Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-12-04
WASHINGTON COUNTY coNvIcrs.
A Telegram frem Judge Ward and Some
.--:- Facts from tbs Record.

Late Friday night the DISPATCH received
the following telegram from Judge Ward,
County Judge of Washington county:
"ABMGDoE, VA. December 2, 1892.
" To he Editor of Gie Dispatch;
Your item in your issue of this date
with regard to the convicts OF this county
IL false. have no doubt you got your in-
formation from those who have shown an
impairment ofiiciousness IN the matter.
"GEoRGE w. WARD, JR."
The item referred to appeared under the
caption, The State Pays the Bills" After
some remarks relative to rushing bills
through al the end of the session OF the
Legislature the item went on TO say:
I'm February. 1892, the Legislature
passed an act to provide for the working
of the public roads in Washington county.
The 18th clause of that acc authorized the
Governor to hire to the county OF WASH
ington thirty convicts for that purpose;
Another provision was also inserted TO
the effect that the pay of the guards and
surgeon should come out OF the. treasury
of the State. should not exceed the paw
allowed for similar services here. and that
the PAYMENTS should be made on warrants
on the Treasury directed by the Judge OF
the County Court Of Washington. Some
payments were made according 10 tile
provisions of the act, but tho Dllls began
TO get larger. and IL struck the capitol Of
ticers that they were out of proportion to
the amounts paid tor similar services mere.
1t also seemed little queer that the state
was paving such bills for Washington aud
other counties were paying Tor surgeon
and guards themselves.
The Governor, therefore. wrote to
Clerk Bigger. OF the House, 10 know
whether the act had been passed In ac-
cordaace with the provisions OF the Con-
stitutlOn touching such cases. ana received
reply in the negative. Ihe matter wac
then referred TO AttOrney-General Scott,
and inasmuch rs the act had been passed
without recorded vote and IN violation
Of section IL of Article y. OF the Constltu-
ton, he gave il as his opinion that II was
unconstitutional. That section provides
in general terms that III order 10 give any
act approprlatlng money out OF the Irea-
sury the force and effect of law 1t must re-
celve the affirmative vote of majority Of
oil the members elected 10 each houss ana
the vote must be recorded"
THE DISPATCH WAS CORRECT.
The DISPATCH held Judge Wards tele-
gram until yesterday IN order 20 look care
fully into the matter and see If any IN
Justice had been done him or the county
of Washington. Tho only possible mis-
statement was that the bills began 10
get larger" That Impression was received
mt the Capitol. but in the absence OF the
Auditor aud the superintendent OF the
PenitentiGry it could not be verlhed. All
the other statements are IN strict accord
with the facts. The Attorney-ieneral saws
the DIsPATcH's references TO the act and
TO his opinion are absolutely correct. The
papers In the case which are part OF the
records in the Capitol. show that the mat
ter was referred to Clerk Bigger and the
Attorney General just Us the DISPATCH set
forth. They also show that the amounts
| being paid for services OF surgeon end
guards were out OF proportion to amounts
| beng paid for similar services at the peni-
| Tertiary and railroad camps, rs Will be seen
| from this extract from letter TO the Gov
ernor from Superintendent Lynn;
Mr.. LYNs's STATEMENT.
THE bills of Washington County Road
| Board for surgeons and guards pay for
services at the convict camp. which were
referred 10 me to report as TO their reason
aoleness, and whether they exceed what
| the State allows for similar services, | re-
| spectfully return with statement OF the
cost of such services at the penitentlary
| per capita per year.
Surgeons salary at penitentiary, 1920 :;
| 100 convicts. per capita, 65c. Surgeon
aud inspector at railroad camp, who gives
| his whole time to the work, $500; 100 con-
| victs per capita, &c.
Surgeon to camp in Washington coun-
tv, 5000; twenty-eight convicts, per capita,
| S2l.43.
1.-The guarding Of the 100 convicts costs
| for guards S2l 600. or Sl9.63 per capita;
while the guarding of the twenty-elght
| convcts in Washington costs 1880. or
| SGl.2S per cdpitG.n
The county of Bedford is also working
! conylcts, but pays the salaries of the sur
geons and guard itself. The Capitol Off
GERS say Washington is the only county for
which the State has ever footed such bills.
In this connection il may be stated that
Mr.. Lynn went to Washington county by
the advice Of the Attorney General. The
| Superintendent received notification that
the county would not pay for guarding the
| conylcts there.