The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1899-08-16
THE PENITENTIARY SCANDAL.
Finding Of the Investigating Committee.


executive Office yesterday. The re-
port makes no recommendation as to
what steps shall be taken in the mat
ter. and rs Governor McSwccncy is
ont of town no action will be taken
Tor a lay or two at least He will
probably submit the testimony, to-
gctEcr with the report to Attorney
General I'cllingcr for his official opin-
ion. Mr. Bellingcr, too, is out of
town. The report, though long, is
clear cut and to the point. 1t covers
great deal Of ground, but there is no
unnecessary vcrbiagc. Following is
the full text Of the document
10 Hon. VI. T. McSwccncy. Governor:
The General Assembly Of this State
at IT. last session passed concurrent
resolution to appoint ii committee Of
two Senators and three Representa-.
tivcS for the purpose Of Investigating
the affairs Of the pcnitcntiary with
instructions to report to you. The
undersigned were ap ,intcd as said
committee and organized By clccting
W. +. Stevenson chairman. 1t select
ed John Taylor as expert bookkcepcr
and Miss VI. i. Gibbcs as stcnograph-
er. Meetings were held from time to
time. as it was cxpcdicnt to do so. as
is ~hown by the record herewith sub
mittcd. Much testimony was taken
bearing on the condition and manage
mcnt OF the rcnitcntiary. The mat
tcrs examined were embraced under
three heads : L. The treatment of the
convicts. =. The condition and man
agcment Of the farms and the DISPOSE
ton of farm products. 3. The general
financial affairs of the pcnitentiary
proper and the use and disposition
made OF the assets of the penitcntiary
proper, including amounts due to the
same.
]. AS to the treatment of the con-
vlcts; We find that Mr.. Neal has
always been an advocate Of humanity
and that wherever the treatment Of
convicts came under his personal
supervision there is no doubt of their
kin! and humane treatment. One
instance of very severe whipping is
reported as being given by one subor-
dinate, Mr.. j. j. Cooley, for which
Mr.. Nealis not responsible. We wish
to commend the methods used by Mr..
Miller, manager Of the Lexington
farm, in this particular: His man
agcncnt has reduced the necessity for
whipping to minimum, and yet he
gets excellent results. While we know
that the convict must be controlled.
we feel that the dictates of humanity
require that the unfortunate who is
without character or legal standing
and without friends or hope of redress
should be treated with oil the consid-
Grafton which strict discipline will
allow. We are glad to be able to
report that Mr.. Neal has always shown
his desire to do his full duty by the
convicts from humanitarian stand
point.
2. We find the farming property in
fine condition, we'll stocked and well
cultivated; large crops are made. and
valuable improvements in the way of
buildings and dykes and ditching and
clearing have been made during his
administration. The superintendent
deserve commendation for the eusr-
getic and skillful management of che
affairs and improvements made on the
property, both on the farms and at the
penitentiary itself. The DeSaussure
and Reid farms have been paid for
under the administration of Mr.. Neal.
We are not prepared to say that the
farming business, however, is profita-
BILE. There has been, for instance,
Tor the year Of 1898, an average of 139
hands used on the Reid and DeSaus-
sure farms. The evidence is that thew
will pay $50 per year per head when
hired out, making s6,95O net from
their hire. The total products from
these farms for 1898 as reported by
the board was 4l.Ol3.95. The cash
returned from the farm produce of
DeSaussure and Reid farms. pages "a
and II, is $l2,735.55; ninety-ninc
bales OF cotton on hand January Ist.
1899; there was possibly on hand at
that time under liberal estimate
50 1000 worth of other produce, making
a tot:! of So, ,2lO.55 accounted for.
and leaving balance of $l8, 800. 40
which must have been consumed.
Now, this crop cost, therefore, the
hire of convicts, sc, $50; accounts paid
for the two farms, s2O,O69; rent of
land. estimating II at one.nuortor &c