The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1902-03-21

Holmes had statistics.
Now, his suggestion is this: That
an act bo passed allowing the prisoner
to make voluntary contract with
the sheriff and county commissioners
that if they will release him from
Jail and turn him over to the county
supervisor, he will agree to be worked
just rs convicted criminals are
worked. That if ho is acquitted by
the jury, then he will be paid at a
fair rate of compensation for every
day which he has spent at work for
the county. Ii he be convicted by
the jury, he will be given credit for
the number of days he has worked
and this will be deducted from his
sentence.
There are objections which could
be offerod For instance it might
be urged that it is not humane or
just to have these prisoners work
alongside Of convicted felons unless
their guilt is certain. furthermore,
it might be said, prisoners are not
to be worked on the chalngangs
when the term of their servitude is
for period longer than 10 years,
and the prisoner himself or nobody
else might know for how long his
sentence would be. But these are
details which could be considered
later.
Prof. Holmes made no extended
defense of the suggestion. His time
was limited, and he alluded to this
matter in a few brief remarks. But
it is worthy of consideration, espec-
tally in view of the enormous annual
expense of the State. No doubt
many an unconvicted prisoner would
prefer to be in the fresh air at work
even on the chaingang-especially
as he works with the purpose Of
shortening his sentence or of being
paid for his time if he is adiudged
innocent of the charge.
In other States the annual cost Of
keeping up or feeding prisons con.
fined in the county Jail pending
trial is much heavier than
it is in South Carolina. The follow
ing figures are taken from statistics
compiled by Prof. Holmes in connec
ton with this suggestion.
In Georgia, 120 of the 1877 coun
ties reported. But q of those coun-
ties use convicts on the county roads,
although these counties engaged
the labor of 046 convicts. The num-
Der of prisoners reported kept in
county iails in Georgia pending trial
was 1905, the average cost being 35
cents per day. The aggregate OK
pense was $100,75O. The average
cost per convict per day forgnarding,
etc, was rs cents. Georgia pays
Is cents per day for hired labor to
work on the roads.
In North Carolina reports wore
received from all of the 81 counties.
But "a counties in that State use con-
victs on the public highways. The
number Of convicts thus employed
was G43, and the average cost Of
guarding, etc, was "a cents per day.
There were 607 untred prisoners in
the Jail, costing the State 80 cents
per day each; an aggregate expense
of $l03, $50. "Free labor" on the
roads costs rs cents per day.
In South Carolina 36 of the 10
counties reported Thirty two use
convict labor-570 convicts, at cost
of l8 cent per day each. There
we're 404 in Jail awaiting trial, at a
cost of 80 cents per day each, aggre-
eating $75, $50 for the year. "Free
labor" on roads costs rs cents a day
in this State.
The above statistics relate TO nor
NAL conditions. This year the ex-
pense will be heavier, for in mum
ber Of counties the jury law was con
tested last fall, and many prisoners
we're remanGed to jail, where they
remained at heavy expense to the
county until this spring On the
other hand the legislature reduced
the cost of dieting prisoners to &c
cents per day by general law. Hara