The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1901-07-02
STATES JUVENILE
REFORMAT0RY OPENS.
INSTITUTION LONG NEEDED Is NOW
IN OPERATION.
Eighteen Youthful Conylcts- Description OF
tho New Building Com Portable and
Well Equippcd--A Visit to tho
Lexington Farm
IStatc, 1st. |

ing Of the long. and much
desired State Reformatory for youth
full convicts was completed and the
boys heretofore confined in tho State
penitentiary we're removed from that
institution and contact with tho old
and hardened criminals and placed
IN the new reformatory all by thom-
selves. The new institution is To-
Gated upon tho States Lexington
farm about five miles from the city
in the "Dutch. Fork" near the banks
of the Broad river. While the build
is not costly one it is most con-
venientlY arranged, and the boys are
moro comfortable thore than they
would be in the State prison itself.
Tho surroundings arc far moro con-
ducivo Of real reformation.
A representative Of Tho State yes.
terday afternoon visited the farm and
reformatory in company with Capt.
Adams of the guard.
The farm is one containing 400
acres and its location is excellent.
The crops thereon despite the un-
favorable weather ire in worry good
condition-in much better shape in.
deed than those of surrounding farms.
A new gin house is now being built.
The farm and the reformatory are
in charge Of Sc: :gt. S. Nj. Miller, a
worry capable and experienced officer
and farmer % knows his business.
He lives with his family in neat
cottage not far from the reformatory
building. Just now he is blue about
the weather, but is proud of the fine
garden he has near tho reformatory,
from which all kinds of vegetables
are taken for feeding tho prisoners.
At present the heavy work of the
farm is done by force of is grown
convicts who arc kept in a stout tim
ber long bolted stocl1ade entirely sep
arated from the reformatory promises.
These fellows are chiefly good prison.
ers and arc even allowed banjos with
in the qnarters. The guards quar-
tors adjoin. All are equipped with
neat iron bedsteads.
The kitchen ls in charge of an old
negro convict, large range, ovens,
ETC., are fitted therein.
AS to the now Juvenile reformato-
ry. 1t is two-story wooden build
ing we'll constructed, with barred
windows, thoroughly celled, and hay
ing closet arrangements. The main
floor is divided. The grand room is
in the centre. From this room opens
a steel door leading into the room
about 3Ox50 feet in which are tho
sleeping quarters of the negro boys
There are 18 single iron bedsteads,
each equipped with clean sheets, pill
lows and pillow cases and blankets.
Provision is made for heating.
The corresponding room for the
white boys is entered in the same
way and equipped in like manner.
There are no white boys confined
there now and the room is used as a
bath room for the present prisoners,
zach being required to bathe every
evening.
Each of the boys is supplied with
a clean night shirt at night.
There are now only 18 of these ju-
venile convicts in the institution and
they seem we'll contented,
On the wing of the same floor is
the dining room where the boys are
given good wholesome food.
Up stairs is chapel where reli-
gious services are conducted every
Sunday afternoon by the chaplain,
the Rev. J. O. Abney, and adjoining
over the dining room is the hospital,
which ia cool and comfortable.
There is splendid we'll Of water
on the place, and prisoners are
we'll supplied with fresh and pure
water.
-Four guards are kept at tho farm
I'll. careful and experienced mon.
Mr.. Abney conducted a Sunday
school service, and later preached to
the boys and the older convict, on
the farm, each squad being kept sep
arate. He gave good advice drawn
from the text: "Come unto me, all We