Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1901-01-30

MIR Cooper thought nVe ''a' U
short time aud 40 days too long,
He favored an amendment max 6
20 days the limit.
Mr. Kinard said that people in
:he country who take papers u
not like to seLd to the court hous'
.very time note is taken. H
moved to indefinitely postpone IT..
bill. This was carried and tn:
bill killed.
THE CONVICT QUESTION.
The house then took up Mr.
Strom's bill relative tc tn
eligibility of convicts to the selec'
society of county chain gangs.
MIR Strom and Mr. Stackhous'
spoke in favor of it. Mr. Wingo
made a good speech reciting tie
necessity for skilled labor in
operating machinery on public
works. This labor ls usually en-
ployed, when convict labor would
do as we'll. But convicts, if sent
up for short terms, are discharged
by the time they get to working
we'll. The counties which have
the court expenses to bear should
get the proper return in labor.
Mr. Tatum said that his opposi-
ton to the bill came from sense
of humanity. DR. Pope who was
for % years physician at the
penitentiary says that convicts
cennot live for ten years on a
county chaingang. If the camps
be properly equipped it might be
feasible.
Mr. Strom asked if it would not
result in camps being made letter
if more convicts be sent to these
camps and the permancy of the
system assured.
Mr. Weston said he would nffer
an amendment to make it optional
with the judge whether or not the
convict be sentenced TO the chain
gang or the penitentiary. There
are about 1000 convicts in the
penitentiary. Employment can
not be found for all of them.
What disposition shall be made of
the overplus? Shall they be turned
over to individuals or to counties?
In reply to Mr. Tatum he said
that ten years of chain gang life
would not kill a convict. He trust
ed his own observation as much as
that of DR. Pope.
Mr. Prince, who had opposed the
proposition to stop leasing convicts
TO individuals. said that if the
bars are to be let down, then let
them down entirely. What is the
use of counties sending. convicts
to the penitentiary and then hiring
them back? Sentence them to the
chain gang at once if they can be
cared for humanely.
Mr. HI. Kinard stated Green
wood, new county, had adopted
the chain gang system in the outset,
and anybody who would see the
work would agree that it is
eminently successful. Three years
ago the roads were in bad shape,
and now a man can trot his horse
across the county. The convicts
are we'll cared for in Greenwood.
Mr. Strom stated that they are
we'll used and well cared for in
Edgefeld, too,
The bill passed second reading,
The act, as amended. Will read:
Section 662. That from and
after the passage of this act all the
courts of this State, and municipal
authorities which, under existing
laws, have power to sentence con-
victs to confinement in prison,
with hard, shall sentence all able
bodied male convicts to hard labor
upon the public works of the county
IN which SAID person shall have
been sentenced, and IN the alter
native, to imprisonment in the
county Jail or State penitentiary
at HARD labor, etc. Provided, That
no convict, whose sentence shall
be for period longer than ten
years, shall be so sentenced.