The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1919-07-25

drinking water from an artesian well
The health Of the prisoners IS very
good.
The kitchen has five thirty. five gai-
lon steamers and one large eigbt-hole
iron range.
Wood is used for fuel, and during
the past six months Superir. endert
Sim Bitch cut with prisoners some
Of the dead wood on the grounds of
this great farm that sold for twenty
five thousand dollars.
All supplies are bought monthly by
the Board of State Institutions upor
iequisition of the farm superintend
ent.
A list of supplies wanted is submit
Ted to competitive bidders throughout
the state.
A commissary is kept at ire farm
and everything is checked in and on.
of the house.
Superintendent Sim Bitch will 60
down in Florida's history as one OF
the, if not the greatest human tartan
that has ever lived in the state.
He was appointed to this respons!
bic position about one year ago, and
Immediately after assuming charge,
adopted an honor system.
He is an organizer-and all execu.
tive Of ability.
Previous to his appointment there
were fifty-one men on the cav rol.
OF this institution, consisting prin.
cipally of guards.
At this time there are ten men on
the pay roll.
During the past year, there have
been only two escapes. which is the
lowest annual record of escapes III
the history of the Florida peEitenti--
ary.
The oldest state prisoner is named
Joe Peacock. He is negro and has
been confined in the Florida peniter
tsary for twenty-seven years He
is a "trusty" and feeds the animals
their MONDAY meal in one of the
field barns located about two miles
from the main stable. He does not
want pardon. preferring 10 end his
days at the State Prison Farm. He is
about sixty years old. He does moi
know his age, and there is no positive
record Of same.
Various governors of Florida have
rendered him a pardon, which be has
declined.
Some folks may have curiosity how
know SO much about Florida's Pris.
on Farm.
i, have been there.
|, On July Fourth, was at Starke,
Florida, celebrating Independence
Day, and while there met Sim Blitcl,
superintendent of this great farm
who invited me to be his guest and
see and inspect this institution.
I accepted and am glad that 90
rortunity was extended.
There are approximately fifty ne
gro female convicts and Ave white
] females.
The white females are used to sew
end make clothes for inmates
The negro females are used prir
cipally as hoe hands, it being we'll,
known fact and verified by any plan
ter that negro women are the best
hoe hands that can be found
One negro woman was sent abo.. I
one year ago from Washington coun
ty to serve sentence of seven years
About three months after her incar
ceration baby was born to har.
Superintendent Bitch asked the
Board of State Institutions as to dis
position of this baby.
The matter was fully considered by
: all members of the board, and they
! finally instructed Supefint ender.
I Bitch to let 1t stay in Florilo's per
! itentiary with its mother.
All Of the colored female inmates
simply love this baby to death.
4 1t never lacks for attention.
Governor Cats was visitor at the
same time that I was, and while we
were going through the various dor.
mitories We reached the dormitory
occupied by colored femal4e This
mother asked he governor and nv