The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-12-05
The LEASING OF CONNECTS.
A New System Inaugurated by the
Texas Penitentiary.
LESSEEs WILL NOT BOARD THEM.
The Financial Agent Has Concluded
TO Have All Convicts boarded
by the state.

The leasing OF convicts and their treat
ment by lessees. and the justification OF
leasing them by the State in competition
with free labor is a question that has been
frequently discussed in this State and
every other State Ia the Union.
1t Will probably be OF interest to the
readers of The Post to know how the great
State OF Texas disposes OF her surplus
convicts.
furniture, wagons. etc.. is carried on at the
penltentiary at Huntsville. There are pipe
and iron works at the penitentiary at Rusk.
At Harlem. in Fort Bend county. is situ-
ated the State farm and sugar mill. Cap
tain Jake Herring. the manager of this
plantation and mill, says he will finish cut
ting all the cane by Recember IS and that
the investment is a very profitable one and
advocates the purchase OF additional and
adjoining lands, as they can be worked al
a. slight increase Of expense and a large
Increase In profits.
A Post reporter visited the plantations
Of Ball, Hutchings Co.. Angleton: r..
H. Cunningham. Sugarland: J. r. Collier.
Mumford; p. j. Willis & Bro, Sandy Point;
Mr. Eastman, Weldon I. w. House. Ar
cola and Duke; G. w. Riddick. Sartartia;
Heber Stone: Hampstead: Sewell & Camp
bell. Perry's Landing; Terrell & Co., Nava-
sofa; H.. X. White, Bryan; w. w. Watts.
Mumford; Ed Wilson, Mumford; w. T.
Watt. Cameron. These lessees each have
from fifty to 100 convicts leased from the
State,
These convicts are under the Immediate
charge of the following sergeants. who are
responsible 10 the State for execution OF
fsfS nd fcr 81. ,lo
ing and feeding OF them; ]. b. Westball, T.
p. Lewis. Gus Harris, A. H. Perry, G.
j. Adams, j. W. Mullinox. j. T.. Campbell,
j. n. Suuth, II. s. Williams. A. ]. Cox,
G. g Wood. S. S. Ward and S. NJ Bell
The average citizen would be very much
surprised to see HOW well the convicts are
fed and c,othed. They certainly fare much
better than the average citizen. The writer
noiiced at every camp that meat, bread.
ifish potatoes, sweet potatoes beans. mo-
lasses, sugar and coffee were in abundance
and in most instances milk was supplied.
This Is the fare three times a day and
every man is given all that he can ca,
i~ice week fresh beef is supplied and
y not inirequent that pies and sweet
cakes are baked for their dinners.
While there is no complaint. therefore
,eeafaing the fare furnished the convic,s
oy the lessees, the financial agent az ths
IehitehtiSry, Hen. j s. Rice has con-
eiuded to hereafter board the conyicts at
the expense OF the State and will receive for
each man $40 90 per month instead Of ak
as heretofore, when the lessees boarded
mem, Il is calculated that these men can
be led for about So. so per head per month
and the State will make a profit nv ,hs
transaction at once Of soc per head per
month for each convict
MT. Rice has sent his confidential agent,
MT Bob Brahan. out to each camn and
instructed each sergeant to make. and how
10 make reouisit'ons on the financial ssen,
tor progisi-ns. Mr. Brahan also Instructed
eacn sergeant to cultivate from five n Ton
ss,es OF land fer garden truck aud n SUI
nc,ent emount OF potatoes. beans. peas.
onions and all nther kinds OF vegetables
vii VII De rsised to supply each camp The
/. ue W,i,er who accompanied Mr.. IRA.
~, nan On ibis trim, desires 10 thank Mr. q
:, Riddiek OF ssrtar,ia. Captain lake
NJ '''n n. the manager Of the State farm;
ana MT T. p. Lewis of sandy po,n, 90.
No"i"sies. C.SEH