Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1899-03-30

The 5000 worth OF oats ,ehich tlis
1sos, sEt SIS s CIV Siis
report was lnisleaS ing. III i: 3s s
One hundred and tWenty-flva tbonsand
| brick, which the committee couldn't al
first find any disposition ot, have been
used on the farms and at the peniten.
On the whole, with the exception d
| eyeryth!ag IN the farming line So faI
seems to be accounted for orapproximately,
though all tho crops on ths DeSaussure
| and Lexington farms have not been
inquired into. Chairman Cunningham
admits that things we're run rather ex.
trayagantly, but In his Testimony to day
makes strong showing Of what the pen.
| itentiary has done in the last few years.
The lands purchased and the improve
ments made on the far 10 at tho peniten.
tiary runs up into the thousands The
State, March 25th. @ it}s ,iss
Columbia Comments on Outcome Of Inquiry.
COLUMBIA, March 20.-The peniten-
tiary investigating committee has done
enough work already to Justify tho legis-
lation necessary for the existence OF the
committee. If nothing should evor be
done with reference to tho back &C
counts and shortages, as has been the
custom, a great deal has already been ao-
oomplished in stopping "o9stoms" that
or right. For ono thing, It is said that
the members Of tho board of directors
have stopped taking their meals md
boarding at the penitentiary, and ha.e
sought othor homes. This is very
proper, as tho mombors Of the board are
paid ample during their stay here, and
II they do not got sufficient pay then the
General Assembly ought to pay moro.
| Of course. this change may be .puroly
voluntary on the part of tho membors OF
tho board. Thon it is said that Capt.
Griffith, with his views of what q super
intendent Is untitled to, has brought his
own cow along and will supply himself
with milk and butter, and 80 all along
tho line.
onphasized one thing: Thore never has
been suoh an easy creditor as tho State
penitontiary. 1t seems to havo beon al
most an offence to have sont man a
statement for balance duo, as the Poni-
| tentiary was State institution. Bal
ances on convict hiro wore run from
year to year, and eve " other kind of
account was run just as if tho State did
not want tho money, and all the whilo
bank and interest being paid on dis
counts. Checks, to make fine showings
to the Goneral Assembly, were paid with
borrowed money at por cont, when tho
State has in tho sinking fund money
which would havo been gladly lont at 5
per cent had it been known that tho
ponitentiary wanted to discount notes so
as to havo money, with which to moot
and stand check for 10000 paid on the
oye Of tho soss;On IF tho Conorol aeop,
bly,.
Another striking illustration of tho
| curoiessness of the board of directors is
that for six long years Col. Neal has
been getting $40 n month for stable rent,
and yot in all that time tho board knew
absolutely nothing about Col. Meals got
ting this extra $40 n month, when by
roll for any month since 1894 tho itom of
$40 to Col. Neal for stable rent might
have been discovered. Tho board, it was
stated, averages two or throo days horo
month for its monthly meetings.
Tho investigation will have q tendency
to mako the special committecs of tho
Genoral Assembly worth something be-
sides drawing tho per diem and mileage
allowed. Every year special commit
tee is appointed to examine tho dispon-
sary accounts and affairs, another is ap-
pointed to look into tho ponal and chari-
table institutions and another tho State
treasurer's books. These committees
have amounted to nothing up to this
time, and possibly the penitontiary stir
up will mako the committees moro active
and watchful and perhaps lead to i'm
provemonts In management.
Tho committee will moot hero on tho
| 18th of Juno, and will go to tho State
farms to sec what has been done and at
what expense. The committee is not in
olined to take anything on faith, there
having been too much of that sort of
thing already.
The question has been asked whether
thoro would be any prosecutions, and if
| thcre woro, who would tako tho intia-
| tive. This is not said with a Wow to on
| couraging prosecutions or suits, but due
inquiry has boon made and it has 'been
stated that the board Of directors of tho
to bring suit or indictments; that tho
board is Immediately charged with the
conduct of tho penitontiary and rcspon-
| siblo for its management as we'll as for
any violations of tho law. This is now
and will continue to be tho province of
tho board Of directors, regardless of the
committee or tho Governor. After the
committee reports to Governor Ellerbe,
then he is expected to take action, under
the Legislative resolution, but even that
does not bar action by tho board of di-
rcctors. The committee has no moro to
do with taking criminal or civil proceed
ings than has any other citizon of the
State. Tho committee has beon ap-
pointed purely and simply to make The
investigation and report its findings to
| Governor Ellerbe, and there the duties
of tho committee end.-August Kohn, in
News and Courior.