The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-06-01
TO BUY CALEDONIA FARMS.
Whipping Only Way to Control the Con-
victs-No Brutality.

The members of the executive boar;
of the penitentiary while here thus Nr,.l.
will direct the State Treasurer to issue
and sell enough bonds to purchase tn.
Caledonia State farms The ac: of III.
Legislature authorizes $4,000 Of bonds
but it is probable that oIlly enough vii.
be issued to buy the Caledonia farms
two in number They are the richest o.
the farms worked by the State.
The authority is given, however, Il
buy also the Arson farm if the exec
utive committee sees fit to do so. The
Caledonia and Arson farms can be
bought for $4,000.
The penitentiary authorities here do
not believe the letter published in the
Washington Star yesterday and sent out
by the Associated Press last night was
written by a Federal convict as it pur
ports to have been.
'~roo strict a watch has been kept on
them for such letter to have ever got
fen out" said Mr.. Il. j.. Travis, "A mem
Der of the executive board yesterday
morning IF it is IA genuine letter it did
not go through the regular channel; il
was sanuggled out.
Ben Davis, the convict referred to a.
having been whipped, is not deformed.
He is an abe-bodied negro who has
given It's much trouble. To begin with
he stole pair of shoes from another
convict and refused to give them up
When he saw he was going to he com
pelled to do so he cut them up For this
and also for secretng himself in the fe-
male department of the building for no
good purpose he was whipped. Then ne
rebelled, swore he would not work. and.
arming himself with "a hoe and knife.
declared he would kill the first man that
laid hands on him. He was finally cap
tured and again whipped into snbmis-
sion. Since then he nor any of the other
Federal convicts have given any trouble.
1T is the only way we can manage
them. We had no end of trouble with
them until we resorted to corporal pun,
jshinent. We tried all sorts of things,
such as locking in dark cell without
food or water, tying up by the thumbs,
solitary confinement and the like, but to
no effect. Then as Il last resort we
whipped two of them and the change
was wonderful.
1.-THE punishment is always humane,
reasonable and discreetly administered.
We have never drawn blood or eyeH
broken the skin.
I'VE have 100 Federal conyicts, TO-
whom we receive from the United
States Government 25 cents day. Ii
allowed to work them outside the walls
and discipline them in this way we can
make something on them, otherwise we
cannot.
vy,,ln ann
to work them outside, provided we re-
turn them at night And as to the whip
ming the contract says they shall not be
corporaHy punished, but the United
States statute says prisoners confined in
State prisons shall be subject > she
same discipline as are the State con-
victs."
..W7hat was the result of the investiga-
ton made here some weeks ago by
Major Strong, off the Department OF
Justice, on complaint similar to this
0ne?'
',He reported that he found the con-
victs were punished in violation OF con
tract. but not contrary to law.'
Twill any more Federal convicts be
sent hereT'
.No. The Attorney General has IL
rected that no more be sent to tliis
prison"
Superintendent w. III. Day. of the
State penitentiary. spent several hours
in Wilmington Monday. He was there.
he said. on a tour of inspection to the
rice farms in that vicinity. To S:ar
reporter he expressed much qualification
at the condition of the present rice crops
on the State farms, declaring that the
results being obtained on these farms
are so thoroughly satisfactory that it is
his purpose to double the acreage next
year. cultivating 1000 instead of 500, as
is the case this year. This increase OF
acreage. Superintendent Day says. Will
necessitate the leasing of the additional
500 acres. as all the rice land now colt
trolled by the State is under crltiva-
ton. He says that he has no special
farms in view.
CnHiDANIEC NOM TEN