The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1896-01-15
A SERIOUS CHARGE.
DIRECTOR WlLLOUGHBY WANTS
AN INVESTIGATION.

the superintendent---Says He Cant Get
the Light He Wants---Thc Majority En-
dorse Col. Neal.
COLUMBIA, S. c., January 10.-la
connection with the report of the
Superintendent of the Penitentiary,
which was published in The Register
Yesterday. somewhat Of sensation
will be created by a minority report
of Mr.. 7. G.. Willoughby, member
of the board of directors, who charges
that the institution has not been con-
Quoted according to sound business
principles, and that he has been un-
able to get all the light ne wanted in
reference to the transactions OF the
Penitentiary.
The majority report On the other
hand commends the wise and sue
cessful" management Of Colonel Neal,
and expresses the belief that the
Penitentiary has a bright financial fu
ture. Mr.. Willoughby says IN his re
port to the Governor:
As a member of the Penitentiary
Board of Directors, ! beg leave to
make the following report. concur
with the majority as to the condition
of the property under our charge, but
in so doing I do not sanction the man
agement, which l am inclined to
think, from personal observation and
the information attainable, is not OF
that kind which commends itself to
sound business principles. the want
of economic ideas and the glaring ex-
travagance is such as should call for
legislative investigation and remedy.
The system of bookkeeping and
monthly statements in vogue in the
institution is not such as throws light
upon the fiscal transactions Of the in
stitution, to those who like this Board,
have only limited time to examine
and investigate. And my experience
in seeking information from the &C
countants of tae Penitentiary leads me
to infer that light is the last thing de-
sirable, not thatI charge anything dis
honest: only narrate my experience.
The supply Of the vast amount OF
supplies OF all kinds needed for the
Penitentiary, its farms and camps, II
seems to me, should be let to compe-
ton and awarded to the lowest re
sponsible bidder, and not lett as at
present in the entire control of the
superintendent. The lax manner OF
examining and passing accounts by the
board needs legislative attention,
since the board stself has failed to see
the necessity of reform On that line.
The system Of contracts and hiring
is to my mind in many instances in
violation of the Statute, and there
are Irregularities and violations oflaw
within my own observation which are
perversive of that good order and
man agement which the public have a
right to expect of US.
Respectfully submitted.
T. G.. WILLOUGHBP,
Member Board Penitentiary Directors.
Florence, S. c., January 4th, 1896.
MAJORITY REPORT.
The majority is as follows:
Dear Sir: We beg respectfully tc
submit the following report as the
Board of Directors of the South Caro-
lima Penitentiary for fourteen month:
beginning the 1st of November, 1894,
and ending the 31st of December
1895, the new Constitution having
changed the fiscal year to January
1st, 1896, making it necessary thai
our report cover fourteen months.
|, Owing to the death of one of oul
esteemed members on November 22d
1895, Mr.. j. NJ. Sprott, our Boarc
consists now Of any four members,
7. J. Cunningham, J. W. Lyles, S,
P. J. Garris and 7. G. Willoughby.
The aggregate receipts for the four.
teen months were s147, ,060.6O: esti
mated value of crops on hand, SIS, ,000,.
90; amount due from convict hire and
other sources, IS, 242. "a; making tota
of s163, 305.14.
The disbursements were Sl44, 921.
SS; liabilities, not including Reic
farm, s4,6S7.39; making total o.
$40, 1927, and leaving an estimated
balance of SIS, GS5.27.
We are pleased to say that the
prison is in first class condition II
every respect. The prisoners are be
ing we'll cered for and every depart
ment shows creditable management
We do not deem it necessary to go In
to details, as you will find annexed
to this report full and complete
statement from each officer in charge
of the various departments.
The DeSaussure farm has been paid
for in full The Board thought it wise
to purchase the REID farm" adjoin.
ing the "DeSaussure farm" and did
SO, at a cost of $3.50. These two
places make very desirable farm
aggregating 4,712 acres, and both
places have beeen thoroughly equipped
with machinery, wagons, mules etc.,
at a coast of about sS, 500. The bottom
lands have been thoroughly dyked,
and we believe capable Of resisting
freshets. These farms have been
worked this year by the Penitentiary
for the first time. The institution
owns seventy nine head of muslcs and
horses, sixty eight Of which were pur.
chased this year.
The only outetanding Indebtedness
against the Penitentiary now is the
purchase price of the Reid farm .
We take great pleasure in saying
that the condition of the Penitentiary
in general, nnder the wise and success
full management Of its superinten-
dent. Col. w. 4. Neal, is all that
could be expected, and we desire to
express our high regards for him,
both as a business man anda super
intendent of the Penitentiary.
In conclusion. allow US to express
the belief that the Penitentiary will
begin the new year with a bright
financial future, as it seems to us all
necessary improvements, for some
time come, have been supplied.
Our business relations with the
vaaious afIicers and guards have been
agreeable and pleasant, and we desire