The Conway log cabin., 1901-08-27
Voted to Annul Convict Lease.

DN q NOlC Ol sb tO llit Nidlt JOdlh VI )f penitentiarv commissioners on the 18th instant annulled the ten-vear contract, entered into during Cover nor Jones administration, for the lire of 300 conyicts to the Arkansas Brick Manufacturing Company for term of ten years. The principal ,tockholder of the above company ls Mir. w. w. Dickinson. At several previous meetings of the board Gov ernor Davis had endeayored to have the contract annulled, taking the position that the board making the contract exceeded its authority when 1t leased the eonyicts for d term of years beyond its tenure of office, thereby binding future managers of the penitentiary to a policy they might deem disadyantageous. Here tofore the board stood two for an nulment and three against, those voting in favor of the state carrying out the old board's agreement being Commissioner Hill, Attorney Gen eral Murphy and Auditor Monroe. At the meeting on the 18th Governor Davis offered the following, which was adopted, Governor Davis, Sec rctary of State Crockett and Auditor Monroe voting for the resolution:
 Whereas, the state of Arkansas on the 3lst day of July, 1899, by its financial agent, J C. Massey, and Superintendent E. T. Mcconnell and the penitentiary board, made con- tract with the Arkansas Brick and Manufacturing Company as assignee of the Arkansas Chair Factory, whereby the state agreed to furnish to said brick company two brick buildings. one 50X200 feet and two stories high, and one 40X10 feet and one story high covered with iron :; also to furnish boilers, 200 horse power capacity, and to place said machinery in position and to fur nish free of charge all the necessary force to operate said machinery the boilers and engines to be paid for in one, two and three years at actual cost and 6 per cent interest. The state also agrees to furnish as many as 300 able bodied men to said brick company at the cost of 50 cents per day, the state to guard, clothe and feed and furnish medical attentan to said convicts, said contract to last for d period of ten years.
 Relieving that said contract is un- just to the state and made without legal authority, because the same was made for a 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 1t is to the best inter- est of the state and the management of the pentcntary that the same be annulled 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 Manufacturing Company be and the same is hereby annulled, cancelled and held for naught, the cancellation of said contract to take effect Octo- Der 15, 1901, and on and after said October l5, 1901, the state refuses to further comply with the terms of said contract, and the superinten- dent of the penitentlary is hereby ordered on and after said date to withdraw from said Brick and Manufacturing Company all con victs in their employ and turn them back into the walls of the peniten- tiary subject to the further orders of this board"