Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-10-06
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Raofls and COnvicta.

HO0Os ana NOuSict"'
The suggestion OF the Superintendent
OF the Penitentiary made to the secre-
tarv OF the Good Roads Association ana
published in this paper Thursday ~
worthy OF careful attention. The pur-
mort of II Is that In view or the con-
tracts for furnishing convict labor WHICH
the State has entered into. and which
have made the penltentlary sei-sup-
portng, the best way 10 get cohVic's
for use In the working OF the puohc
roods IL to revise our criminal laws so
that most OF the boys and men VINO
are now sent to the penitentiary 10.
ono wear may hereafter receive jail sen
fences. with hard labor" added.
In no other way can any considerable
number of conyicts be secured for ROAD
work. for we take IT that the Legislature
would not abrogate, If 1t could the e~-
listing contracts, inasmuch "a 10 90 50
would mean that the penitentiaty "oui'
have to be supported in the future ny
appropriations from the public treasury
The advantage of the change suggested
by Superintendent Lynn Is that these
short-tern prisoners would be lodged IN
the county and city jails and put 10
work. But In case any county or CITY
did not wish so TO employ It's prisoners
such prisoners could be turned over TO
some neighboring county or city WISH
ing their services. And so gangs might
be formed which In the course OF
wear or two might do a great deal OF
valuable road work.
Another advantage OF this system
would be that the present congested
condition of the penitentary cells would
DC relieved. There are now on the
penitentiary books the names OF 1913
prisoners. The great majority OF these
are held in the prison. There are less
than two hundred at the State farm,
and only about hundred hired out on
county roads. With comparatively few
exceptions the men now held In the
prison should not be allowed to go be-
yond it's walls, because Of the length
Of time OF their sentences. the mems
desperate character. &c.
The number necessarily retained WITHIN
the walls crowds the cells TO despe-
rate degree. So the retention OF the
short-term men in the county Jails
would not only make their labor avaiia-
BILE upon the public roads, but would re-
lieve the crowded condition Of the
penitentiary and remove or at least
postpone the necessity. now very press
ing indeed, FOR the enlargement OF the
cel-building.
The change suggested is not free from
difficulties. Chief OF these difficuities
would be the determination or the
question whether a one-year man, who
has been convicted Of felony, should be
sentenced to serve out his term in the
county or in the penitentiary. Doubt
less the law would have TO clothe the
trial Judge with the responsible duty
Of determining whether the prisoner
should be kept in the. county to be put
at hard labor, or should be sent to the
penitentiary. II would have to be pro-
vided, of course, that in case any pri-
soner became refractory the judge would
have the power TO cause him to be
removed from the county TO the peni-
tertiary.
Another advantage Of the change sug-
gested would be the saving in trans
portation charges that would be effected.
The annual expenditure for the trans
portaton Of convicts from the counties
to Richmond 10 very large and this not
withstandng the fact that every item
on every bill is scrutnized with all pos
sble care by Auditor Marye.
1t would seem that the threefold ad-
vantage OF this plan would recommend
it to the favor OF our people. II the
lawyers would only devise a way 10
blend the proposed system into existing
laws we should find in the course OF a
few years that our roads have been
greatly improved; that the Common
wealth has been saved much money in
transportation charges. and that the
penitentiary cells are no longer go greatly
overcrowded as formerly.