Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1878-06-27

der Hampton and Democracy, the same de-
fendant, tracked to his hiding place in the
mountains, dragged back by the strong arm
of the executive department, by his counsel
Judge Thompson H. Cooke, valves all claim
for change of venue-is tried by twelve in
! telligent white men, who, after patiently
hearing the whole case, declare on their oaths
that the case was not murder, but killing in
sudden heat and passion, called in law "man'
slaughter" And in corroboration of this
view of the jury, his Honor, Judge Hudson,
imposed the moderate sentence of only four
years in the penitentiary.
In explanation of the prisoners flight, it
was in proof on the trial. that as late as the
fall of 1876, when the attorneys who had de-
Tended the prisoners attended political meet
ing in the neighborhood of the home of the
deceased, hostile demonstrations were made
personally towards the said attorneys by the
friends of the deceased, one of these attor-
neys being at that time nominee for an i'm
portant Office on the Democratic ticket! How
great must have been the excitement against
this prisoner then, under the protection of
Chamberlain and his gang! How insecure
must have been the prisoners life Now,
how changed! Just and firm judges, and in
tellectual white jurors, all Democrats, speak
to the many passions of the multitude, say.
ing, "thus far shalt thou 90 and no farther" "
Management Of the Peniteutiary. ..
- We last week published from the Co.
lumb bia correspondence of the Journalo Of Com.
uaerce, a paragraph complimentary to Colonel
ParmeIee, Superintendent of the Penitentiary.
The statement of the correspondent of the
Journal has evoked reply from Thompson
Earle, Chairman of the Board of Directors Of
the Penitentiary. The following is Mr..
Earle's statement, which we print as matter
of justice to both parties:
I feel it my duty, as Chairman of the Board
of Directors of the South Carolina Peniten-
tiary, to state that the whole article is drawn
from the imagination, and reads as if the in
formation was obtained from Colonel I. W..
Parmelee. The first statement is not correct.
There is only a few over five hundred convicts
in the prison. AS to the bad feeling between
the Chairman and T. w. Parmelee, the pub
lie can take no interest," but will say that it
was not personal, but owing entirely to his
own acts.
The statement that Col. T. w. Parmelee
gives universal satisfaction, is the very reverse
of public opinion in this city, as | know from
daily complaints that are made to me.
There has been no investigation, except the
charges that were preferred by one of the
guards, that T. w. Parmelee had appropra-
ted to his own use the wood, milk, (Which was
intended for the hospital stores) from the
commissary, lumber, paint, lime and oil, all
of which he acknowledged to be true, and JUS.
tilted himself on the ground that they were
perguisites, and that the board which preceded
the present one, knew of and tolerated.
. The present board stopped the supply, and
I am satisfied the good people of South Caro-
lima esteem him, because he plead guilty on
such evidence of approprating trust fund,
as raising his colors very high. The post of
danger was not one of honor. There has been
nothing done in the penitentiary worth speak
ing of, since Thomas Lee was dismissed by R.
K. Scott.
When your correspondent speaks Of his
efficiency, do not know what he means.
I would ask the people of the State to read
the report of T. W. Parmelee for 1877.
You will find that he expended the appro-
priation of twenty-five thousand dollars, and
had deficiency of eleven thousand and two
hundred dollars, and nothing to show for it.
Is that efficiency? If so, any inmate of an
asylum could do as we'll.
What has he done the present yeari On
the. first of April, the present Board took
charge We found that there had been ex-
pended over seventeen thousand dollars OF an
appropriation of twenty thousand; that over
thirteen thousand dollars were due to the
merchants of the city, who were pressing me
for their money that the credit of the Peni-
tentiary was not good for one bale of hay
in the city that there was only one weeks
supply of provisions in the Commlssary,
which, from some cause, not satisfactorily ex-
planned, disappeared in four days. I called
the local Board together. They appointed me
financial agent, with authority to raise money
to supply the immediate necessities of the
Penitentiary. Colonel T. W. Parmelee was
not consulted neither did he know how the
money was obtained till it was secured. He
had rothing to do with the finances of the
Penitentiary. The present Board have re-.
duced the expenses, Notwithstanding the large
increase of convicts, more than thousand
dollars per month. regard the Penitentiary
of this State as the worst managed institution
of the kind in the United States, and T. w.
Parmelee as the most inefficient appointee of
Daniel H. Chamberlain.
... THOMPSON EARLE.