Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1879-05-17

Senator Murray replied that he was
willing that they be worked in the
mines. There was no demand for them
in the machine shops. But few OF them
were skilled mechanics, and besides 1t
would be lmpractlcable to work them in
the shops.
Senator Morrison advocated the work.
ing of convicts outside of the peniten-
tiary as a matter OF economy. In reply |
to question OF Senator Burkeholder,
he stated that the penltentiary was self
sustaining. 1t would lack $50.O0O to
$75. 900 ii the convicts were retained
within the walls. ''
Senator Cottey, In reply to question
OF Senator stakeholder, stated that
$1,000 was paid into the treasury last
year from convict labor.
Senator Burkeholder was opposed to
the substitute. He spoke and voted
against similar proposition two years
ago. and had not changed his opinion
since. ss-s- 3D.
Senator Edwards, OF Lafayette. spoke
In opposition to the bill. He drew a
graphic and pathetic picture Of the scenes
enacted on the 1st of June. 1877. In the
mines near Lexington, when 400 con-
victs replaced the'miners. under the con-
tract with j. B. Price & Company. He
quoted statistics, showing that the con
vlcts within the walls were saving money
to the state. He held that it was never
contemplated by the law that men SEN
tepced to athe penitentiary should be en-
ployed IN the mines. or the many pc
titions he presented on the subject only.
seventeen persons favored their reten-
ton in johnson and Pettis counties.
Senator Bradley spoke in favor Oft
substitute.
Senator Major said that the question
resolved itself into this : If you turn
loose 1900 convicts, they take the place
of 1900 honest men. and turn loose on
the community 1900 tramps. You pre-
sent one OF two alternatives to the hon
est mechanics, laborers and miners-to
steal in order that they may live, or
starve and die in order that the state of
Missouri may gain $4,000. He favored
the building Of wall between convict
and honest labor SO deep that the fumes
of hell would be its foundation-stone
and. so high that the vault of heaven
would be its battiement.
The amendment to the substitute Of
fered by Senator Lloyd was lost.
The substitute offered by Senator Cot
tey was lost by the following vote:
Ayes-Bradley, Cottey, D'Armand,
Headlee, Heaston, Lakenan, Mackay.
Morrison, Murray and Naylor-l0.
Noes-Ballingal, Burkeholter, Byrns,
Cabell. Claibornei Coleman, Edwards
OF Lafayette, Gottschalk, Hockaday,
Hudson, Lloyd, Major. Manring, Parrish.
Parsons, Perkins, Phelan. Walker and
Wallace-20.
The amendments offered by the COM
mittee on penitentiary were adopted,
and the bill was read third time and
passed. The emergency clause was
adopted.
Correspondence of the St. Louis Republican
Jefferson City, May 5.-The special
order, house bill to provide for the gov
ernment OF the state penitentiary anc
the appointment oil officers therefor and
defining their duties, was taken up. the
question being on the adoption OF the
substitute for section 16 offered by Sen
ator Cottey on last Friday, providing
, for the employmentOt Ot convict labor out
side of the prison walls.
r Senator Cottey said that it was tbt
duty OF the warden to work the convict'
f inside the walls, but If they canno. bs
' worked advantageously within the walls
. then we should permit the officers tc
r make contracts. under proper restraint
r to work them outside. The state hat
v made, from $50. 900 to $4,000 by .th
year Re Ct tai hd dfanyfts Sst eEs er hs
n in the argument that they came in con
i tact with honest labor, because it thI
r idea were carried to its logical couclu
g sion the shops in the penitentiary woul
J. have to be closed up. They come i
J. contact with honest labor inside tn
d walls as we'll as outside. Considering
It the condition of the treasury is was tn
# duty OF the legislature to curtail e1
Al penses. and If by adopting this amenc
" ment they would save $50, 900 to th
le state, it was their duty to do so.
,e Senator Lloyd offered an amendnel
~ to the substitute providing that no col
le tract shall be made for the employmeI
n of convict labor in any lead or zir
ut mines in this state. Senator Lloyd bel
It that lead and zinc mines were dlfferel
+. and differently operated from coal mine
ut and that convicts should not be worke
n- in the former while they might be in Il
Mt latter.
nc Senator Major spoke in opposition
the substitute offered by Senator Cote
te He hoped that the bill would pass as r
be ported from the committee on penite
On tiary. He was astonished that such
RS proposition should be- made in the Sc
in ate of state. whose growth and pro
of iperity IS largely due to its vast miner
to resources. For the sake of saving fe
NJ dollars to the state they would put CO
,st vict labor in competition with hone
I'M labor.
of Senator Mackey said that, both for t
good of the convicts and of the CO.
mt munity, the convicts should be workt
Of He was as much opposed to work.
lat convicts outside of the Ienitentiary
he any one, but under the present circu
as- stances they could not be worked insiC
lid and common-sense dictates that they
,se worked somewhere.
to Senator Major: Would you be will
Ike to see one of them sitting there as mint
lev clerk ? ."
ion Senator Mackey: Certainly not.
lev Senator Major: Are we any bet
M than the farmer or mechanic in
ate country?
, Senator Hockaday was opposed to ,
he amendment. The present bill was
ing result of a conference between the co
hat mittees on penitentiary of both hous
set The question whether the penitenti,
on was self-sustaining or not was qu
est ton for the people to determine. 9
their wishes as to working convicts O
the side the penltentiary were amply G
,m- denced by the passage of this bill
ed. the house.
inp Senator Hudson was also opposed
as working convicts outside the penit
I'M. tiary. They were sent to the penitent
de. to be punished. and he favored keep
be them there. if it cost the state one-t
,ut. of its revenue.
be Senators Murray Morrison and Br
ley spoke in favor OF the substitute,
iuo Senators Burkeholder, Edwards of
ute fayette, and Major against it. The
ter senator wanted to build a wall
tween convict and honest labor so d
ter that the fumes Of hell would be its TO
un- dation-stone, and the vault of heaven