The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1886-02-27
The PenIlsntIary InveslIgatIsH.
TAs Senate Committee Makes Grave Charges.


Jackson. Miss, Feb. 19.-Ths
Senate Committee, consisting of
Senator Boone. chairman, Sena-
tors Powell, Morris. Casey and
Binford, reported yesterday. The
report is very lengthy and exhaus.
tive. When it had been read Sen.
ator Dodds sand that if it be true
it reflected very seriously on all
connected with the penitentiary
aud on the judgment of tue Gov.
ernor.
After reciting the authority un-
der which they performed their
labors, they say that in calling on
the Superintendent of the Peni.
tentiary for contracts with lessees
and papers connected with i'm
proyements and repairs, that said
papers were not in his possession,
but in the lessee's safe; that les.
sees furnished accounts for i'm
provements, repairs and machine.
~ purchased and some informal
contracts, which were the only pa.
pers on the subject.
The committee find that the les
sees owed, Jan l, 1884, $50, ,420 for
1888, and recite an act Of the Leg
lature of 1884 directing the Gov
ernor to notify the Attorney Gen
eral to institute suit to recover
lease money when due and unpaid,
and that in December, 1884, the
lessees had what they claim as a
settlement for 1888, and obtained
a credit of s27,343 20 for repairs
and improvements-the remain
der being paid in cash eleven
months after being due. They re.
port said improvements were not
all made in that year, but after.
wards, and some of them not yet
completed. They report that the
lessees claim to nave had a settle.
ment Dec. 10, 1884, in which they
received credit for improvements
and repairs-sOme Of which are
not yet made-and machinery pur.
chased aggregating $27,3ls 43, the
remaining amount being cash
money one year after being due,
all for lease money of 1884.
On this point they say as far as
can be ascertained nothing has
been paid on lease of 1886. The
payments referred to in improve.
ments and repairs for years OF
1888 and 1891, for which lessees
got credit In settlements are un
warranted In this. There was nc
contracts for repairs and improve
ments as required by law, and {
large portion of said improve
ments were not made until Ion.
after credit were allowed, ant
some are not yet completed. Com
mlttee recite that Gov. Lowry il
his message of 1884 recommends,
the repeal of sections giving au
thorlty to Superintendent ant
Governor to contract for improve
ments and repairs, and also th,
repeal of said authority as ap
proved by the Governor, Marcl
12, 1884.
The committee say the only au
thority they can fnd for contract
for Improvements and repairs il
one defining duties of the Super
intendent where he can in the cas-,
of an accident to the building,
contract with the approval of the
Governor.
The committee after taking tes
timony which is filed with theil
report find that there were ne
contracts for improvements an,
repairs made by the Superinten
tendent with approval of ths
Governor with the lessees of The
PenItentiary for 1884 aud 1885, al
contemplated by the above stat
ute. Gov. Lowry, who testified
before the committee, when asket
did you approve any accounts ol
contracts for repairs or improve
ments except when the annual set
Elements were made, answered
| think not. But may have done
so, and If l did my name will bt
on such papers or contracts.
When asked, when you made
annual settlements, what informa
tion, if any, did you have that the
lessees had performed the worl
with which the State was charged
Answered, annual settlements EN-
braced large sums of money fol
work done, and when an improve
ment of any great magnitude wal
contracted for an estimate wal
made by contractors In this city
of which | was informed by thu
Superintendent of the Peniten
tiary, and when the terms wer,
agreed upon By he aud the lessees
l was so Informed, and when th,
work was completed and the set
Elements required my approval
was informed by the Superintend
ent Of its completion, and on sucl