The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1910-01-06
MAKING MONEY FROM CRIME
THE STATE PENITENTIARY IN
MOST EXCELLENT SHAPE.
Superintendent Griffith Will Show a
Profit Of Eighty Thousand
Dollars for the Year.


Dollars for the Year.
The Columbia Record says 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 Su-
perintendent Griffith of the peniten-
tiary to make a record-breaking f.
nancial report to the legislature this
year.
The report has not yet been draft
ed, but it 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. It is likely that about
third of the amount will be used
to put up a modern brick stockade
for the DeSaussure and Reid farms,
which adjoin each other and which
together are located partly in Sumter
and partly in Kershaw counties.
Since Superintendent Griffith as
sumed Office, practically the entire
penitentiary plant has been built.
These improvements include a big
granite building for the interior ar
rangement Of modern cells, costly
guards quarters, the finest tubercu-
losis hospital in the South and va
rious improvements around the
grounds and on the three farms op-
Grated by the penitentiary manage
ment. The Lexington farm has
fine brick stockade and boiler plant
worth about S17,500.
Superintendent Griffith this year
produced over 900 bales of cotton
and will get an average Of over $50
bale for it. His other money
crops were $4,000 bushels Of corn
and 10000 bushels of oats. The
price of oats this year has been
about the same as last year, but
corn was much more valuable than
it was last year.
It is understood that the position
Of Superiatedent Griffith. and the
board of directors with respect to
the legislature is that the manage
ment will be grateful to the law
making body for the privilege Of
being allowed to continue the good
work without any change in the law
as it now stands Superintendent
Grif1th's report will probably carry
no recommendations, but will mere
ly lay all the facts before the legis-
laturc.
There has Deen some talk and
there were some resolutions propos-
ed at a recent good roads gathering
to the effect that the legislature
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 present method
of handling convicts, and would, 1t
is argued, lead to all the abuses Of
the lease system. Convicts would
be poorly fed and cared for in many
cases, it is said. Though Superin-
tendent Griffith is firm and a fine
disciplinarian, those who have
watched his administration have
been impressed with the fact that
his success has been due no little
to the fact that he uses kindness
and consideration whenever 1t can
be used to advantage. It is said
there are at least 3S5 convicts who
could not safely be allowed to work
out in this way. Many Of these are
dangerous men, and not a 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 on the farms. There are
many objections; it is claimed, to
the present law allowing the leas-
ing of certain convicts to the coun-
ty authorities at the rate of 81 a
month for each convict. Less than
200 are let out in this way.