Weekly commercial herald. (Vicksburg, Miss.) 1884-18??, 1886-04-02
Gov. Lowfy Talks About the Ponl-
tentlary and Other Mattarp.


"A reporter Of the COMMERCIAL
HERALD called &C the Office Of Gov.
Lowry this morning, and said II you
have no objection l would be glad to
ask you about several matters touching
recent Legislation. The Governor re-
piled none whatever.
Reporter-What about the "peni-
Tertiary muddle?"
Answer-The "penitentiaFy mud
die" as you term it. IS too plain to be
misunderstood, and all the kilograms
sent over the country about "peniten-
tiary" scandal will not misIead or de-
ceive a single human being Of de-
cent intelligence. The following
figures are correct and cannot be
changed unless truth is changed to
falsehood. The rent Of the penitentlary
for n year is s39, 420. For four years,
my frsL term of office. l57,680.00.
Cash collected and paid into Treas
ury $5S.121.52.
Amount Of rent for 1885 unpaid
$39,420 90.
Net profit to State In money and
debt due in four years $97,54l.52.
Repairs and improvements in four
years average $l5,032.62.
Or for the four years $6O,l35.45.
Giving a total gain to the State in
four years $157 $4,000.
The penitentiary has been estab lish-
ed Fifty years, and | am the only Gov
ernor in all that time that caused one
dime to be Paid into the Treasury from
that source. BY this declaration do
not mean that money should have
been derived from the ~penitentiary by
my predecessors-on the other hand |
assume that their management was
entirely proper and economical, but
that the necessity and demands of the
times caused an outlay instead of an
income from the prison.
Reporter-How does the last four
years management of the penitentiary
compare with previous years so far as
profit to the State.is concerned?
Answer-The comparison would
hardly be a fair test, because the rent
previous to 1881 was less, and perhaps
the necessity for improvements qnite
as great, but from 1876 to 1881, in
elusive, the improvements and repairs
were $56, 530.3l.
Cash paid to lessees by State during
those years $25, 100000,
In making this comparison, | desire
to emphasize the fact that | have nc
doubt that the improvements made:
and money paid by the State was nee
essary, and that the management was
prudently and honestly conducted.
Reporter-Those criticising you
Governor, cain that you were directed
by law to notify the Attorney-Genera
to bring suit against the ~lessees, ant
that you failed to do SO?
Answer-That is simply false. HERE
is the Acknowledgement statement
"Immediately after the passage of thu
act Of 1884 Gov. Lowry, in writing
called my attention to the same, and
SO notified the lessees Of the peniten
tiary who made a full settlement of al
sums due under the law, and theil
contract up to December, 1884, Nc
suit was instituted, as it was no
necessary.
(Signed) T. G. CATCHINGS,
$780, Attorney General"
Reporter-Your opponents charge
Governor, that you recommended II
your message Of 1884, a repeal Of thu
law of 1877, giving the superintendent
and yourself authority to expend thu
yearly rent for repairs and improve
ments?
Answer-So l did, and the Legisla
ture to whom that message was ad
dressed appointed a committee on tn
penitentiary, and among other thing
they made the follow ing report:
awhile they admit that the stat
prison has been run without exptn nj
to the State, ard i'll fact at . profit Q
S. meaning (33944.33) yet "
can but say that this has been done
the expense of human lives, etc, an
this money cay only be regarded as
is due the State, or lies in the Treas
ury, as blood money, and a but rec
ommend its expenditure in a name
to relieve the present convict system
etc" .
Accepting this as the legislative WI
OF 1884, they not only wanted to eH
pend the $50, 944,93 already collected
but emphatically desired the comfoK
and good treatment Of the convict
rather than revenue from that source
and hence l c~onsentedt to charging To
prison 60 as to give employment !
more convicts In the walls.
Reporter-Your opponents, Cove
nor, say that the superintendent, vii
your approval, was without authori'
Of law to make contracts with the lie
sees for improvements on the prison
Answer-A lawyer who would giN
such an opinion ought to be deprive
of his license. This is the langual
Of the statute Of 1884:
"That in case of an accident to tt
Penitentiary buildings, or any necess
~ repairs or improvements actual
needed, the Superintendent OF u
p~enitentiary may contract. ETC., wi
the approval Of the Governor" and
this opinion the lawyers and the cor
mittees OF the minority and specl
reports fully concur.
Ranortpr-The complaining eleIneT