The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1922-12-16

Il
ithe circumstances. have made
ttthe best could out of a bad sit
fuation, and there is no other way
out Of it, but for the legislature to
make provisions for. a new build
| ing, which I heartily recommend.
The, present quarters are crowded
to. the limit, there now being in
confinement siXty-fve women pris-
oners more than was ever known
before.
( Now, as to the living conditions,
I can say truthfully and honestly
that I don't believe at any time in
/ the history Of the penitentiary
have the prisoners been fed better
food and more of it than they
have since I have been in charge.
Whether the food is well "balanc-
ed" or not I am unable to say, but
LIDO. know that most of. the pris-
oners improve on it and leave in
much better physical condition
than when they come. It is true
THAT more corn bread is fed than
wheat, although wheat bread is
served every day.
I remember the time when it was
only served once a week Coffee is
tserved for breakfast every morn
ing. something they did not get
until my administration. All of
our corn is shipped from the state
farm. It is ground into meal two
or three times a week and is there
fore, fresh. I believe I can say
without contradition that the corn
bread served is as good as it can
be. Often have I seen visitors go-
ing through the kitchen taste a
piece and pronounce it good. I
rarely ever go in the kitchen my.
self without taking a piece and it
eats good to me. Vegetables Of
some kind are served for dinner
every day. We. try not to serve
the same vegetable two days in
succession. Whenever our garden
does not furnish sufficient va
|riety, I go to the market and get
|such as needed. No man shall ever
|go hungry while / am in charge.
The food as now served is in my
opinion good and wholesome, but
lie a greater and better variety is
demanded, let the legislature put
up the money and I will serve it.
| The Board also reports that the
hours Of confinement should be
modified" and that the: prisoners
are locked up twenty minutes af-
ter supper" Do they know that
the count of the prisoners is taken
only at night and that it is neces-
|sary to have them all locked
in their cells before darkness
comes on? It; is not an. uncom-
mon occurrence for prisoner to
hide out in the yard, and if he was
not found before night, it would
be. more difficult to find him. IF
this rule was not carried out, and
the prisoners allowed to remain on
the; yard until just before dark,
and more escapes. In regard to
the physical exercise, will say that
the prisoners have forty minutes
between the dinner hour and going
back to work, and also twenty
minutes after supper to exercise
and if they do not care to use it, it
is their own fault.
Work ceases on Saturday at 12
o'clock and they have all of that
afternoon to exercise. The relig-
ious services on Sundays generally
last about one hour and after the
services they have the freedom of
the yard. Baseball is allowed dur
ing the season, but at the begin
ming the teams did not agree with
each other and not much playing
was done. However, the grounds
were there and they could have
played had they wanted to.
The report further says that "no
exercise is given to occupants of
the death house," this brings up a
very serious proposition. If I re-
member correctly whenever man
is given the death sentence the in
junction from the judge is that he
be kept in safe and secure con-
finement." Suppose for the sake
Of argument that man who has
been sentenced to death should be
taken out of his cell for exercise
and while doing so should get an
opportunity to attack the guard,
take his pistol and perhps kill him
or cause the guard to kill him.
What would be said about me for
taking him out for that purpose? I?
1t is a serious proposition to han
die and while I feel very sorry
for the poor unfortunates and
would do anything l could for
them in the bounds of reason, yet
under all the circumstances I
have never felt that I would be
justified in taking the chance. It
is a serious thing for a man to be
sentenced to death and I imagine
that most any man would take a
desperate chance to get away in
order to escape his impending
doom.
However Governor Harvey re-
quested not long ago that arrange
ments be made to give the men in
the death house some exercise
which is now being done. and while
every precaution is being taken for
the safety Of the men, still 1 feel
that if anything should happen that
the responsibility would rest on the