Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1899-07-01
Saturday, July |, 1899.

boy, there are now six TRUSTEES. These
TRUSTEES are not guarded at all. ANY
of them could escape at any time if
they saw fit to do so. l have sent
them off a considerable distance by
themselves, on occasion, with the wag-
on; but not often. They are never
permitted to leave camp except they
be sent for special purpose. That is
they are not allowed to roam around
of their own free will. Have never
lost a prisoner since l have been su-
perintendent.
With regard to The killing of the
dog, Mr.. Culp said that he had been
troubled by dog, that belonged to a
Negro, stealing meat. He heard dog
in the meat room, and having reason
to believe thai all the stockade dogs
were otherwise accounted for, he took
his pistol and went out and shot it..
The moon was shining, but he did not
recognize the dog be had killed until
after it had been shot. In the moon
light, it looked like the Negroes dog.
With regard to the Saturday night
row, Superintendent Culp said he did
not know there was any whisky in
camp until told by John Hart, one of
the TRUSTEES. He put a stop to the
row, as has already been testified to,
and next morning went out with Mlkel
to the jug and took a drink. Mikel
filled quart bottle from the jug, and
afterward witness went back and
poured out on the ground the whisky
that was left-more than quart. He
did this in order to prevent a possible
recurrence of the disturbance.
Commissioner Wilkerson asked Mr..
Culp about his keeping horse at the
camp. Mr.. Culp said he had horse.
1t was his own private property. He
has a great deal of riding to do.
When he was not at camp, or on the
road work, or town, he was generally
riding around hunting forage, or at
tending to other business. Sometimes
he had to 20 to Yorkville or other
places after prisoners, and under such
circumstances he needed horse. He
was not fond of walking.
Asked about his hours of work, Mr..
Culp said he made it rule to get out
of camp before sun up, and was gener-
ally half-a-mile away when the sun
rose. He worked the convicts until
IL o'clock and took an hour for dinner.
Then be worked until an hour by sun
or down, depending upon the distance
from camp. If the work is further
away, then it is necessary to quit ear
lier. tbs customary to call time much
earlier on Saturday afternoons than on
other days, for the reason that it is
rule to make the prisoners wash them
selves once a week. The washing
used to be done on Sundays; but now
it is done on Saturday afternoons.
In answer to a question from Grand
Juror Gordon, Mr.. Culp said he kept
books by which the expenses of the
chaingang could be investigated at
any time. He keeps pass.book upon
which the store-keeper enters all items
purchased, and another book upon
which total amounts are entered
monthly. 1t is his custom to purchase
supplies himself, and he sees that the
various items put down in the book
are packed on the wagon. This book
he sends up to the county board OF
commissioners at stated times, in or
der that settlement may be made by
it. He has been pursuing this plan
since February; previous to which
time no such detailed accounts were
kept.
Superintendent Culp said that here
tofore supplies had not been kept under
lock and key for the reason that it was
improbable. There was no place in
which to lock the supplies. The trus-
ty convicts are in charge. The cook
is allowed discretion in the matter of
how much rations to prepare for each
meal. Hereafter, supplies can be kept
under lock and key in the commissary
wagon, and the keys may be left with
the night guard. The superintendent
determines on the rations he will buy.
Commissioner Wilkerson wanted to
know what the guards had to eat, etc.
Superintendent Culp said that they
had ham for breakfast and ham out of
the middle of the hog for dinner, as
general thing. Sometimes he bought
a case of tomatoes but not often, and
when other luxuries were desired they
usually paid for them out of their own
pockets. He used -four at 81 hun
dred for the convicts, and generally
bought better quality-something
like 1926 for the table Of the guards.
Commissioner Wilkerson: Mr.. Culp,
do you know of any way whereby you
can curtail expenses or increase the
efficiency of the force without too
much additional expense? Can you
make any practical suggestion that
will give better general results?
Superintendent Culp: I am satisfied
that if we had four more mules we
could do almost twice as much work
as we are doing now.
GIr. Wilkersou said he thought it
would be good idea to get plug
mule to be used in carrying dinner
from the camp to the road, instead of
using the big strong mules that would
ha mora carvioah at other work