OF course VIC would not
have been justi6 / in constructing a
prison without a cer' inty of it's being of
use, for had not the contract been re.
newed such would have been of no value
or service whatever. In the meantime
we made the best provision possible, IN.
der the circumstances, and in proof Of
this | refer you to the report of the pre-
vious grand jury. | have been working
c3nvicts for the last six or seven years,
and | have never seen a better or more
comfortable prison, either for those on
farms, railroads or in coal mines, than
the one we have now on the Island.
We propose to erect a prison equal in
point OF comfort and safety to the one
destroyed. We have already begun work
and propose to complete it at as early a
date as possible, 1t is more to our in.
terest than any one else to protect and
have the convicts we'll cared for, as they
are laboring for US and we depend upon
their condition and health for a CORE.
speeding degree Of labor and profit. All
the convicts have good, warm woolea
socks, clothing, blankets and shoes. In
regard to Mr.. Emerson, the warden, he
was recommended by reliable planters in
the Mississippi and Arkansas valleys. |
never knew him to whip any of the con.
victs, but as soon as | heard the com.
plant of two of the convicts being frost.
bitten | discharged him. While a hard
worker, he deported himself well so far
as | know; / never heard any complaint
against him by the hands; they all seem.
ed 10 DO pleased with him. We have q
good hospital, well fitted and furnished
with hunks, etc. There are only two sick
%convicts on the island, and these are suf-
lering with chronic disease. We have
now as manager an experienced Missis.
sippi planter in whom | have full conf
dencs, and believe he will give satisfaction
both to the %lessees and county authori.
ties, az we'll as do justice to the convicts
We are willing for a jury Of intelligent
citizens to visit the island and examine it
thoroughly.
The convicts on the Island are worked
and governed under the same rules and
regulations as those governing the State
%penitentiary. Noguard is allowed either
to curse or strike a convict. Should a
convict violate any rule, refuse to work,
or become refractory, the guard reports
him to the warden who exercises his
judgment under the regulations and re-.
strictions Of the prison as to whether or
not he will inaict any punishment. The
rules do not permit IN offender to receive
more than twenty FIVE lsshss at any one
time. 1t is very seldom that more than
ten lashes are inflicted.
WHAT JUDGE HOLMAN SAYS.
Our reporter next interviewed Judge
Holman relative to the lease Of the con.
victs and the reasons inducing the court
to act thereon. He replied as follows:
In answer to your question as to the
circumstances under which the Quarterly
Court made the new contract for the
lease Of the county couviets, | have to
say that, by the death of Gen. Forrest,
former lessee, the original contract had
become void that under said contract
there was due the county at the begin.
ming Of the year nearly six thousand dol
lars; that the estate Of General Forrest
was found to be totally insolvent, and the
SECURITIES on his h9nd (who we're abpn-
dainty good at the time OF executing i'll
had also failed and become irresponsible;
that the quarters had been entirely de.
stroyed by fire, and the representatives