The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1891-01-14
PENITENT[ARY BOARD.
FIRST MEETING OF THE BOARD OF
PENlTENTlARY DIRECTORS.


Fully Discussed aud the Board to II
spect the Farm.
COLUMBIA, S. G. Jan. 9.-The ne'
Board of Directors Of the South Care
lima Penitentiary met yesterday in th
superintendent'S office; all of the men
bers, viz: Governor Tillman an
Messrs. Sanders, Oliver and Cunning
ham, were present. Superintendent
Talbert, Assistant Attorney Genera
Townsend and Colonel P. II. Nelson
attorney for Mr.. \. G.. Black of Ney
York, were also present at the meetin
Mr.. J. T. Cunningham of Chester wa
chosen as chairman, and Bookkeepe
Talbert as secretary.
Colonel Talbert made statement a
to the condition of the books and fund
of the institution when he took charge
and said that he did not believe tha
any actual wrong had been done by th
former bookkeeper, Mr.. Bateman, AM
that he thought that the apparent short
age of $500 was due to some error
The following resolution was thereupol
passed by the board:
Resolved, That the Board of Director
shall employ an expert to Investigate
the books and accounts of the peniten
tiary and report at our next meeting
and that Mr. Bateman be allowed to b.
represented during the investigation, BY
proxy or in person, if lie desires.
The matter of the purchase of the De
Saussure farm was then taken up. Thi:
farm was contracted for by the old boarc
under the authority of the Act of 1885,
authorizing the expenditure of S40,0O(
of the Penitentiary funds for the pur
chase of State farm, not subject tC
overflow. The agreement to purchase
was made by the old board with the
representatives of Mr.. A. G. Black, OF
New York, whose property it was, and
although there had been for quite long
time disagreement among the mem.
bers of the old board as to the adyisa,
bility of the purchase OF this particular
tract, yet when the majority decided in
favor of the purchase, it was generally
understood that the rest had acquiesced
The question as to the liability of the
swamp lands to overflow was discussed,
Mr.. Sanders expressing the opinion that
if the dam was put in good order, these
lands would be free from all overflow.
Governor Tillman thought that the
board should inspect the farm before
going any further with the transaction.
The old board had paid earnest money
and there was question as to the
legality of their action in the matter
The Attorney General would have to
decide that, but at any rate whether this
board carried out the contract of pur-
chase or not it ought first to inspect the
farm.
With this view of the matter all OF
the members Of the board agreed.
The Governor then stated that in the
opinion of the Attorney General the
title to this property was good and the
board would not have that question to
consider, but they were to decide as to
whether the old board had transcribed
its authority IN purchasing lands said to
be subject to overflow. If they had the
right to make such purchase then that
clause about overflow might as well have
been left out of the Act.
Assistant Attorney General Towns
end here stated that by the Act of 1887
there must be a unanimous vote for it
before any purchase could BIZ made.
Colonel Nelson replied that the old
board had inspected the farm and de-
cided to purchase, their vote on it being
unanimous.
Governor Tillman here remarked that
if the old board had oyer;tepped its
authority, Colonel Nelson, by the con-
tract he got out of them, had put the
State in a shape to be sued. The Act
of 1887, continued the Governor, pro-
vided that no purchase should exceed
$4,000; that sum was increased by sub
sequent legislation, but still unanimity
on the part of the board was necessary
condition precedent to the purchase of
any farm.
Reference was then had to the min
utes of the old board to see what the
final vote in regard to this purchase had
been, but it was not recorded. Colonel
Nelson, however, reiterated his state
ment that the purchase had been finally
agreed upon by all, to which The Gov
ernor replied that the majority had car
ried their point and the minority came
in on the home stretch.
Col. NelSon-"The whole hoard ac-
cepted the purchase; that makes it
in law"
Mr.. Sanders-'And the iiu!se COM
mittee confirmed our action"
Gov. Tillman-"They had no author
ity to do so; they could simply express
an opinion"
The question was then raised as to
what funds could be used for the pay
ment of the farm, and Col. Nelson said
that the old board had told Mr.. Smith
(Alr. Blacks partner) that he would
have to buy cotton from the oenitentiary
in order to enable them 10 raise the
funds to pay with.
Governor Tillman wanted to know
how many bales of cotton were on hand.
Col. Talbert-"About 500"
Gov. Tillman-"rnat's a small crop
for a large force Of conyicts to gather.
They ought to be good picllers; one of
them with a whip behind him ought to
pick two pounds for one picked by a
hand at 80 cents day"
1ilc UOOhS d1u Sd1C NSlC t1Cu GA
amined to see what amount Of cash was
on hand, and it was found that there
was S4,6615S in bank and 80 cents in
the safe.
Colonel Nelson said that before leav-
ing he would express the hope that the
board would get the matter in shape
very soon, as MT. Smith had taken
nearly all Of the hands away already,
under the impression that the sale had
been confirmed and would be put to
great expense and inconvenience If the
matter remained unsettled.
Governor Tillman said that the board
would have three questions to decide:
1st. The elevation of the land. I'd.
The interest OF the parties Sd. Wheth-
er or not the purchase was with the
consent of the old board.
He then asked Colonel Nelson to ex-
plain the contract with the board-the
"hidebound contract" as the Cover
nor termed it. Colonel Nelson replied
that it was as tight as could be made.
1t was regular written agreement, de
Scrihinr the prOnertV and the price. and