The news & observer., 1897-01-08

in the present depicted condition ol tue
Treasury, and the Constitutional inhlbl-
ton which provides first for the self
sustenance OF the penitentiary. UnGl
such time as the pcuiteutiary becomes ab-
solutely sclf-supporting from year to year
deem II inadvisahle to undertake to cs-
tablish reformatory.
! CHARITABLE AND PENAL INSTI-
TUTIONS.
! From the report Of the State Board Of
Charities. which is before you, you will
learn the condition in detail OF the Char
liable, and Penal institutions OF the
+ State. / desire to call your attention to
! the faithful and gratuitous work OF the
Z gentlemen composing this board, and to
/ ask that in future their services be com
! pensated as far as they deserve. The
State should not expect some Of it's citi-
zens to give their services gratuitously
and compensate others for n like labor. ]
have had frequently to apply to this
/ board for necessary information in regard
to the condition Of county jails, work
/ houses &c The desired information has
( been furnished promptly and accurately
/ in every instance. i keep a copy Of the
I report convenient at hand and have learn
ed to look up0n it as a necessary adjunct
Of my bureau Of valuable information.
OYSTER LAW.
I From the Treasurer's report it appears
/ the revenues from this source have not
I been sufficient to defray the expenses Of
I r7otecting our oyster waters. The States
( steamer has not been called into requisl-
! tjon though at all times ready for service.
( As there have been no depredatiOns pos
! sibly her presence has been all suf-
ficient to keep out the pirates. But un-
( questionably all former oyster laws have
| been failures and | trust the present
! body Will succeed in enacting one that
will protect our waters and do justice
to our citizens. The States steamer
Lille will be turned over in quite as
good il not better condition than when
! purchased.
PARDONS.
4 full report Of all cases Of pardons,
! reprieves and combinations granted, will
/ be found appended to this report
In no case have l granted pardon or
commuted a sentence without full and
careful investigation that would warrant
me in the exercise of clemency. Although
| in some few instances, the pardoned con-
vict has returned quite expeditiously at
the central prison / have no cause for re-
gret that pardoned him, having the sat
isfaction OF knowing that his case was
thoroughly investigated and that under
similar circumstances a pardon would
| be granted others. 1t has not been the
custom to keep the number OF pardons
within certain limits, but to consider ev-
cry case carefully and to use the cOnsti-
tutIonal powers given the Executive with
| the utmost care, but never abuse il. Our
prisons collectively now contain q larger
| number OF convicts than at any previous
time. AS we grow in population crime
seems to increase in even greater pro-
portion. | feel ii my duty to call your
attention to the great inequality of SEN
fences growing out Of the present method
| or administering our criminal laws. The
present system OF having fixed sentenca
Tor each offence, without regard to the
age OF character of the offender. or IN
the degree OF his criminaity, is a relic of
paroarlsm. Under this system it fre-
auently happens that the young arc SEN
tenced Tor long term because they were
poorly defended, or there was a vigorous
prosecution, while the hardened criminal
tr4ed IN another county, receives a short
term for the same offence. because he
y happens TO be well defended, or there is
weak prosecution. As each case is
trled by different jury it is impossible
20 nave system or regularity about il
In the great number Of applications for
pardon my attention is frequently called
10 the fact that boys, not vet 20 are sem
fenced to the same long terms, while old
hardened and dangerous criminals pet
the shortest terms and were soon burned
loose upon society. AS it is not. all are
turned out OF the prison without refer
ence to their ability to take care of them
selves. 1t is difficult for a man to get
work who has not been in prison. and II
Is infinitely more SO for one who has |
been. III he tells where his last work |
was done, he is invited 10 move on |
knowing what the result of the truth |
viii be he begins life anew with lie |
Thus no doubt many desperate criminals |
are made For this reason I have do
clined to give to the public the records |
or the psfdons issued from this office. |
believing that with the pardon, punish |
menf should cease to be inflicted.
The vital number Of pardons granted
Tor the last two years was .. 126 |
Combinations Is |
Reprieves . .... 2 |
Total number pardons, combinations
and reprieves =, =. ,,,,t,,,..,, 143 |
OF the pardons granted seventy-one |
were pardoned from the penitentiary,
twenty-five from county jails whose terms
were one year and over, and twenty-five
whose terms were less, five were relieved
OF fines. or the total number pardoned
ifty-eight were pardoned on account Of
bad health and their condition in county
jails and the penitentiary, always upon
the certificate OF a physician. OF the
communications six were commuted from
death sentence to the penitentiary for
life, the rest for the most part were
charges in trivial cases.
SALARIES AND FEES
In obedience to chapter 424, Laws 1894,
l report the following salaries paid by the |
Etxaautiva Ilano Ffrt19nt.