The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-01-06
Penitentiary Supt. Made In
stitution Self-Sustainlng.
COST STATE NOT A DOLLAR
Assets SOL, 694 40, of Which
$63, 347.72 Are Cash.
THE APPROPRIATION IS INTACT
His Excei.ency Gov. Carr Commended
Religious Privileges--Should Have
Reformatory For the Young
Health Statistics.

The State penitentiary paid expenses
last year for the first time in its history.
1t is an achievement that speaks vol
umes for the excellent management or
that institution. In the life of the State,
no public official has been more capable,
faithful and successful than the Gen
eral Manager, Hon. Augustus Leazar,
and the State owes him a lasting debt OF
gratitude.
There will be no necessity for this Leg
islafure to make any Appropriation Tor
the penitentiary if the present mahage-
ment continues in charge, or one equally
efficient replaces it, The day OF deficits
in thepenitentiary management has pass
cd. thanks to the wisdom of Mr.. Leazar
and his associates.
In the beginning Of his report Mr.. Lea
EAR calls attention to the remarkable fact
that the Legislature, chapter AT OF the
Acts. repealed all those sections Of chap
ter 2S3 of the act of '93, requiring any
report from the penitentiary. The Board
however. adopted a rule requiring re-
ports. Referring to the farming opera
tons, Mr.. Leazar says:
THE short crops, and more especially
the low prices Of products, Of the year
1894, had not left us fully provided for
another year, and therefore we needed
General Assembly Of 1895, and used the
same to defray about one-seventh OF the
expenses OF the penitentiary for that
year; the remainder was paid from our
earnings. The principal crops maturing
in the fall of 1895, being an increase in
quantity over those Of 1894, and cotton
at 8 cents, reinforced the finances Of the
penitentiary helpfully, and enabled us
to begin the present year with COM
Portable surplus to operate upon" The
area cultivated in 1896 was II, 800 acres,
of which 600 acres are from the Arson
farm. This new farm has $500 acres,
only 600 being in a state of cultivation.
The dykes on the Roanoke river protected
part of the farms, but the July food OF
~ feet invaded all the farm on the river.
This food covered $500 acres OF corn and
1000 of cotton, destroying not less than
100000 bushels OF corn and 425 bales of
cotton, valued at not less than 60,000
which is minimum estimate. In spite
of this loss the crop was 1859 bales Of
cotton, which is 600 bales more than last
year or the year before.
with the new lands opened on the An
son farm, there should be $4,000 acres in
cultivation in 1897, which should make
support for the penitentiary," says Mr..
Leazar. The report contains tables show
ing the development Of the farms by the
various crops produced from year to year
Caledonia increased in four years from
800 bales Of cotton to 1853; Northampton
from 1872 to $40; Halifax farm 100 to 348.
THE SANITARY CONDITION.
The report Of DR.. James w. McGee.
the physician in chief, is referred to, and
referring 10 the sanitary condition, Mr..
Leazar says:
1T is especially worthy OF notice in
this connection that the death rate has
greatly decreased on the Roanoke farms.
Caledonia farm, commonly considered
most unhealthy, had % deaths from dis
ease in 1894: IS in 1895; and IA in 1896.
The total number OF deaths for the whole
penitentiary for 1895 and 1896 was re-
spectiyely 40 and 80, while for several
years preceding the loss had been be-
tween so and so. The present rate OF
mortality barely exceeds that OF some OF
the best regulated towns in the State;
as to the colored people, even much less
than their rate of mortality in several
large towns
THE NUMBER OF CONNECTS.
There are 1,19S convicts on an average
in the penitentiary, as compared with
1927 in 1895, and ], PA in 1894. There
are far more short term convicts since the
act Of 1895 making one year the maxi
mum penalty for the larceny of goods of
less than $50 in value. The increased
employment of conyicts ON the
public roads accounts in some
measure for the decrease. About 100
OF the conyiets in the penitentiary are
totally disabled when they are sent to the
penitentiary, and remain so. One person
rs serving his seventh term and is %
years old. Many come the second time,
not few the third.
JUVENILE CRIMINALS.
Mr.. Leazar thinks that with the Grim
inal class Of mature years there is little
hope of reform With the younger class
the chances are better, but there can be
little hope Of reformation where they
are in constant contact with older and
hardened men acquainted with every
form and device OF criminality. If the
boys and girls can be entirely isolated and
given mental and moral as well as indus
trial training, altogether separate and
apart from the penitentiary some of
them may be reared to be fairly good men
and women; and il this much is true, GER
tainly the effort might be made. A juve-
nile reformatory will be a charge upon
the State, doubtless, to some extent; so
@rare are charitable institutions. IL estab-
Ished, it should be separate and distinct
from the penitentiary. There are thirty
youths in the penitentiary under the age
of 16 years. One Of them entered at 0
years, was discharged at II, and returned
within FIVE months.
RELIGIOUS PRIVILEGES.
In addition to the regular preaching at
the central prison, there are irregular ser
vices at the farms Mr.. Leazar recon-
mends that three or four chaplains be
appointed and their services paid for
''whose daily contact with the prisoners
and ministrations to the sick and dying
should be of great value"
QUESTION OF SELF-SUPPORT.
Mr.. Leazar quotes section 2, OF article
XI Of the Constitution, which provides
.l.at ta,a .,nnitnL,tiaru sLnl.la Mhn n, do