The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-05-06
BIG FARM HAS PLACE
FOR PAR0LED CONVICTS
Frank Lindsay, Owner of Huge Plan
tntiUn, Has Practical Plan
OF philnnthropy.
GOVERNOR GREATLY INTERESTED
Would Enable Reformed Men to Work
Out Their Time While Earning
Money for Support of Families.

Frank Lindsay, OF Portsmouth, mem
Der OF the State Board of Agriculture,
and owner OF one OF the largest and
most productive farms In the United
States. called upon Governor Stuart
, yesterday to present to him Il PROPOSE
| ton for the employment on his plan
tation of parolcd convicts Under the
terms outlined by Mr.. Lindsay State
prisoners who cvince an honest desire
| to begin life anew and work out their
own salvation. will be put to work on
equal terms with the other laborcrs on
his farm, given q square chance to re-
form, and to let their families profit
| by their toll.
Governor stuart, much interested in
! the proposal. directed Mr.. Lindsay to
lay his proposal before DIR. ]. T. Mastin,
Superintendent of tho State Board of
Charities and Corrections and also 10
| call Major james b. Wood. Superinten-
dent OF the State Penitentiary, into
conference.
The plan proposed by Mr.. Lindsay is
directly in line with the efforts being
made by the State Board OF Charities
and Corrections to work out a system
or penology. whereby offenders against
the State can be corrected and at the
same time have their families profit by
their labor.
WILL REQUIRE STATE LAW
10 EFFECT ENTIRE PLAN
1t was intimatcd by the Governor
that change in tho State penal laws
VIII be necessary before such a scheme
as that brought forward b., Mr. Lind
say can be worked out In it's entire
~. Under tho present parole system,
the Governor and the State peniten-
tiary Board work together I'm the pa
role of short term prisoners who have
good prison records and show car
nest desire TO begin lifo again on the
right lines. Prisoners arc paroled In
the custody of responsible persons.
who can offer them steady employ
Inent and give assurance OF proper ell
vironment
While protesting his interest In the
proposal. the Governor intimated that
any employment of parolcd convicts
by Mr.. Lindsay would have to be &C
cotnpitshed through the ordinary chan
ncis. MIR. Lindsay, who became inter
estcd In the cause of reformed crimi-
nails by the employment OF paroled
negro convict on his estate, is kecnly
interested In his practical philanthropy,
and believes that the fallen man would
find his redemption easier earned on
the farm than under any other circum-
stances.
Mr.. Lindsays immense plantation,
twelve miles out of Portsmouth, COM
prtscs about $500 acres of rich land.
redeemed from the Dismal Swamp by
land runs the ancient drainage canal
surveyed by George Washington. His
farming Is done. according to All ac-
count In recent national magazine,
on an astounding scale.
He harvests $1,000 barrels OF pota-
ties annually, cultivates 200 acres
of corn. which produces eixty bushels
TO the acre. plants 100 acres of straw
berries and preserves them In his own
cannery. and grows fine alfalfa, many
acres OF cotton and all the grasses
known 10 this section OF America.
| MODEL SYSTEM IN OPERATION
ON IMMENSE PLANTATION
The hundreds of men employed on
his plantation are housed and fed
along lines adopted by the army.
Everything is done to make farm life
attractive to them and to interest them
In their work. The place now boasts
It's own railroad. feet OF barges, a
large canal, sawmilis. cotton gins. can
ncries. mattress factories and a dozen
other industries. all operated under
the scientific management of Mr.. Lind
say.
Mr.. Lindsay makes It plain In his
talks on the subject Of paroled con-
victS that he Is not seeking method
OF securing farm labor at cheaper
prices or meditatinE Il revolution OF
labor conditions in the trucking dis
tricts. Ills is a strictly business promo
SitioH' tihcitrcu WIN II llEe vein or
human sympathy. which looks to tho
mutual interest OF the fallen convict
and the Cumberland Farm.
81 want those men in the penitcn-
tlary who show a desire to reform to
come to my place ordinary human
beings" said he to reporter for The
Times Dispatch. "They are TO receive
the Same wages as other laborers, to
have the Same treatment, the same
liberty and the same sense OF free
dom and square deal. believe that
without the prison stripes. with the
knowledge that their families are reap
ing the fruits OF their honest labor,
the vast majority OF these men will
find new interest In life"