The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1883-08-02


The county commissioners court conven-
ed yesterday morning, pursuant 10 adj
Iournment with Judge II. ~. Burke pfesid-
ing. This report OF the committee appoint-
ed az n former meeting 10 Investigate the
alleged cruel treatment OF prisoners on the
poor farm which has been eagerly awaited
by an anxious public was made, and 10 the
same In substance as published
Ia the HERALD several days since.
THE REPORT,
which exonerates Superintendent Kinnin
of the charges made, reads as follows:
Dsllas, Texas. July "a, lss3-To the Honorable
Commissioners Court Of Dallas County:
Your committee appointed by your hon.
orable body on July 10, 1888, to investi-
gate certain charges publicly made against
j. A. Kinnin, as superintendent OF the Dali
las county poor farm, beg leave TO report as
follows, to-wit;
That the said charges, in main, eminate
more from common rumor or based on
malice and prejudice than on real facts. we
went TO the farm as directed and examined
forty-six witnesses. under oath, besides
talking to quite number of others in the,
vicinity of the Poor Farm and the town CT
Hutchins, and the same general facts were
brought out concerning the management OF
the said farm. We are led to believe that
the prisoners are very well ted and worked
moderately, but not treated quite humane
ly at all times as they should be, as In
stanced in the case OF one Ut. CLAIR, thongh
the blame in this case does not seem to at
tach directly to Mr.. Kinnin, the superin.
tendent. but to one r. M. Watson, en-
ployed as guard at the time St. Clair was
prisoner on the farm. La this particular
case the preponderance of evidence goes to
show that St. Clair was not treated as bu-
namely as he should have been by the
guard in charge at the time
We think from the evidence that Mr..
Kinnin knew that the said Watson was not
altogether a competent and humane
pnard and the evidence further show that
Mr.. Kinpin was eDdeavoTing to secure the
services of a competent guard as soon as
possible. Your committee has carefully
traced all rrmors and reports concerning
the alleged and often repeated brutalities
said to have taken place or committed on
prisoners is the exception and not the rule
We find that these poor farm reports and
minors, like other rumors and reports are
marnified the oftener they are repeated,
and the further they go the short comings
and errors made by the superintendent
and his employees seem to be taken by
some for the general status
standard and management OF the concern,
while that which is good and wholesome
connected with it. is or has been entirely
overlooked. In other words, the bad has
been held up to the public gaze, and the
good kept in the background. The evil
dence of msjority of the most substantial
farmers residing in the vicinity OF the poor
farm, couclusively demonstrates to our
minds that so far as the labor and convict
department of the institution is concerned,
with few exceptions OF i'll treatment, IT is
| all that the county can hope for. In
| financial point of view to the county and
the manner in which the said farm is Guilt
waited. we regard it complete success.
| Our investigations 60 to show that
economy is strictly adhered to,
| if indeed not too rigidly, especially as
regards the management OF paupers.
| we do not regard the management of the
pauper department Of the poor farm to be
WHAT What i should be, considering it is oatensi-
bly the county home for its sick, afflicted
and destitute. Nor do we think from our
observations and the evidence before us, that
| one man can properly manage both paupers
and prisoners. We have carefully looked
| into the condition Of the paupers ofthep poor
farm and the treatment they receive, and
we have to report that they do not get the
attention in the matter OF nursing and clean
l,ness that they ought to receive,
though we do not attach much
blame to the superintendent, as proper
provisions for the taking care of the sick
and destitute have not been placed at his
command. We consider the old Jail,
which is now in use, tirst-clsss nuisance,
and the sooner its occupancy can be dis
pensed with the better for the prisoners
and the fair name OF the county. AS to
the new Jail, if in the province of our duties,
we would suggest that we regard 1t as not
securely butt, nor reasonable for the price
we understand the county has contracted
for.
@. M. TERRY,
r S KIMBRoUoH, Com.
] II. MoFFETT,