The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1921-01-06
WILLIAMS FINDS
FAULTS AT PRISON
PLACE FOR WOMEN GREATEST
NEED. COMMENTS ON HU-
NAME TREATMENT

system of administration at the state
penitentiary." according to G. Croft
Williams, secretary of the state board
of public welfare. Since the super
intendent and the board of directors
of the penitentiary are both elected
by the general assembly, they both
may be assumed to have equal au.
thority, which situation tends to
cause confusion and discord. Mr..
Williams says that "if the board of
directors were appointed by the gov
ernor with the approval of the SEN
ate and the superintendents chosen
by the board to serve ct its pleasure,
responsibility would be localized and
the destiny of the institution placed
in the hands of men selected more
because of their administrative abil-
ity than because Of their personal in
fluence."
Mr.. Williams, in his report, Com
ments favorably, however, on tic hu-
name treatment of prisoners, which
he says, has marked the pre-ent ID
ministration.
The greatest single need Of the
penitentiary, Mr.. Williams says, is
more suitable quarters for the
women prisoners. At the present time
three white and SO negro wcnen are
confined in "a veritable fire trap"
located just above & supply room
where many combustible articles are
stored. These women are supervised
only by men and are subject to their
orders and punishment An effort
has been made to secure competent
matron but none can be found who
is willing to endure the present liv-
ing conditions. Mr.. Williams says
the presence of women in the alb
normal life of a prison for men al
ways causes evil or ATTEMPTED evil
and he urgently recommends that a
new prison Tor women to be built out
side the penitentiary walls.
Physical examinations are no long
er made of the new prisoners and
vaccination against smallpox and ty-
phoid fever have been discontinued,
Mr.. Williams says. Neither the Grit
fifth Memorial tuberculosis hospital
nor the general hospital is in good
condition and no hospital facilities
whatever are provided for the women
he says. Persons with infectious dis
eases are separated and treated,
however, and the penitentiary ply
sician calls every day to visit the
inmates of the hospital and the pris-
oners on "sick call"
The beds of the inmates are sup
piled with a mattress, blankets,
sheets, a pillow and a pillow cover.
Mr.. Williams says That in general the
bedding is in fair condition bu. that
it is not always kept free from YER
min. The plumbing in the dormi
tories is in poor repair and the bat
ing facilities are somewhat anti
quatcd, he says.
The recreation equipment consists
of a baseball fl Id, small amount Of
gymnastic apparatus, several phono-
graphs, checker boards, piano and
the prison liabrary. Current maya
zines are furnished by benevolent
and religious organizations, and. es-
pccially by the students of Chicora
college. The use of even these few
things is necessarily denied the wom-
en-, according to Mr.. Williams. The
authorities allow a period in the mid
die of each day during the summer
for recreation, but the lack Of appa-
ratus retrictn the number who can
participate.
encamfansweroaioo-yz btmhsthtmtm
The daily schedule Of the prison
ers calls for practically nine hours
work day, with ~ hours in the
summer and almost Ia hours in win
ter to remain in a cell.
Mr.. Williams says the food sup
plies is of good quality and is pre-
pared fairly well. Fresh meat is
given on Sundays and bacon on the
other days. Wheat bread is fur
nished four times a week and corn
bread at every other meal. Syrup is
on the table at all times, and fresh
vegetables are supplied frequent
from the prison gardens. Butter, eggs
and milk are never served except to
the sick and fruit is rare treat. ac-
cording to the report.
No educational advantages are pro-
vided except that provided by the
South Carolina illiteracy commission.
and Mr.. Williams recommends that
the prisoners be taught to read,