The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1886-03-10
The Penitentlary Ring-At 1t Again.


EprroR CLARIoS-I learn that han
,as been introduced in the I,-oisls,T,,a
looking 10 The hiring Of the Peniteutiary
.onvicjs to individuals To WORK on pf,N
rATIoNs OR ANYWHERE RLsE the re-
SEES NAY CHOOSE TO woRR THIN a-5
that the State shall receive from such ~
sees a sum OF money for the Penit-rtfs--
and convicts This IS an adroil schema 81
the leasing of the Pententiarv and ~,
victs IN manner and for a purnasa
direct opposition Ia Tire Riil ot tie Uar,i
as expressed through lac puss of tie en-.
tire State After The umsr1Us 5Xtr5.si-,.
OF public sentiment on th-s -HLieff
would be little less thau au OUTRAGE -.
the Legislature 10 pass an aCt emrrss,.--
the lesSees Of the Peni5eutiare % sa-Is
convicts to work on farms IL Is ,L-
known viii OF the people that after H.
preSeut lease terminates, the cauviar- .i.rs
be either kept inside The walls do the ~;
Tertiary or worked on pubic works Tt.
sentiment opposed TO their being worEss
on farms is growing every day. sud we =
hope that the Legislature viii respect ,s.
will OF their constituents, and refe,e ~
couuteuanee this odious leasing sysleH sr-
further The House has already showpl-
4 vote Of p TO /, that the sentiment IN tb-.
body Is opposed 10 working couvirfs m
farms, aud ii | mistake not the seutjn.-.
Of the Senate is about the same.
If members of the Senate and Hag.
would just turn TO the Published rere-.stf
the Superintendent Of the Peuiteu.iarv h.
the wears past. and the report oltAe .a,s.
ugaiing committee 81 last session, and e..
the enormous death rate OF the colriet. IN
the swamp, as compared with those g.-e
ed in other portions OF the Stale and I'll H..
walls. and pursue the investigation In h.
1 logical result, they.w0uld fud
| First, That nine out of ten couyietswl.
are sub-eased are working ou plantation.
| in the syamps.
Second That Of this number l4ros
proportion are convicts who were sentenced
| from the hill country.
/ Third That the death rale among Gam
victs working in the ~wamps is au.u, lima
TO one as compared with those WORKING +,
other portions Of the Stale, or en- r.are8.t
the walls.
Fourth. That Of the deaths at the wall.
a large proportion of them are af l5nvie,.
sent in from the farms in the -vamus.
Fifth. That the deaths among The Con
| victs who were sentenced iral The bfH
country and after coming to the Pen ten
iary are sent to the swamp- l1 work on
| farms, Is enormous.
Sixth. That the cause Of all tbj. Is
that they are not acclimaied
Seventh. That il Is simply iuhumsp ta
expose prisoners who are only sentenced
Tor year or two in the PcniJeuuarv i.
such unnecessary exposure and great risk
OF death The effect OF the law In in.
, present hearing is sentence 90 the Peni-
tertiary with the additional sentence I'm.
, / 4 H.. I,.
eight chances out of ten 20 lie sent 90 The
swamps, and out Of every three deaths tbe
} changes are two TO one that he will be che
of them. Or, in other words, that in every
three deaths OF couvicts leased 90 work an
farms in the swamps, two of them will be
convics from the hill country.
Now Mr.. Editor, it is time that some
body should speak ont plainly or This ,u5.
iect, and | submit il 90 every CANDID. c5e-
scientios man in the Senate aua Uoase i
0 this state OF affairs does NOT call tar
relief, promptly and effectively. Colonel
Hamilton draws 1t very mild whsa Be SAYS
in his report to the committee. entitled
ALLEGED lll-Treatment CI to8Ullsf.
n awe do not doubt but that n SOME iusgan-
ces, wrongs may have been agr. some con
vicl. or they may have been punished al
) times when probably they augat not Dc
&c have been, or that SOME have u.I been irasl.
i bitten, and some accidentally uurf" Its
n lair TO presume that ID tge -ua-leg-ug
s system Is continued, such Instance as those
II mentioned above, will be more than hsgE
i TO he increased, as long abuse at any
n privilege or power only maess iue offend.
7 ers more careless and reckless @, Tile psual.
u ties imposed by she law. j. Is better tfs.
=, The State should be ar an auuaal expense
oil So, 900 or $4,000 than tuat lue present
.e odious and outrageous leasing system
lie should be loneger continued.
Let the convicts be pat ON some grea
public ork in which the Stt,e-at-iarge
will be benefited, where they will be wdei
the direct supervision oil sworn officers Of
20 the State, aud where they viii as .iie a.
possible come in competition with citizen
~ labor, and at the same time not u- bur
den on the State, and the people will b,
satisfied but nothing short oi this will
satisfy them.
M The present Legislature must dispose o
}, the PeniIentiary question. The people 0
Of the State are anxlously awaiting Go heat
D the result OF the deliberations Of tnel
5 Representatives on this question. Ihey
have expressed their wish through ,hel
Representatives and through the press.
o Never let it be said that lhr State 81
Mississippi with all her vast resources
was in such sore straits for money thai
- her Representatives. consented to Trade ID tht
~ flesh and blood OF her helplese cun7ics ii
order to turn into the State Treasury ID,
"a pitiful sum OF a few thousand dollars au
nually. CITIES.