The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1893-10-04
An Act to Utilize the Labor Of jail
and Municipal COnvicts.

Mr. EDITOR: For the benefit Of my
many friends who have been advocating
the same law, please allow me space in
your valuable paper for publication, as I
haYe not been able yet to fully explain 1t
by letter, the Act Of 1892, but see that
the Judge at Charleston is trying to decide
it unconstitutional. But the good citizens
of our State are in favor, to my belief, Of
such law; whenever such ia the case the
law can be enforced without any trouble,
and to my beliefit will give the people
great deal of reform and save the State
thousands of dollars if carried out. and
therefore, for information and for the
County Com missioners' benefit, and for
all of my friends, will ask you to publish
this and ask the other County papers to
copy the same:
% Sections, Statute at large, A. D. 1892
No. IS. An Act to amend an Act enti-
lied an Act to utilize the labor of Jail and
municipal convicts and to empower the
courts and municipal authorities to inn
pose the punishment of labor within their
respective Jurisdictions, approved Deem
Der %, A. D., 1885.
SECTION 1. Be 1t enacted by the Senate
and House of Representatives of the State
of South Carolina, now met and sitting in
General Assem- bly,, and by the authority
of the same, that an Act entitled an Act
to utilize the labor of Jail and municipal
authorities to impose the punishment OF
labor within their respective jurisdiction,
approved Dec. o. 1885, be and the same is
hereby amended so as to read as follows:
SEC. 2. Be it enacted by the Sen ate and
House Of Representatives of the State OF
South Carolina, low met and sitting in
General Assembly, and by authority of
the same, that from and after the passage
Of this Act all courts and municipal au-
thorities which under existing laws have
power to sentence convicts to confinement
in prison, may in their discretion and ju.
risdiction impose the condition of hard Ia
Dor.
Sec. 8. That all male convicts 80 sem
fenced to hard labor and confinement for
period not exceeding twelve months
may upon the conditions hereinafter spec
flied be required to perform bard labor
upon the public highways, roads, bridges
and other public works of the County in
victed was committed, or upon the streets
or other public works within the limits of
the incorporated cities, towns and villages
in the said County in which the offence
for which they are convicted was commit
ted.
Sec. 4. That all convicts 80 sentenced to
hard labor for the County shall be under
the direction and control Of the Board of
County Com missioners and the said mu-
nicipal convicts under the sentence TO
hard labor shall be under the direction
and control of the said municipal authori-
ties, who shall respectively direct the
time, place and manner of the labor to be
performed, provided, that in their judg-
Inent it be practicable to employ the labor
to advantage, and provided further that
the said Board Of County Commissioners
and said municipal authorities respective
ly provide suitable and efficient guards
for the safe keeping of said convicts, the
said guards and all expenses incident to
the directing, keeping, clothing, guarding
and working of said convicts to be paid
out of the County funds when employed
by said Board of County Commissioners
and out of municipal funds when en-
ployed by said municipal authorities
And 1t is further provided that in case
suitable and efficient guard for the safe
keeping of convicts shall be provided by
the authorities of an incorporated city,
town or village, and there shall be no such
guard provided by the Board of County
Commissioners OF the County in which
such city, town or village is situated, it
shall be lawful for the courts, State as well
as municipal, to sentence to hard labor on
the streets or other public works of such
city, town or village, persons convicted Of
offences com mitted within the County as
we'll as persons convicted Of offences COM
mitted within the city, town, or village,
and such oonvicts so sentenced shall be
under the direction and control Of the said
municipal authorities.
Sec. S. That the County Sheriffs charged
with the custody of prisoners sentenced to
hard labor shall during the work hours Of
the day or during term of days, to be
specified by said municipal authorities or
Board of County Commissioners, upon
the order of said municipal authorities or
Board of County Commissioners. as the
case may be- deliver them to the safe
keeping of the authorities herein provided,
for their control and direction, provided
that no fees shall be charged by the Sheriff
other than that of the original commit
ment and final discharge. Approved
Dec. Goth. D. D. 1892.
Respectfully,
JOSHUA W. ASHLEY.