The Brookhaven leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1883-1891, 1886-03-18
THE PENlTENTlARY SCANDAL.
HOW THE STATE WAS "ESTI-
MATED" OUT OF $40, 7ol.s4
BY THE LESSEES AND
THE JACKSON AR
CHITECTS.
Slack and UnbusIness-Like Man
agement of the Governor and
Superintendent.
REPORT OF THE SPECIAL COMMITTEE

REPORT OF THE SPECIAL COMMITTEE
The special committee Of the Sen.
ate, consisting Of Senators Thrasher,
Kemp, Dean, Smith and Boyd, made
their report last Wednesday. II
will be remembered that this com
mittee was appointed to examine
into and reconcile the difference in
the conclusions reached by the ma
jority report Of the Senate standing
Committee on Penitentiary, made by
Senators Boone, Powell and Morris,
and the minority report of the same
committee, signed by Senators Bin.
ford and Casey. The Jackson cor
respondent OF the n. o. Picayune
says that this special committee, af-
ter reciting all laws on the subject
Of lease, concluded that the repeal OF
sections 2 and 3 of Acts 1877 did
not affect rights of lessees, as it was
component part of their contract,
and that no subsequent legislation
could impair the rights of either
party thereto and consequently they
are of the opinion that the Superin-
tendent had right, with the approx
al Of the Governor, to make con-
tracts with lessees for improvements
and repairs, and that said lessees
had vested right under restriction
hereunder imposed. That the re-
pealed part of act of II by the Leg
islature of 1884, was three days
thereafter re-cnacted "a to the pow
ers of the Superintendent to con,
tract to.wit That in case of an
accident to the Penitentlary build
ings or any necessary repairs or i'm,
provements actually needed the
Superintendent may contract, with
the approval of the Governor and
upon presentation of an tented &C
count of such expenditures, approx
ed by the Governor, it shall be paid.
This special committee, referring TO
the majority report, which concludes
that the payments in settlement in
1883 and "a were unwarranted in
law, in that there were no contracts
as required by law, and that large
portion OF said Improvements were
not made until long after credits
were allowed, and To the minority
report which says, The estimates
and contracts are properly made and
approved as required by law" note
the direct issue thus sharply defined
and proceed to discuss the facts and
recite that various charges in the
form of accounts or bills in favor o
lessees and against the State, begin
ming March ID, 1888, and ending
Oct. %, 1884, for material, repair;
and improvements, aggregating Sl2,
492 Sesame being made GU
monthly as items accrued. So fal
as the face of these papers or bills
is concerned there is no sign or sig
nature of approval ofthe Governor
or Superintendent on either of them
Committee find memoranda of con
tract Oct. q, 1884, between lessee.
and Superintendent, for 1927, anC
signed by them, but find no approx
al of the Governor on face of the pa
pers.
The committee find memoranda o
contract between lessees and super
intendent, March s, 1884, for con
struction of blacksmith ship, etc.
with estimate of material used, anC
on which they find no approval o
the Governor, but same is approved
by Swan, Taylor, Hall and Graves
architects, contractors and builders
and L. j. McQniston, Superintend
ent. Also, a bill for $2050, items
OF which are dated July Is, which
on its face shows no signature o
approval by the Governor. They
find each and every bill or account
herein referred to, aggregating $37,
1889, Endorsed under statement O
account, as follows:
The foregoing amount for the years
1883 and 1884 up TO Goth November
1884, approve.
T. j. MCQUIsToN, Sup't.
RoBT. LOWRY, Governor.
The committee find numerous
bills or accounts from February to
December, 1885, for various
amounts, which are for the mos,
part approved by James Swan, ar
chitect, and shows no approval oil
the Governor on their face, but &
statement of account including eacl
and every time therein, and aggre.
eating, 81, 254.36, is marked approx.
ed, "T. j. McQuiston, Superintend-