The Mena weekly star., 1909-04-22
CONVICT CONTRACT
 IS LET TO REAYES
Penitentiary Board Let's Out 200 Men Day to W. L. Reaves, Don- aghey and lobe
 Voting No.

Little Rock, April 20. The penitentiary board yesterday hir- ed 200 convicts to w. L. Reaves for one year at $l per day and instructed the superintendent of the penitentiary to purchase gro- ceries and feed sufficient for the use of the penitentiary until the time for awarding the contracts for next mouths supplies, MT. Reayes offering to advance s, GOO to be credited to his account when the legislature shall have passed the peuitentiary appropri- ation bill.
 The peuitentiary board held It's adjourned meeting at 10 o'clock yesterday morning and a brief session n the afternoon when 1t approved the bond of w. l.. Reaves for $l0, GOO, his sureties being D. c. Zones and D. T. Reaves.
 The contract entered into by the Penitentiary Board and W.L. Reaves provides that the board shall furnish to Reaves the labor of 200 convicts for one year from the date of the contract, the number of convicts to be fur nished to be left to the discretion of the board, provided that Reaves shall not be compelled to take more than 200 convicts at any one time. The contract also requires that Reaves shall clothe, feed, furnish bedding, medical attention and all necessary guards for the convicts furnished. Reaves is also requird to pay $l per day for the labor of each convict, all amounts to be due and paid to the treasurer of the state on or before the 27th day of each month for the labor fur. nished the previous month. It IS stipulated that the board shall have at all times and under all circumstances the management and control of all couvicts hired and shall have the right to direct
 how the couvicts shall be lodged, fed, clothed, guarded and treated, the purpose being to provide that the management and dis cipline of the couvicts shall re- main under the management and control of the state and officers employed by tho state.
 Governor Donaghey insisted that the contract should contain provision permitting the board in case any contingency might arise warranting it in doing SO, | to cancel the contract in whole or | in part. Governot Donaghey contended that the contract was all in the interest of the contract or, and under it's terms if any losses were to be sustained they would have to be incurred by the state.
 MT. Norwood explained that all the rights of the state were safeguarded in the contract. Ac- cording to its provisions the board could not withdraw all the con- victs from the contractor except one, if necessary.
 Mir. Tucker stated that 1t would
 be impossible to hire the convicts for a term not less than a year,
 as it was wellknownthatattempt
 had been made to hire the com
 yicts for a month and all had failed. No one wanted them for
 such a short period.
 Mir. Ludwig offered as a substi-
 tute to the Donaghey amendment
 that, in case the board desired to
 cancel the contract, MT. Reaves
 be given 60 days uotice before
 such action be taken.
 Tbe amendment and substitute
 were both rejected, and on motion
 of Mir. Norwood the contract was
 approved. Ludwig, Norwood and Tucker voting for its approv-
 al and Donaghey and lobe against lit.
 The superintendent was in- structed to purchase the necessa- Try groceries and feed for the in
 stitution up to the time for awarding the contract for May,
 with the understanding they
 should be pald for out of the first | funds received by the board. | The considepation of petitions
 for several paroles that are pend.
 ing before the board was post poned until the next regular "