Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-11-28
FIGHT ON MAI. LYNN.
MR. MAUPIN REPRESENTED TO Nm
LEADING THE MOVEMENT.
TALK WITH The SUPERINTENDENT.
He Says He II Ready 10 Meet the
Charges When Brought, and Dis-
cusses What He believes to he the
Motive-The Prisons Condition. 4

cusses what He believes to BE the
Motive-The Prisons Condition. 4
The near approach Of the coming ses-
sion of the Legislature. among other In
teresting little matters now going the
rounds, has brought forth the fact that
there is TO be a war made on Suparfn-
tendent Lynn, OF the penitentiary, and
that the leading spirit in this attack upou
the head OF the State prison Is Hon. Ad-
olson Maupin, member OF the House from
Henrico. At least. according TO the, Pc
tersburg Index-Appears Richmond cor
respondent. Mr.. Maupin Is credited with
being foremost in the movement against
Major Lynn. The exact nature OF thu
charges to be made are not known, but
It is understood that they have reference
to the treatment OF convicts at the insti.
tuition and the methods OF management
adopted by the present Superintendent.
The Index Appeals correspondent
writes:
There will be hot war made on SUI
perintendent Lynn. Of the penitentiary
Mr.. Maupin. the member of the House
from Henrico, will attack Major Lynn'z
record for his management Of the institu-
ton. especially with reference to the
treatment OF convicts. Major Lynn VIII
have staunch friends who will stand bT
and defend him. Mr.. SIaupin was man
ager Of c. d. Larus s. Brothers tobacco
factory. which up to October 10th worked
convicts, and he claims to have had ex-
cellent opportunities for learning of the
Superintendents method of manage.
ment."
WHAT MIR. MAUPIN SAYS.
Mr.. Maupin. when shown the clipping
from the Index-Appeal yesterday said
he had authorized no one TO so quote
him. He further stated that he would
not vote for Mr.. Lynn for many reasons.
and among them that Mr.. lynn had
urged many OF his (Maupin's) county,
men, notably Messrs. r .B. Chaffln, John
c. Easley. II. C. Heckler. and others.
to use their influence against hts renomi-
nation, nor would he vote for any State
officer who !nterfered in the politics
Of any county other than his own. The
Index-Appeal Is correctly informed when
1t says Mr.. Maupin Will oppose Mr.. Lynn.
and use all the influence he can bring
to bear upon members OF the Iegtsla-
ture to defeat the Superintendent. This.
Mr.. Maupin says. Is not for Mr.. Lynn'x
treatment OF convicts. but for his treat
ment OF his employees under him, wno
are dismissed at his pleasure and with
out any cause being assigned The Hem
rico member concluded by saying than
he would oppose Mr.. Lynn for other rea-
sons, which it was not necessary to talks
up further space to give.
READY TO MEET CHARGES.
Major Lynn was seen in his office at
the State prison last night by Dispaten
reporter, and shown the clipping quoted
above. The Superintendent said thar
such intentions on the part u Mr. Mau-
pin caused him no concern whatever. as
he was fully able to meet the charges OF
the Henrico legislator whenever he
brought them forth.
The reporter asked Major Lynn II he
thought Mr.. Maupin had any motive for
bringing charges of mismanagemene
against him. well, / should say he
has" replied the Superintendent. Con-
tinuing, Major Lynn said that When he
secured the office which he now holds
the State had a contract with G. ID.
Larus & Brothers, tobacco manufactu-
Iers. by which the latter was to be fur
nished with eighty convicts, the average
always to be at least seventy. This to-
bacco factory was operated at the Prisons
"Now," said the Superintendent. when
Mr. Maupin was running for the Legisia-
ture, he came to me and asked me TO give
him a certificate, stating that he CMau-
pin) was not connected with this tobacco
factory. / should probably have given
him the desired certificate" continued
Major Lynn, "as his name did not appear
on any of the papers or contracts or tho
Larus g. Co. factory, but was busy that
day. and the matter passed by. AS soon
as Mr.. Maupin became a member OF tina
House he succeeded in having himself
placed upon the Committee on Prisons
and Asylums." Later, Major Lynn said.
no discovered that Mr.. Maupin was ona
OF the 'sub-contractors" OF Larus s Co.
This acknowledgment. he said, had been
made TO him by Mr.. Maupin himself.
when on one occasion the direct question
was put TO the legislator. Tho Superin-
tendent referred TO some other business
transactions connected with the prison.
which he thought influenced Mr.. Maupin
to array himself against him.
CONDITION OF THE INSTITUTION.
The reporter then asked the Superin,
tendent rs 10 the present condiuon ol
the institution. Tho official said that
with the exception OF the crowded con-
dition of the cells. no similar institutions
in this country was in better shape. The
Board OF Directors met there weekly. and
knew we'll the condition or the prison.
Major Lynn said that he had few days
ago written the Prison Association or
Virginia. Inviting them 10 inspect tho
penitentiary. and he had received a. postal
from the committee stating that they
would accept, and would visit the prison
in a day or two. What the institution
needed, the Superintendent said. was
new cell building. constructed according
TO the present system used in other large
prisons There were at present 1.261
prisoners confined within tho WALK OF
the institution, and there were only ls5
cells, making an average OF over six occu-
pants to a cell. The penitentiary farm
which was the suggestion OF the Super
intendent now accommodated 375 con-
victs. Major Lynn said that no he'd only
the day before returned from the farm. t0
which he had carried slxty-four prisoners
The farm, he said. was in excellent con-
dltion; the gathering OF tho crops had
been finished. and the men were now en-
In