The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1913-09-02
BLEASE WRITES PRISON BOARD.
Has Power to Remove Them if They
Lease COnyicts-GOVernOr OPP
poses Leasing Prisoners for
@Any Purpose Whatsoever"

/
Columbia, August 30.-A strong
land significant warning to the pen
itentiary board not to make any con-
tract leasing the convicts now en-
ployed in the hosiery mill to any par
ty or corporation agreeing to estab-
lish a leather or woodworking plant
within the penitentiary walls was
given to tae members OF the board OF
directors of the State penitentiary to-
day in letter from Governor Blease.
He told them ne would not stand for
the convicts to be leased to anybody
for any kind of work, and emphasiz-
ed the strength of his opposition by
referring them to that provision of
the State constitution giving the gov
ernor the right to remove the board
of directors and superintendent of the
penitentiary from office until the next
session of the general assembly. "a
word to the WISE the governor
significantly says, should be suffi-
Gent
The penitentiary board decided the
other day to call for bids for leasing
the convicts at their next meeting on
September TO- The hosiery mill con-
tract expires November 1, and some
disposition must be made of the 200
odd convicts now employed therein.
/ The following is copy of the gov
ernor's letter
The Governors Letter.
"Messrs. A. K. Sanders, John G.
Mobley, W. H. Glenn, J. D. Deas and
Jasper M. Smith, members OF the
Board of Directors of the State Penl-
tentiary-Gentlemen: did not at
tend the meeting of your board on
Wednesday, at the penitentiary' but
through your chairman and your Mr..
Mobley I invited you to call at the
executive office. If you had called
there would have given you my rea-
sons for not attending your board
meeting at the penitentiary building
which reasons 1 am sure any of you
would lave said were absolutely SUI
6cient, and you would have endorsed
me in net going. However, | DO not
care to make a personal matter pup
1io through the telephone system,
which IN recent years has come to De
= publicity bureau instead of source
cf private communication. l aave
received no official communication as
TO YOUR action, but I am basing TINS
letter to you upon the reports OF
vour meeting as contained in the
s3apers.
81 want to implore you, to beg you
and to advise you not to make any
contract leasing ore or any numoer
o. the convict, under your control 10
any Individual, private firm or corpo-
ration, for any purpose whatsoever
whether it be to engage in Wook
work leather work, brick work. SILK
work, or any other kind of work.
The people of South Carolina nave
been appealed to in no uncertain
,erms in reference to this system OF
leasing convicts, and after most
hitter End stubborl: fight large ma
iority o. the white people of this
State have reelected governor who
fought this system, and they elected
legislature which abolished this
system. Joining with the people, the
legislature Iisapar:ved Of this class
of work by abolishing your present
hosiery mill system, which means
that they disapproyed Of the leasing
system, a1.d if yIu now make con-
tract leasing one or any number OF
these convicts to any individual, prl-
vate firm or corporation, for any
purpose, you will do so directly con-
rrary to the expressed will of the
white people of South Carolina and
of your legislature.
No Difference, He says.
"Why, gentlemen, what is the dlf-
ference? If you are going to march
these poor, unfortunate human be-
ings out of their cells in the early
morning, and right on into another
building, there to be confined all day.
and deprived of fresh air, and de-
prived of sunshine, what makes the
difference whether they are working