Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1879-12-11

he tore tightly nailed boards from the walls
Of the cell, and acted so violently in other re-
spects, that for safety he was afterwards trans
ferred to the Jail. He is supposed to be insane
from the effects of excessive drinking,
THE SOUTH CAROLINA LEGISLATURE.
MONDAY, December l, 1879.
In THE SENATE, the bill relinquishing
bequest of $4,000 to the heirs of John Blair,
passed to third reading. ...
The bill to establish. uniform system of
registration of births, marriages and deaths,
was recomihitted.
Owing to the absence of the chairman of
the judiciary committee. the Crittenden and
Taft Penitentiary resolutions were deferred
until Tuesday.
In THE HOUSE, the Senate committee to
appoint joint committee on amendments to
the constitution, was referred to the judiciary
committee.
Mr. Smons introduced bill to establish a
system of registration of births, marriages
and deaths. ..,,1
Mr.. Morrison introduced bill to require
county commissioners to publish certain re-
ports before the sitting Of each term of court.
Mr.. Kennedy introduced bill to provide
artificial legs for soldiers of the late war.
Mr.. Moody introduced bill to pension
manned South Carolina soldiers in the late
war.
Mr.. Chase introduced bill to forbid the
running of freight trains, and to regulate the
running of passenger and mail trains on Sun
day.
The bill to provide for the establishment
of new school districts in the several cities
and towns and incorporated villnges OF the
State, and to authorize the levy and coll ction
of special taxes therein, was taken up for a
second reading, and after discussion, was made
the special order for IL NJ. on Friday.
TUESDAY, December 2.
In THE SENATE, the unfavorable report on
bill to provide for the holding Of conven-
ton, was adopted. -... .-=
The two sets of resolutions in regard, to
the treatment OF penitentiary convicts, came
up for consideration set, offered by Mr..
Crittenden, referring the matter to the peni:
tentiary committee, and the other st offered
by Mr.. Taft, referring it to special commit.
tee. Both sets of resolutions having been
read by the clerk, Mr.. Crittenden moved that
as these two resolutions lnoked to the same
object, they should be discussed together.
Mr. Taft objected on the ground that they
did not look to the same end: both could not
be adopted.
Mr. Critteuden was in favor of the fullest
investigation that it was due to the parties
in charge that it should 60 forth to the world
that it was on the testimony of the convicts
themselves that these chnrges Of cruelty,
&c., had been made in prominent journal.
Moreover, he would not forestall the guilt or
innocence of any one; that the committee on
the penitentiary, from their large acqualEt-
ance with the convicts and with the working
of the system, were eminenty fitted to investi'
gate this matter and could more thoroughly
and in a shorter time do so than any special
committee.
Mr.. Taft said wish to state at the outset,
that propose to discuss this whole matter
with malice to none and charity to all. 1t is
burning shame that for eighteen months the
Legislature has done nothing The matter
has been CLOSED over year ago last sum-
mer .convicts were returned unable to walk,
and yet no protest had appeared excepting in
the columns cf the News and Courier. 1t is
true that the Superintendent Of the Peniten.
tiary had been invited to examine into the
facts of the case, and that, theoretically, be had
done So. The parties implicated had dined
him and wined him; they had made speech
and he had made speech, and the end of it
all was that he had declared that it was all
right Perhaps it was thought that | desired
to create little campaign thunder; desire
no such thing. What do desire is that these
outrages he inquired into and the perpetra,
tors be punished. I make war on the whole
system. The Senator from Greenville owes
it to himself that these outrages be redressed.
To dav, FIVE or six correspondents of leading
Northern journals are waiting to see what
this Senate will do.
Mr.. Crittenden here interrupted the Sena'
tor from Charleston to ask him if his resolu-
ton had not taken sufficiently high grounds.
Mr.. Taft make great objection, and
think can show that they are words only
1t has been rumored that it won't do to allow
my resolution to succeed; that it must 60 to
the committee on the penitentiary and be
there smothered. Of what use is the resolu-
tion of the Senator from Greenville, when the
existing law covers the whole ground? Why
say cit shall be the duty of the Attorney
General to prosecute" &C., when the law dis
tinctly says that such is bis duty? Again,
not in single instance has the coroner done
his duty. The Solicitor has failed, the At
torney General has failed, all have failed to
do their duty as by law prescribed, and yet
we have resolution to ask the Attorney Cen
eral to go ahead! But I might continue for
hours giving reasons for this investigation. l
oppose Senator Crittenden's resolution be.
cause its object is to bury this matter. | am
opposed to the penitentiary committee being
made the investigators, as they are welded to
this iniquitous system. want committee
that is not tied down to that system and that
has not placed itself on the record that it is
80 tied down. l do not desire to make politi-
cal capital, but if you don't adopt my resolu-
ton, warn you that I shall do 80. and so
also will my party. If the Senate adopts my
resolution, all we'll and good; if the other,
the investigation will never take place.
Mr.. Maxwell, of Abbevile, replied at
great length from written paper, in which
the specific charges that appeared in the
columns of the News and Courier we're specif.
ically replied to and combatted by counter
evidence.
Mr.. Crittenden did not propose to be put in
a false position by the Senator from Charles
ton. He had yet to meet single Senator
who desired to have this matter smothered.
Mr.. Collins followed, and made few re.
marks in support of the resolution of Mr..
Taft.