The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1885-07-08
The Pcnitcntiry Surgeon COncurs In
tho Opinion Expressed by the ST.
pcriDfcuIeNt.

Col. T. J. Lilscomt, StY'crintcldem SCUM
! Curniinu Ernftcntiury-SIK: In response to
your inquiry as t0l whether M additional
humber OF c~onvicts could DO placed within
| the prison yard without endnngcring the
health of tho institution would respectfully
state:
That there arc to day seven hundred COY
c~onvicts within the walls OF tho prison
about scvcnty-irc more than can bc safely
housed. In order that yOu may fully under
stand this statement. 1 will give you the size
of The different rooms where tho prisoners
are confined ut night. ,
Tic prison building has two hundred and
| fifty cells, containing cncn two hundred and
eighty cubi feet Of clear space.
Tho loom house has eighteen thousand two
hundred and three cubic feet.
The hospital, in all It's rooms, has twenty
three thousand and sevcnty-tlircc cubic feet
n part Of which cannot be used In damp
weather. -,
The womcn's quarters arc large and will
accommodate very comfortably and safely
all Of The Observation-Disclosures In number.
All these buildings nre already crowded be-
yond tho limits Of safety.
In each cell on the prison building two men
are confined, which allows for each man only
one hundred and forty cubic feet OF breathing
space. This Is barely safe. Just Ut this time
some OF these cells have three men In them.
This Is positively dangerous, and cannot be
, continued long without serious risk to the
lie Of the inmates Of these cells SO crowded
This has been demonstrated time and again.
In the old loom house one hundred men are
confiucd 1t ut night, which allows to each man
about one bundled and eighty cubic feet OF
breathing SPACE by actual measurement
This building will afford reasonably hafc &C.
cotnmodntion for fifty men only.
1t is rot safe to place more than thirty mon
In the hospital at any time.
The prison count for last night shows that
there We're locked:
80 on prison building, only for.."..."""""5O
100 in old loom house, safe Or...-...............J)
IL In female prison, safe
81 in hospsIal, s lfc ut plcscnt".m"."...."...$S
w c3l
Thus you will sec that there arc seventy
more men tnnn you had reasonably safe nc.
coinmodationS Tor. Very respectfully,
u. S. ropE, NJ. D.,
Physician South Carolina pc%nitentiary.
List of the Dead.
S~rpEEIHTEST's OFFICE,
SOUTH CAROLINA PE~NITENTIAKY.
July 6, 1855.
Ills cycclcncv IlrGn S. ToMrsuS. Governor
Of .SonM Cnrolina-SIR: 1 lavr the homer 10
enclose certificate from DR.. W. VI. Taggnrt
setting forth the cause OF death In the cass OF
ten c0nvictS who have died ut the convict
camp Of A. TwiSg., IN Abbeyille COUNTY
man has not been officially reported my the
officers In charge of the calny.
Ialso append Il list of all the convicts who
have died ut said camp since the commence
mcrt of the present fiscal year., with the date
of each death as reported:
%6i73-l'enj Jones, 18th January, 1887.
55I-robcrl Ladson, 10 January. 1883.
ta;-2-Tum wilson. 3Uth Junuary, 1875.
G5 a-Larkln Br,tton. 4th FEBRUARY. lSS5.
G5D!-ltichard Graves. lG;ll FEBRUARY, $3.50.
RGl-WeS!ey Hodge, 10Th FEBRUARY, 1885.
6jh-Arthur Campbell. FEBRUARY 1855.
%G%l-John IIolmur. 18th May, 1855.
Gf5l-ltobert Riley, 18Th May, 1885.
GiJD-Swann McNlrl, 10Th May, 1885.
G3Su-Sam. Flood, 3Oth May, lSH5.
5>2rIshum Robertson, 10th June, 1885,
CS>i-JOhn FAINT, 1Uth June, 1855.
G:42-Jnfn Davis, nth June, less.
Il1-Sumucl Daniels, 18th June. 1851
G>7D-Wm. Zimmerman. Not officially. re.
ported by officer In charge OF ciinps THIS
death has occurred since my visit on June
18th, lSS1. Very respectfully. your obcdicnt
servant. r.. j. LITSCUMB,
superintendent.