The Daily clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1866-1888, 1886-01-19
The Penitentiary.
REVOLUTIONS oFTEBED BI HON. n. O. VIII
HANSON, OY cAEEOLI- IN TIE HOUSE, ON
18Th

o what the Lessees Of the Mississippi Pen. !
tentiary now owe the State the Governor, /
10 his biennial message (i586) stating that I
Athe sum due on the lease for the year 1855
has not been paid and the Superintendent
Of said Penitentiary saying, in his report
1861 under the head Of amount due the
State" (which has been paid over 10 the
proper authorities and placed in the State
Treasury 10 the credit of the Penitentiary
Fund.- referring, probably, to sums due
prior 10 the year 1885, and giving no infor
nation AZ 10 the amount under said lease
for the year 1855, or Of any contract with
reference thereto; and
WnEEEAs. BY an act Of the Legislature,
approved March IL, 1884, entitled ian act
in relation to the funds arising from the
lease Of the Mississippi Penitentiary," 1t
IA made the duty Of the Attorney General,
in tho event that the lessees OF the Peni-
Tertiary should fail, or refuse, to promptly
pay into the State Treasury, when due, to-
wit. on the first day of January Of each
year the amount due TO the State, to-wit:
$50, 420 90 annually, TO at once institute
suit against said lessees and the sureties ON
their bonds, and ito prosecute the same TO
judgment and satisfaction" and cause the
same 10 be paid into the State Treasury
when notified by tho Governor OF such
failure or refusal; and
WHEuEAs, The Legislative committee Of
the session of 1884 thereof reported that
the amount due the State by said lessees
for the year 1888, to.wit: $39, 5000, had
not been paid, and the Legislature by said
above reclted act, approved March IL, 1884,
intended to compel the payment of the
said sum Of money into the State Treasury;
and
WHEHEAs, Contracts for the expenditure
Of said money arising from said lease we're
authorized only by sections two (2) and
go of an act approved January 81, 1877,
giving the Governor and the Superinten-
dent of the Penitentiary the unconditional
according 10 their discretion, OF
$39, 5000 annually, and concerning which
tho Governor in his biennial message to
the Legislature of 1884, says: II earnestly
recommend that section three (3) be inn
repealed. The authority con
ferred is too great and
WHEREAS, The Legislature in compliance
with said recommendation did repeal said
sections two (2) and (3) of the acts APP
proved March 81, 1877, by the fourth sec
ton OF said first above recited act,approved
March IL, 1884; and
WHEREAS, 1t appears from the report of
the Superintendent of the Penitentiary
that, notwithstanding the intention of tho
Legislature as expressed by said act of
March u, 1884, and notwithstanding the
fact that the Legislature did repeal said
third section of said act approved January
|, 1877, said Superintendent made a con
tract in 1884 with said lessees, whereby he
enabled said lessees to pay the larger sum
of S27,343. 80 in improvements instead of
in cash as directed aud required by law,
said sum being part of the sum of $39, $4,000
due the State for the year 1883, and which
the Attorney General was required, on
notice, to sue for and compel the payment
of into tho State Treasury; and it appear
ing that said Superintendent of the Peni-
Tertiary did, in the year 1888, make an
other contract with said lessees by which
the said lessees were to make further inn
provements at the penitentiary TO the
amount of $27,3l942, instead of paying
said sum of money in the Treasury in cash
AS required by said act approved March
II, 1884. The said Superintendent by said
two contracts thus enabling said lessees to
pay in improvements, in place of cash, the
sum OF $5I,662Sl. Whereby said lessees
paid into the State Treasury only the sum
of S24,l77.19, instead of the sum of
$7S,Si0.00, which was required by law to
be paid into the Treasury; and
WHEREAS, The act approved March 10,
1884, defining the duties of the Superinten-
dent of the Penitentiary authorizes the
Superintendent to contract for repairs, and
necessary improvements, and the House
being without information of any law au-
thorizing any officer of this State TO make
any such contracts as those made with said
lessees by the Superintendent of the Peni-
Tertiary; therefore be it
Resolved, BY the House of Representa-
tives of the State of Mississippi, that the
Committee on Penitentiary be and are
hereby instructed to investigate and report
to the House the amount due the State on
the lat day of January, 1856, by said lessees,
and whether the same has been paid into
the State Treasury as required by law.
I'd. What contracts have been made dur
ing the years 1884 and 1885, by the Super
intendent of the Penitentiary with said
lessees, and by what authority of law.
Sd. What work has been done under each
contract, and whether said contracts were
for repairs or improvements
4th. Under what direction was the work
done and who determined the necessity for
such work.
9TH. And further, what conditions and
stipulations the Gulf Il Ship Island Rail
road demand on the trasfer of said lease;
be il further
Rosotred, That il shall be the duty of
said committee to closely and carefully
nvtstigate the management of said Peni-
Tertiary, the mode of working convicts,
and whether the same are placed on farms
in competition with citizen labor; their
treatment, whether preference is shown to
any, and whether or not all are confined at
hard labor as required by law, or whether
some are permitted TO fill places of supe-
riority over others as guards, overseers,
drivers, etc., commonly called 'trusty's,"
Whether any have been inhumsnely or
brutally treated or unnecessarily slain.
Whether or not guards have in every
instance been iustitiable in shooting, kill
ing or endangering the lives of convicts;
and further, it shall be the duty of said
committee to investigate the camps of the
State convicts, as to their sanitary condi-
ton and otherwise, also the Penitentiary
building and its inmates, etc. be it further
Resolved, That said committee shall re-
port to this House by bill or otherwise at
as early as may be practicable.
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