The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1905-01-06
THE PENITENTIARY.
Report OF the Direcfors-Rcformarury
Observation-Disclosures showing for
the Year.
especsal to rns, Messenger.l

lR~1AA ~ lA4E 3AGSSGxSGA
Raleigh. n. c. January 2-The peni-
Tertiary directors today adopted . .es-
oiution recommending { the legislature
to establish a reformatory for young
white criminals and that $4,000 OF 4
per cent bonds nov held by the penaten-
tiary BE- used IN constructing said re-
formatory. and trat such reforznato=y
should be IN charge OF a board OF direc-
tors OF its own and kept entirely dis
tfnct from the ~penitentia-y. and, FUR
ther. that il the bonds be so used the
state should be relieved or payment OF
interest on them. The surplus
TO $is2,sSS, this being In cash. state
bonds. solvent credits, cash items. AMI
surplus farm Products Net earnings
over expenditures during pas four
years aggregate Sill, 329. There are no
debts Three thousand barrels OF corn
are held to feed stock this "a The
board last April purchased $4,000 of its
debt bonds. During the past four years
there has G no riots among the CON
victs, no great disorder and no cpl
demic. There are now white n color
ed hospitals for consumptives. The
state farm yielded another great har-
vest this year. All classes Of prisoners
are now put on contract work and one
farm, including life term men, but Ii is
recommended hat this be prohibited
by statute. There are "a dangerous In
sane. these being generally known as
the criminally insane who are IN a sep
arate ward. =
Superintendent J. S. Mann makes re-
ports both on tue p~enitentiary and On
the criminal and dangerous insane de.
partnent of h prison.
} A year ago cotton was valued as an
asset al 13 cents. hut its present fs-
innate Is put at 6n cents. Corn Is val
ued at 80 cents a bushel, and 5000 bar
rals are feld as food for this year end
MT I acsed as assets. Net earnings oS er
expenditures since 1900 aggregate SILL
329. All bills including those for De
cember are paid. The board last April
bought $751; 500 of the $50, 900 OF 4 per
cent bonds which the state issued five
ear ago to purchase the state farm.
the law requiring the penitentiary ID
! pay interest thereon. Last month 81, 800
more of these bonds were bought, inter-
est of which exactly offsets that charg-
ed by the state. The Prison and its
various branches are i'm good physical
condition n the past four years were
unmarked by any epidemic, real or
great disorder. Generally speaking the
convicts have behaved exceptionally
well, this being due to strict discipline
n kind, considerable treatment. There
dTF hOW nOSplldl WdIUS IOF WHITE anu
negro consumptives, many improve
ments ave been made in convict quar-
ters at the state farm. The Latter yield
ed a great harvest. January 1, 1901.
there were $50 ~convicts, while now there
are 658, showing 201 decrease in four
years., this being u to the county
chain gang system.
If present state policy continues there
iwll SOC be only two classes OF state
convicts, the larger of these being Zee
BILE or non-produc1ng ones and other
long term, desperate criminals. The
problem of self supp CRIT is with constant
ly diminishing number Of wage earners
yearly becoming more difficult. It has
been found necessary in order to make
the prison self supporting to employ
on state farm and ON contract work all
classes of cOnvicts able to do manual
labor, among those serving life senten-
ces. In consequence several notorious
prisoners, taking most desperate
chances, have escaped and are still at
large. superintendent Mann does no:
think this policy should continue. but
it must unless prohibited by state and
appropriation for maintenance made.
Self support Or financial proposition is
secondary to Protection of crime. Dur
ing he last two years 80 prisoners un-
der twenty years old have been receiv-
ed. Penitentiary is not in any state a
refOl nIatory. It's associations are vic
ions and he declares a reformatory for
youthful criminals to be greatly needed
in North Carolina and says it will save
many youths.