The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1909-08-20

ltary purposes, at their own expense,
the commissioner of agriculture to de-
eide the question of practicability."
AS a matter of fact, bathing facilities
are established at every camp or
stockade.
AT each camp a vegetable garden
shall be maintained for furnishing
sufficient vegetables for the prison
sPS."
All the camps shall be built and
maintained upon plans and specifica-
tons approved by the commissioner
of agriculture and the board of COM
missioners of state institutions. PRO
vision is made for securing full de-
scription of the prisoners, marks, pho
tographs and other means"
The lessee shall enforce such reg
ulations as may be prescribed, for the
health, humane treatment and safe
custody of the prisoners. The war
dens, captains and guards shall al
ways be subject to the approval of
the commissioner of agriculture. Any
guard shall be removed upon his re-
quest"
Heretofore the state has been leas-
ing all of its prisoners, including wo-
men, and the old and infirm. Upon
the recommendation of the commits
sioner of agriculture and of the gov
ernor, the legislature of 1909 appro-
priated $4,000, and directed the
board of commissioners of state in
situations to purchase not less than
500 acres, suitable for a penitentiary
and state prison farm. The commits
sioners were directed to withhold
from lessee all females, the aged, dis
eased, crippled, deformed, and all 9TH
er prisoners, who, in the discretion of
the said board are not suited to per-
form manual labor"
This will serve as a nucleus for the
state penitentiary. The number of
prisoners now handled in Florida
ranges from 100 to 1850. The death
rate is 1850 in 1907, to 11.30 in 1908
per thousand. In most cases the
prisoners die from the effect of dis
eases contracted prior to entering the
state prison" This death rate is less
than what it is in some insurance
companies in which, of course, they
pick their members. The L. S. cen
sus of 1900, Vol. 3, P SO, registration
area U. S, embracing the New Eng
land states. New York, New Jersey,
Michigan and the District of Column
bia, the death rate is rs per thous-
and
Our prisoners work in the open air
and in the open sun. They also enjoy
conversation and singing and music
among themselves. At night, the ne
groes make the camps ring with their
songs. None of them are shackled.
The following is the death rate
from such other states as l have been
able to secure the necessary informa-
ton:
Death Rate Per Thousand in State
Prisons
For 1907: Florida, 1850; Louisiana,
1850; Indiana, 1887; Virginia, 14.46;
Connecticut, none; Mississippi, 2O.42;
New Jersey, $50; South Carolina,
1928.
For 1908: Florida, 11.SO; Louisiana
1850; Indiana, 11.6S; Virginia, 1903;
Connecticut, 1910; Mississippi, 1906;
New Jersey, 1850; South Carolina,
1925.
For the years 1907 and 1907: Ten
nessee. 5.72; Michigan, 100; Ala
bama, 44.45.
1t might be interesting to know
some of the detailed statistics as to
our prisoners. During the year 1908,
1856 were handled, 20 of whom died.
There were committed during the
year, 446; white females, none; white
males, 70; cclored females, Is; colro-
ed males, $50. Of this number only
127 were natives of Florida, Georgia
and South Carolina furnishing $50,
North Carolina, 40; Virginia, Is; Mis-
sissippi, 10. The remainder were
born in various parts of the United
States and some in European coun-
tries.
The various forms of stealing, man
slaughter, murder and assault to mur-
der represent more than one-half of
the commitments. Most Of the com
mitments for manslaughter, murder
and assault to murder among the ne
groes result from jealousy and fight
ing among themselves.
The employment of convicts in our
state has not so far conficted with
the employment of free labor. At
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