The Brookhaven leader., 1890-05-29
The New Law Relating to Coun-
ty Prisoners.


AN ACT to provide for hhing prisoners
sentenced to fine and imprisonment in
the county Jail of certain counties.
SECTION 1. BE it enacted by the
Legislature of the State of MISSISSIPPI
pi, That hereafter persons convict
ed and sentenced to pay a fine or be
imprisoned in the county Jail, or both,
and who shall fail to pay all fines and
costs, shall he hired out in the county
where convicted as hereinafter pro
vidcd.
Sec 2. If the prisoner so convicted
and sentenced shall be tenant or EN-
ployee of another, the landlord or EN-
plOyer shall have the option of pay
ing such fines aud all costs, and of
hiring such prisoners, and if such
landlord or employer fails or refuses
to hire such prisoners, then the sheriff
or other officer having Il prisoner or
prisoners in charge may hire them to
any other responsible person; but no
prisoner shall be hired to a person re-
siding ont of the county in which he
was convicted or worked outside such
county without the consent of such
prisoner.
Sec. 3. Prisoners shall receive cred
it Mt the end of each month for the
amount of fines and costs for which
they were hired at such rates per
month as may have been agreed up
on by the officer, the prisoner and the
contractor, but if the consent Of the
prisoner is not given to such con
tract as the others are able to make,
then the officers shall hire such pris-
oner on the most favorable terms to
the prisoner that can be procured.
Contracts can be made within the fol-
lowing limits: For prisoners under
sixteen years of age from two to five
dollars per month; males over sixteen
years of age for three to ten dollars
per month; females over sixteen years
of age from three to five dollars per
month; but these limitations shall not
be construed to prevent contracts more
favorable to prisoners when such con-
tracts can be made. No deductions
shall be made for loss of time on ac-
count of bad weather or any other
cause except for sickness or refusal
to work. Contractors shall furnish
prisoners a sufficiency OF good and
wholesome food, and when contracts
are made for one year or more, the
contractor shall furnish clothing nee
essary to keep the prisoner decent
and comfortable. In hiring prisoners
for a less period than one year, the
question of clothing may be provided
for in the contract, but If there be no
agreement as to clothing and it shall
be necessary for any contractor to
supply clothing to such prisoner, an
itemned account of the articles fur
nished shall be made out and sworn
to by the contractor. The affidavit
shall state that the articles were nee
essary and were furnished at Il reason
able price, which shall not exceed ten
per cent advance, on the cash cost OF
such articles. When such account Is
examined and found correct by the
board of supervisors it shall be added
to the bill of costs, against the prison
er so supplied and worked out in the
same way.
Sec. /. Prisoners hired under the
provisions of this act shall be required
to labor as provided in section 1855 of
the Code of 1880, and all laws now III
force for the government and regula-
ton of prisoners hired out by boards
of Supervisors, and for the apprehcn-
sion and securing such prisoners,
shall remain in full force and effect
and extend to contracts under this
act, except such laws as are III conflict
with this act. For OBTAINING prisoners
entitled to release, contractors shall
be liable to the penalties imposed by
section 3163 of the Code OF 1880. NO
prisoner shall be detained under the
provisions of this act for more than
two years for any one otfense, except
in cases where prisoners have escaped,
in which case the necessary cost OF
experimenting such escaped prisoner
shall be worked out although by so
doing such prisoner will be detained
more than to years.
Sec. 5. That the board of supervi
sOrs shall have power under this act
to work thirty prisoners on the pub
lie roads or other public works if they
so elect, provided such prisoners are
allowed by the board all the advanta-
ges of rates fixed by this act.
Sec. 6. That this act shall only APP
ply to the following counties, namely:
Chickasaw, Oktibbeha, Lauderdale,
Kemper, Lincoln, Pike, Jones, Mon
roe, Tunica, Tate, Clay, P0ntotoc,
Lowndes, Jasper, Clarke, Jackson,
Hancock and Calhoun.
Sec 7. That this act take effect
from its passage.