The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1909-12-29
pENITENTIARY MAKING MONEY,
The Annual Report Will Show Bright
Conditions.

Columbia, Dec. 27.-The high
price Of cotton. coupled with good
management generally and with the
further fact that the institution pro-
duced a greater quantity Of cotton
this year than usual, will enable SUI
perindendant Grifith of the peniten-
tiary to make record-breaking fin-
ancial report to the legislature this
year.
The report has not yet been draft
ed. but 1t will show a surplus and
net profit for the years business of
$4,000, which the superintendent
has on hand to turn into the State
treasury. 1t 1t likely that about
third OF the amount will be used to
put up modern brick stockade for
the DeSaussure and Reid farms.
which adjoin each other and which
tosether are located partly in sum-
ter and partly In Kershaw county.
a Since superinte Grit1th / as
sus1s 4 :: sA \ sil q rf1fS
penitentiary plant has beer buiIts
These improvements include q. b,p
granite building for the interior ar.
rangement Of modern cells, q cost,
guards quarters. the finest tubercu-
losis hospital in the South and yari-
Gus improvements around the ground
and on the three farms operated by
the penitentiary management. The
Lexington farm has a fine brick
stockade and boiler plant worth
about $4,000.
Superintendent Griffith this year
produced over 800 bales of cotton
and will get an, average of over SEQ
a bale for 1t. His other money crops
were $4,000 bushels of corn and 20.-
600 bushels of oats. The price Of
oats this year has been about the
same az last year, but corn was
much more valuable than It was last
year
IT Is understood that the position
OF Superintendent Griffith and the
board Of directors with respect to
the legislature istthat the manage
nent will be grateful to the law
making body for the privilege of be-
Ing allowed to continue this good
work without any change in the law
as 1t. new stands Superintendent
Grimths' report will probably Law all
the facts before the legislature.
There has been some talk and
there were some good resolutions
proposed at recent good roads
gathering to the effect that the legis.
iature should be induced to provide
for road building by the penitentiary
convicts. The management does not
look with favor on this
proposition. as it looks upon this as
dangerous departure from the pre.
sent method of handling conyicts.
and would, as 1t Is argued, lead to all
the abuses Of the lease system, Con-
'-~~~ "SNAN co POOEIy leu ana cared
for In many cases. It is said. Though
Superintendent Griffith is firm and
fine disciplinarian. those who have
watched his administration have been
Impressed with the fact that his sue
cess has been due no little to the
fact that he uses kindness and con.
sideration. whenever it can be used
TO advantage It is said there are at
least ss6 convicts who could not
safely be allowed to work out in this
way. Many Of these are dangerous
men, and not few of them have TO
be kept in chains even on the grounds
and watched with great care. Many
OF these are not now even worked on
the farms. Theer are many obtec.
tions. II is claimed. to the present
law allowing the leasing of convicts
to the county authorities at the rate
Of 81 month for each convict. Less
than zoo are let out in this way