The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-03-06
A REMARKABLE STATEMENT
MADE no THE LEGISLATURE By
THE STATE TREASURER.

He Claims the PeniteutIsry Requires Ar.
preparation Of oA5. o0O-Superinteadent
Leasar Shows It's Incorrectnces-Every
Populist better Gets IN Ofics-Reyuolds
Breaks Another lie In the Senate Dee.
per.ss Efforts to Save the Asylums-R1s.
cell Carrying HIS Points.
Messenger Bureau. lark Hotel.
Raleigh. n. c.. March g.
The statement was made last night
on the fioor OF the house by the chair
man Of The finance COMMITTEES that the
state treasurer said the p~enitentiary
was in debt and would need s45. 600 ap-
preparation TO carry it through Your
correspondent at once e to the re-
firing superintendent. Mr.. Leazar, and
told him OF this gross error. The chair
man OF the committee was brought up
and said plainly that the penitentiary
did not cost the state a cent In 1896 ard
had a fine supply OF provisions and
forage on hand grown on its farms.
Mr.. Leazar said that he had not recon-
mended a cent OF appropriation for
this year, or next and hat If the legis-
lature were to take its hands of the
penitentiary he would give bond to car
~ II on ten years without a cent OF cost
to the state and at the same time would
Ildhe IlolSN. III Ntt" Vi tiltSt ld1lE
as stated. by a man OF such character
and information the statements Of the
treasurer are strange.
John r. Smith. republican. took
charge of the penitentiary today. He
says he will make no changes in the
personnel Of the force until he thorough
ly learns his duties and the manage
ment of the 1,250 convicts.
So far as can be learned not ono ~
the boiling %populists will fail To get
some kind Of al office. McCaskev the
bolter chairman, gets the place OF man.
eger Of one Of the state farms on the
Roanoke. Reinhart gets the state farm
at W~adesboro.
The members OF the house are angry
with the senate for tabling the bill to-
stimulate local school taxation by the
gift Of 500, 900 from the public fund.
There was a desperate effort in the
senate last night to save the three in
sane asylums from the cooperation
grabbers and a colored membn~ Per
son, was a leader In this. But. the
vote being a tie, the lieutenant govern
or cast his vote to let the asyluy $ go.
When a bill was voted on int 20 sen
ate last night that no senator should
take any place in the asylums or the
penitentiary the vote was a tie. Again
the lieutenant governor voted. 80 as -
carry the measure. He said that to do
otherwise would be a reflection on the
I'm oah' ~
best men in the state. The boiling pop
ulists voted solidly to grab the asylums
and against the bill to prohibit any
senator from taking a position as above
stated.
The republican members Of the house
caucused last night on Dockery's bill
to amend the constitution by embody-
ing the election law as one OF its articles.
The caucu in a rather informal way
agreed to support it.
Persons from other states who saw
yesterdays scene of disorder and riot
in the house say then never. even in
South Carolina in the reconstruction
Governor Russell remains in his Of
days, saw anything like it. .
flee until midnight these nights, work.
ing and planning. He has had his way
about the penitentiary and the insane
asylums and has all the appointive
power.
The general belief here is that the
legislature will not adjourn sine die
until Wednesday next. There was talk
yesterday just after the riot that many
members might leave today. to break
a quorum. Today was the last OF the
! sixty days Including Sundays) for
which members get pay.