The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1913-01-15
ABOLISH HOSIERY MILL;
THEN PEN SAYS WYCHE

Spartanburg Representative VIII In
troduee Bill with this End in View.
One Convict Committed Suicide
Rather than be Beaten, He Asserts.
Advocates Road Work for all Prison
ers.
Spartanburg. Jan. 11.-Cecil c..
Wyche, member of the house delega-
ton from Spartanburg county, who
with other members of the delegation
will leave on Monday for Columbia,
where they will be present at the con-
vening Of the state legislature on
Tuesday morning, stated today to
reporter for The Journal that he most
assuredly would introduce bill,
which will If passed, abolish the hos
iery mill in the state penitentiary.
Mr.. Wyche. as it is generally known
is supporter Of the gubernatorial
chairs occupant. Gov. Blease has
preached the doctrine of health, as ap-
piled to the hosiery mill, ever since
he was first inauguratea and he has
made many sensational appeals to the
voters of the state about the condi-
ions existing at this mill.
The Spartanburg representative be-
ieves the chief executive is correct in
his views of the hosiery mill. He
nj haf &,
little for the state to derive from leas-
ing its convicts. He points out that
Will Mills, the Spartanburg man con-
victed of the murder of Frank Deal,
Of Blacksburg and sentenced to life
imprisonment and subsequently parol-
ed by the governor was an expert mill
man. and demanded a salary of about
SO day before he was sentenced. The
state only received 81 1-2 cents day
for Mills services from the men who
lease the labor Mills was supintend-
ent in the hosiery mill
Mr.. Wyche thinks that the aboli-
tion of the hosiery mill will ultimate
ly result in the abolition of the state
penitentiary and that sooner or later
all ccnvicts will be worked on the
public roads of the various counties
in which they are convicted. This
morning Mr.. Wyche said:
Mr.. Wyche's Statement.
81 will certainly introduce bill to
abolish the hosiery mill, which is now
located at the state penitentiary and
If the legislature passes this bill, the
next step will be TO abolish the peni-
tentiary and put all convicts upon the
roads of the counties in which they
the legislature mainly the issue and
the legislature mainly on the issue and
advocated this bill on every stump in
the county.
IL have the data to show that this
hosiery mill is one of the most ini-
quitious institutions in the south.
have affidavits from responsible peo-
pie telling all about the horrible and
unsanitary conditions that exist in the
mill.
The state of South Carolina hires
her copvicts at a rate of 571- cents a
day to man from the north to keep
up this disease breeding institution.
The state feeds these convicts, gives
them a cell 10 sleep in and provides
stripes and chains for them.
Convict Labor Not Good.
These yankees state that convict
labor is not worth as much as free
labor to them and for that reas on
they think they ought to get them for
practically nothing. This Is untrue,
for the reason that these convicts
are given certain tasks to perform and
If these tasks are not performed each
day. the convicts are sent to what is
called the leather room and brutally
and severely beaten. In a number of
cases the skin is broken and blood is
drawn from the naked bodies of both
men and women. and. in order to pre-
vent poisoning. stinging salt is put
into the wounds.
One Commits Suicide,
"One convict, who, on account of
sickness, failed to perform his task.
was ordered to report to the leather
room and receive his punishment
Instead OF going through this horri-