Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1905-07-14
THE COUNTY JAIL.

tation or security Of the county jail
without money, and as the necessary
money can be raised only with the con-
sent Of the members Of the general as
sembly, the work will have to be post
poned until needed supplies are grant,
ed. This, In brief, Is the answer OF
Supervisor T. w. Boyd to the rule that
was issued against him at the April
term of the court, requiring him to
show cause on the first day OF the
July term why he had ignored GER
tain recommendations Of the grand
Jury as to the condition Of the jail.
The grand jury. 1t will be remember
ed, had repeatedly called attention to
the fact that the Jail was In a very un-
satisfactory condition, both from the
standpoint of security and sanitation.
At the April term Of the court the
matter was urged before Judge Purdy
with such emphasis as to induce his
honor to issue rule against the super
visor requiring that official to snow
cause at 10 o'clock last Monday why
the recommendation Of the grand jury
had not been carried out. Supervisor
Boyds answer to this rule was as fol-
lows:
Your respondent, Thos. w. Boyd,
as supervisor Of York county, In
the state aforesaid, for return to the
rule issued by the clerk OF this court
AGAINST him to show cause on the hrst
day of this term at 10 o'clock a. mr.
why he has not carried out the re-
Communications Of the grand jury
heretofore made touching the SANTA
nv and other conditions. Of the jail,
respectfully shows to the court:
1. That the sanitary condition OF
the York county jail Is better today
than 1t has ever been In It's history
That the jail proper Is heated with
hot water pipes when formerly one
little stove was used. 1t Is also tur.
nished with a modern water closet
and Is no longer offensive to the pris-
oners and community as formerly,
and the prisoners are furnished with
a bath tub and have access to all the
water that Is needed at all times,
and there has been no sickness In
the county jail among the prisoners
In the past two years or more.
2. Your respondent further SHOWS
that the rule Is directed to him alone,
and that under the law he has not
the power, right or authority to let q
contract for the repair OF the county
iail, such as Is contemplated In the
report of the grand jury without the
aid and consent Of one Of the county
commissioners Of York county, as the
county board Of commissioners OF
York county Is composed OF the su,
pervisor and two commissioners ana
under the law 1t requires a majority
of the board to transact the business
of the commissioners.
8 But still further your respond
ent shows to the court that at the
annual meeting Of the county board
of commissioners Of York county held
in their office on the 30th day OF De-
cember, 1903, the estimate for the
county expenses Of York county for
the fiscal year commencing January
1st, 1904, and ending December 31st,
1904, amounted to the sum OF $2B,-
423.OO, and the county property
in round numbers to $b,-
900, 100000, a levy Of four mills was
made on the county property and the
taxes collected. under the levy were
PRACTICAL all contracted when the
grand Jury made their last report and
this estimate only included one num-
dred dollars ($100) for repairs on the
county Jail. That finding the county
expenses were necessarily increasing
and that their estimate for 1904 was
insufficient in the judgment or the
board, at the annual meeting OF the
board on the 30th day Of December,
1904, the county commissioners ask
ed the legislature of South Carolina
to make a levy for ordinary purposes
for the fiscal year 1905, Of four and
one half (4b) mills, but that body In
its wisdom as shown by the acts OF
the General assembly Of 1905, only
levied four mills in York county for
ordinary county purposes. Conse-
quently your respondent shows to the
court that he has no funds on hands
applicable to the work Of repairing
the county jail, and from the best In
formation obtainable by your relater,
1t will take from $4,000 to $4,000 to
do the work contemplated by the
grand jury in their report. And In
this connection your relater calls the
courts attention to section S77 OF
Vol. 2 of Code Of Laws Of South Car
olina.
Section 377. 1t shall be unlawful
for any public officer, state or county,
authorized to so contract, to enter
into or contract, for any purpose
in a sum in excess OF the
tax levied. or the amount appropria-
ted, for the accomplishment Of such
purpose: or to divert or appropriate
the funds arising from any tax levied
and collected for any one fiscal year
to the payment Of any Indebtedness
or incurred for any previ-
Gus year; and on violating the pro-
Of this section, he shall be
deemed guilty Of felony. and upon
thereof shall be punished
by a fine not exceeding five thousand
dollars and not less than five hundred
dollars, and by Imprisonment at hard
labor In the state penltentiary for
period not exceeding five years. nor
less than one year. nr either or both.
In the discretion Of the court
And the courts attention Is also
to Section 16 Of an act en-
titled, An Act to Raise Supplies and
make Appropriations for the Fiscal
Year commencing January. l, 1904,
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