Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1886-02-27
MISSISSIPPI STATE PRISON.
Report of he Committee to the State
Senate Grave Reflections on the
Prison Management.

Jackson, Miss, Feb. l9.-tSpCcial. -
The Senate Committee, consisting of
senator Boone. chairman, Senators
Powell, Morris, Casey and Bintord, re-
ported Yesterday. The report is very
lengthy and exhaustive. When it had
been read Senator Dodd5 said that If
it be true it reflected very seriously on
all connected with the p%cnitcntiary
and on the judgement of the Governor.
After rcciting the authority under
which they performed their labors,
tucy say that in calling on The super
inIendent of the Pcnitcntiary for con-
tracts with lcssccs aud papers connect
ed with improvements and repairs,
shat said papers were not in his pos.
session, but in the le-scc's safe, that
lcssccs furnished accounts tor improve
mch,s, repairs and machinery purchas-
ed and some informal contracts, which
were the only papers Oh the subject.
The committee find that the lc>Sces
owed, Jan. /, 1884, S39, 40 tor 1883. and
recitc IN act Of the Legislature OflSSi,
directing the Governor to notify the
Attorney General TO institute suit. TO
recover lease money when due and IN
paid, aud TINT in December, 1884, the
~lCs,ecs had what they claim as Il settle
mcnt for 1888, and obtained credit OF
327 ,3i3 20 for repairs and Improve
mcnts-thc remainder being paid IN
cash eleven months after being due
They report said Improvements were
not all made in that year, but alter
wards, and some Of them not yet COM
pletcd. They report that the lcssccs
claim TO have had settlement Dec. 10,
1885, in which they received credit Tor
improvements and repairs some Of
which are not We; made-and macl,in-
ery purchased aggrcgating $27,3l9 l3
th9 remaining amount being in cash
money one year after being due, all
for lease money Of 1884.
On this point they say az far ms can
be asccrtained nothing has been paid
on lease of 1885. The payments %rrfcri.
ed TO in improvements and repairs for
wears of 1883 and 1894, fo- which les
sees got credit in settlements are m
warranted in this, There were no ON
tracts for repairs and improvements as
required by law, and a large portion
of said improvements were not made
until long after credit were allowed,
and some are not vet completed. Com
mittce rcritc that Gov. Lowry in hi,
mpssagc of 1884 recommended the re-
peal of sections giving authority to
Superintendent and Governor to con.
, tract for improvements and repairs,
and also the repeal of said authority
as approved BY the Governor, March
y, 1884.
The committee say tie only author.
its they can find for contracts for i'm.
provements and repairs is one defining
duties of the Superintendent: where he
can in..casc of an accident to the build.
ipgs Contract with the approval of the
Governor.
The committee after taking testimo-
nv which is filed with.lheir report find
that there were no contracts for i'm.
provemeuts and repairs made by the
Superintendent with approval of the
Governor with the lessces of the Pen,
iientiary for 1854 aud 1885, as cOntem-
plated by the above statute. Gov.
Lowry, who testified before the COM
| mittec, when asked did YOU approve
any accounts or contracts for repairs
or improvements except when the an
nual settlements were made, answered;
| lhiak not. But may have done so,
and il | did my name will be N such
papers or contracts.
When asked, when yen made annual
settlements, what information. If any,
did you .hayc that the lessees had per-
formed the work with which the Stale
was charged? Answered, annual set
Elements embraced large sums of mon-
ey for work done. and when au i'm
urnyomont of auy. great n,nunitulp