The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-10-27
STICK TO THE LEASE SCHEME.
THE HALL BILL STRIPPED OF IT'S
ORIGINAL MEANING.

Joint Penitentiary Committee Will
Recommend "a Bill in Direct Oppo-
Eition to the Governors Ideas.
Provides II Commission of Three
to supercede Principal and Assis-
tant Keeper and Principal Ph!Si-
eian-AbIe Boiled ConVicts to he
Leascd-A Farm For the W omen.
BOYS and Decrepid 1Ien-The Penal
Island plan wiped out.
Atlanta, Ca. oct. 26-When the joint
peniteutiary committee met six weeks ago
to take up the work of preparing a plan
for the disposition of the states convicts
az the expiration of the present lease, in
direct contradiction Of the reports of all
other papers, it was shown in these dis
patches that the sentiment of the COM
1aittee was against reforming the system,
as suggested by Gov Atkinson and the
principal keeper of the penitentiary, and
that there was "a strong probability, so
far as the committee was concerned that
the result would be another lease differ
ing only in small details from the pres
ent one.
In spite of the blind reports Of the local
papers, which declared the committee was
q unit in favor of the reform plan Of
the governor and the principal keeper, it
was shown in these columns, that Gov.
Atkinson was so disappointed at the spirit
of opposition manifested at the very first
days sitting that he announced his deter
mination 10 veto any act that contem-
plated a perpetuation of the old system.
He hoped that this declaration, coming
from him at the first appearance of er-
forts to renew the old system, would dis
courage it and defeat opposition to his
reforms For a short time this effect
seemed to have been produced, as was ev-
idenced by the actions of the sub-com>
mittee in accepting the bill of Mr. Han,
the governors law partner, which en-
bodied his and the principal keeper ideas
on the convict question. But the
Old sentiment soon crept in again
and it wrought chaos IN the sub
committee, that body finally pre-
senting the anomalous spectacle of
minority presenting the Hall bill as ma
joTity report
Yesterday when the joint committee came
together, its first act that Of taking the
appointment of the proposed prison com
mission out of the hands of the governor,
people, was in confirmation of the eXclu-
sive reports in these dispatches, showing
the strong current of opposition to the adj
ministratiOn reforms. To-day these re-
ports were verified almost 10 the letter,
the committee having completed it's bill,
and that bill, being in the words of Prin-
cipal Keeper Nerver himself practically
nothing more than a new lease. There is
hardly a vestige of the Atkinson erYer-
Hall plan left, although the bill adopted
still bears the name of Mr.. Hall as the
author.
The opposition at one time went so far
as to seek complete reputation of the
Hall bill, and the subcommittee that re-
ported it, and it took strenuous efforts to
prevent such a slap in the face. 1t was
proposed by resolution OF Mr. Hitch of
Brooks county whose ideas ultimately tri-
umphed, that new Subcommittee be APP
pointed to draft a bill that would repre-
sent the views of the committee but
probably out of courtesy TO the members
Of the Subcommittee, this was not done,
though as stated the ideas contained in
the Hitch resolution proposing the new
committee We're substituted for the sub
stance Of the Hall bill AS it viii be re-
commended for passage by the general
joint committee Of the Senate and House
the bin simply provides for a commission
Of three persons, who get a per diem of
81 each for actual terms served with mile
age, this commission to supercede the
present principal and assistant keeper
and principal physician of the penten-
tiary department. The able
bodied convicts are to be leased to the
highest bidders for a term of not longer
than five years, that state to determine az
ter receipt of bids whether the Iessees are
40 feed, clothe and guard, or whether this
is to be done by the state. The bid that
seems most advantageous to the state to
be adopted. The women, decrepit men and
boys, under 10 years or more are to be
placed upon the lands already owned by
the state. Five miles from Milledgeville.
$1,000 beng appropriated to prepare accom-
modations for them and equip the place
for farming, il being designed to use this
class of convicts in raising supplies for
the various state Institutions The Cen
trail penitentiary scheme was wiped out
OF the bill to-day almost without debate,
as Was also the proposition to buy an ISL
ana ana establish a penal colony there
The committee showed Enthusiastically that
1t does not want the plan of Gov At
kinson and Principal Keeper Nerver This
was naturally a great disappointment to
both, but probably the most humiliatng
transactions of the day was the summary
manner IN which the committee sat down
upon the governors recommendation; that
the misdeamonr conVicts be placed under
the supervision of the state penitentiary
department. ms was incOrpOra ted in the
Han bill, and when it was reached it was
cut out in fashion that showed how little
effect the recent sensational disclosures of
Special Agent Byrd who inspected the
msdemeanor convict camps, has had. Gov.
Atkinson had this inspection made for the
purpose of enforcing a reform in this
branch of the penal service. The horrors
described by Can't Byrd are still fresh in
the public mind, the remedy proposed by
the governor was state supervision, and
this the penitentiary committee refused TO
listen 10. 1t is said that members of the
legislature are interested in misdemeanor
convict camps, and this as why the reform
suggested by the governor fell upon I'M
needing ears. The pententlary commit
tee comprises a quorum Of the House and
Senate, and, although there is a chance
yet that some reform measure will be
passed, the chances seem to be against il.
Principal Keeper Nerver thought tonight
thar the bill reported by the committee
to-day would probably pass with some
small changes. If it should, there is a
chance that Gov. Atkinson will veto it,
and leave the next legislature to settle the
question at the eleventh hour