Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1919-06-18
Report on Edgeheld County
Jail.

Mr.. Tillman Bussey, jailer. Visited
May 16, 1919 by Assistant Secretary
Broyles. No prisoners, but ten or
twelve convicts sleeping in the jail
at night while they unloaded next
winters supply of coal for the coun-
ty officers.
Since our 1913 visit to this Jail the
Supervisor has had an electric light
installed in the front yard, which mas
made entrance to the premises during
the night much safer for the sheriff
or deputy than previously. However,
another good light is needed at the
rear corner, to throw light both On
the rear steps and along the end OF
the building around which prisoners
have to be taken. This additional
light would give a completely hghted
passage from the street to the PACK
door of the prison. We recommend
that this light be hung at once, and
furthur that the jail itself be wired,
this being the most pressing need at
present in the building. A large globe
should be installed near the ceiling in
the hall on the second floor, and the
switch controlling it put on the wall
at the foot of the stairs. Additional
lights should be put into each room
upstairs to enable the prisoners to
read after dark, and to make the
rooms light enough for the jailer to
enter with safety to himself. The
down stairs section of the. building
used as tn. residence, should also be
wired. The entire building needs
screening, and some type of beds
should be provided. Pallets are now
used, but pallets are the most eX-
pensive form of beds for jail, be-
cause of the rapid wear on the mat
tresses and blankets when laid on the
floor and walked over constantly.
Iron cots should be bought for each
room, and either straw ticks or cot
ton pads with slip canvas covers pro-
vided as mattresses. Snice the jail
has no flush toilets, good buckets with
tight fitting covers should be provld-
ed for each room in the prison sec
ton of the plant. The walls should
be completely whitewashed yearly,
the iron bars at the windows being
painted at the same time, to prevent
rust eating them away.
In the above paragraph we have
made number of recommendations
for Improvements which are urgent
ly needed. This is one of the poorest
plants in the State, and it would take
much money to make it modern,
decent place for the detention of hu-
man beings, but the recommendations
made fcarried out, would go long
way toward bettering conditions.
We recommend that the jailer have
the floors mopped up as we'll as pos
sible every week when the prisoners
are present; that all bedding in use
be washed monthly; and that each
new prisoner be given clean blankets
upon which to sleep; that special
pains be taken to separate juvenile
prisoners-those under eighteen
from adults. as is required by State
law; that every newly committed per
son be made to take complete all
over bath Immediately when commit
ted, and that he be disenfected
thoroughly i found to have vermin
on him; and tinally, that the prison
ers be given three meals daily by the
sheriff, the supper being something
light, such as bread and syrup, to
take the keen edge off the hunger
which is bound to develop between
dinner and the following morning
The score of the institution IS
slightly higher this year than it was
when last scored, due principally to
the plant being in general, cleaner
than it was before. We recognise the
difficulty of keeping this plant clean
and sanitary, but it can be done, as
a visit to the Bamberg Jail, built on
exactly the same plan, will prove
conclusively. 1t may be of interest to
state that the Bamberg jail is model
for the entire State in Jailer's Man
agement-and the jailer is woman,
which is unique in South Carolina.
STATE BOARD OF CHARITIES
AND CORRECTIONS.
G. CROFT WILLIAMS,
Secretary.