The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-09-24

romnany. of the penitentiary farms "n0
x~,nyi,ts needs to be looked over very
carefully. One of the evils OF me as'
"a Tho convict lease system. 1t is llae1e
10 manifold abuses, as many ihs'""SSs
abuu,iantly prove, recent anN no''' ',,
ane being that OF Georgia. II u " say, SOW
that the State can lease its conN,C ~
a proft. the answer is that !" ouA"y ~ w
want TO make money OH thehl, =
at s,,n,s,sed rs be engaged in the buSi-
ness of trafiicking, for prohI IN nuNl "'i
49,. trbaS, ncople are in the pepi-
4cr+iary for detention and punishment
ars NOT as mere chattels to be traded
-,non Hiring them out in squads Tor
~-a;lr,ai or other work of internal im-
movement Is very different from trad
INC them of at wholesale TO private
s>ompany which will profess TO step into
the States shoes as to them. Ii they
are IA he leased at all they could not
he in better hands than those OF Mr.
John FL. Winder. who il the head of the
eomlany which proposes TO take them,
INT the lessee does not always KNOW
what Is going on among his suoorul-
mates and while this may be said OF the
superintendent Of the penitentary also,
the fact remains that the State Is more
ant to be a considerable guardian and
master for them than a private COM
panv working them for what can be
maIo out OF them. The penitentiary de-
partment of the State government Is
doubtless seriously embarrassed about
funds and the temptation before 1T to I'M
load the convicts and thus solve the pro-
blem is no doubt very strong; but 1t has
been demonstrated that, worked by the
State. they can be made TO support them
selves, and this is all the people ask
not that they be be made articles of
commerce, but only that they work their
own way and be not burden upon the
pockets of honest people. The lease. at
all events, ought not to be made hastl-
". That much is involved that the mat
ter onqht TO be considered maturely.-
Charlotte Observer.
When Republicans had control of the
State from 1867 to 1870. they either d.
rectly stole. or sold and stole the proceeds
of the sale of nearly everything in the
State that could be moved or disposed of.
The directors Of the State penitentiary--
Governors Russell's directors-met last
night, as stated above to consider the
leasing out Of the convicts the peniten-
!iary the State farms, and all things
connected herewith, leaving out possibly
only many of those officially connected
with the institution who ought owing to
their mismanagement and bad conduct
generally TO be inside its walls. Under
Gov Cars Democratic administration
the penitentiary was self-sustaining.
Gov Russell took charge last January,
and Of all departments that he specially
claimed for his own, he claimed, and was
assigned in the divide of the pie, the peni-
tertiary He has made it his pet concern,
has controlled all the appointments, there
in Including his own brother. as warden.
Whether he saw a chance for a job for
some one in the lease is not known. At
all events, he has his board in session, and
is urging them to lease, ''as it is running
sadly in debt every month, with prospects
OF getting worse" This the first year.
The only question is to find a law author
izing the lease in bulk There is plenty of
authority for leasing out convicts, but
whether the law will cover such whole
sale transaction is not certain But this is
the official announcement of one enor-
nifty of the Russell administration
Asheville Gazette.
There appears to be only one reason
for leasing the penitentiary convicts TO
a syndicate; and that is that the adj
ministration cannot or will not have this
institution so managed that it is not a
scandal and q burden to the taxpayers.
The penitentiary, under Democratic adj
ministrations, was self-supporting and a
credit TO the State. Now it is overrun
with the Governors favorites, and accu-
cations of the most serious and scandal
ous nature are made against its officers
without drawing any denial. The propo-
sition to farm out the conyicts ought not
to be considered If syndicate can make
money from them, so can the State; and
10 turn them over to persons whose only
purpose it will be to get the most from
them with the least possible return offers
endless opportunity for abuse, downright
cruelty and scandal without end. The ex-
perience Of other States confirms this
view: and the commentator that has
heretofore been made of North Cardinals
convict system, when it was under Dem
ocratic control, ought to suggest tnat,
instead Of changing to system con-
demned in all experience, return be
made to the economical and humane
management that preceded the present
exhibition Of incompetency and extrava-
gance.-Asheyille Citizen.
DIR. Kirby Smith, son Of Superintend-
ent J. r. Smith, of the State peniten-
tiary, and placed in charge, as physician,
of the criminal insane who occupy quar-
tiers specially prepared for this class Of
insane in the penitentiary, has been
made to resign, under charges Of criminal
intimacy with one, and possibly two, Of
the women patients. He has left the
State. The testimony is very conclusive.
One of these patients is Aurela Hamp-
ron, of Asheville This is another ''inci-
dent of Republican-POpulistic fusion.
Governor RusselPs brother, who is ward
en-, ought to have prevented Governor
Russelps superintendent son from per-
petrating this enormity, taking advantage
of helpless women, stricken of the AL
mighty, and debauching them. An out