The Van Buren press. [volume] (Van Buren, Ark.) 1859-1914, 1901-08-17
Convict Lease Annu.lcd.

BY a vote of to 2. the state board
of penitentiary commissioners on the
18th instant annulled the ten-year
contract, entered into during Gov.
Jones administration, for the hire of
300 convicts to the Arkansas Brick
Manufacturing Company for a term
OF ten years. The principal stock
holder of the above company is Mr..
W. w. Dickinson At several previous
meetings of the board Gov. Davis had
endeavored to have the contract an
nulled, taking the position that tho
board making the contract exceeded
its authority when it leased the con-
victs for a term Of years beyond its
tenure OF Office, thereby binding fu-
ture managers of the penitentiary to
a policy they might deem disadvant-
ageous. Heretofore the board stood
two for annulment and three against,
those voting in favor Of the state car
rying out the old boards agreement
being Commissioner hill, Attorney
General Murphy and Auditor Monroe.
At the meeting on the 18th Gov. Davis
offered the following, which was
adopted, Gov. Davis, Secretary Of
State Crockett and Auditor Monroe
voting for the resolution;
Whereas, the state Of Arkansas on
the 31st day of July, 1899, by its
financial agent, ]. c. Massey, and Su-
perintendent e. T. Mcconnell and the
pententiary board, made a contract
with the Arkansas Brick and Manu-
featuring Company as assignee of the
Arkansas Chair Factory, whereby the
state agreed to furnish to said brick
company two brick buildings, one 80
by 200 feet and two stories high, and
one 40 by 10 feet and one story high,
covered with iron; also to furnish
boilers, 200 horsepower capacity, and
to place said machinery in position
and to furnish free Of charge all the
necessary force to operate said ma
chinery; the boilers and engines to
be paid for in one, two and three
years at actual cost and per cent In.
terest. The state also agrees to fur
nish as many as 300 able-bodied men
to said brick company at the cost Of
so cents per day, the state to guard,
clothe and feed and furnish medical
attention to said convicts, said con.
tract to last for period Of ten years.
Believing that said contract Is I'M
just to the state and made without le-
gal authority. because the same was
made for term Of years beyond the
life of the board making it, and
amounts to lease OF the state con.
victs which is prohibited by law, and
believing that it is TO the best interest
OF the state and the management Of
the penitentiary that the same be an.
nulled and set aside, therefore,
BE 1t resolved by the penitentiary
board, that said contract so entered
into between the state Of Arkansas
and the said Arkansas Brick and Man.
ufacturing Company be and the same
Is hereby annulled cancelled and held
for naught, the cancellation Of said
contract to take effect October 10, 1901,
and on and after said October 10, 1901,
the state refuses to further comply
with the terms of said contract. and
me superintendent Of the penitentiary
is hereby ordered on and after said
date to withdraw from said Brick and
Manufacturing Company all convicts
in their employ and turn them back
into the walls of the penitentiary sub
ject to the further orders Of this
board