The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-09-27
IT WAS NOT WELL MANAGED.

We print elsewhere in today's paper
a statement of the condition of the pen
itentiary which will be read with inter-
est by all the people of the State. From
the day Mr.. Leazar retired as superin-
tendent of the penitentiary that insti-
tuition has been mismanaged and the
people have had no confidence in the
accuracy Of the statements emanating
from any Of the superintendent. The
people have believed, and rightly, that
neither of those superintendent have
been capable Of the management of the
penitentiary The investigation made
in 1899 showed that the Smith and New
borne administrations were VIGOROUSLY
incompetent if nothing worse. The Day
administration was VIGOROUSLY extrava-
CANT and the statement made last De-
cember is shown not to have been ac-
curate.
This paper has all along told the peo-
pie that when they came ito take a
look at the books they would find that
the glowing accounts of great money
making would not be found as roseate
as painted. We urged all the Democrats
on the board to resign the day that the
Supreme court, by partisan decision,
repealed the legislative act Of 1899. The
report printed elsewhere today justifies
the wisdom Of that advice. When the
Legislature of 1901 was in session we
were told that the penitentiary had done
better than ever in it's history and that
it had surplus of over one hundred
thousand dollars in cash and available
cash assets A leading lawyer on the
floor of the Senate during the impeach-
ment trial paid a high compliment to
the management and said that the PEN
itentiary had great surplus for the
first time in it's history. When the new
administration took charge in April, in
stead of finding surplus Of one hum
bred thousand dollars or more they
found a hole in the ground. The peni-
tertiary was in fact bankrupt. The re-
port by Mr.. O'Berry and Mr.. Brown
says:
"Your Excellency will note that in
stead of the States Prison earning
1914, 45673 in excess of the cost of main
tenance, as claimed by them, there was
really deficit of $35, 1852"
A management that could make a mis-
take of seventy thousand dollars in it's
report of it's operations justifies the crit
icism Of those who all along maintain
ed that. the fiattering reports would not
be borne cut by an investigation. The
ruth is, that without any charge or init
nation Of dishonesty against any of the
officials, there has not been any bust
ness in it's management since Mr.. Leaz-
ar's term expired In 1899 and 1900 the
penitentiary ought to have made money,
for the crops were large and the prices
high, but the extravaganza Of the man.
agement more than consumed all the
increase from good crops and good
prices, leaving deficit of $35, 1852.
During the Day administration the av-
erage expense of conducting the peni-
tertiary was $16,O79.17 per month, while
under the present administration the
cost per month is $40, 390.S6
1t is to he hoped that the reforms,
economy and good management inaugu-
rated by the present board and Super
intendent Mann will not again be in
terrupted by another era Of the kind Of
management that came in with Radical
rule in North Carolina.