Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-06-29
improvements in Sanitation,
Diet, Housing and Water
Supply Recommended by
Investigating Board

+; investigating Board
| Recommendations that would vir-
| tually revolutionize the operation Of
! the state prison farm at Milledge-
vile were contained in the report
| of the five superior court judges
who recently investigated conditions
J at the farm, which was submitted
| to Governor HardWick Tuesday aft
| ernoon.
The investigating judges were:
| w. E. H. Searcy, Griffin; Henry c.
| Hammond, Augusta; Henry A.
! Mathews, Fort Valley; Moses
Wright, Rome, and R. c. Bell, AL
bany.
The report recommended that the
| lash be abolished as a form Of pun
! iShment, adding that this is an in
human way of disciplining prisoners.
Two of the judges dissent on this
question.
! Radical changes and many i'm
provements in sanitation, diet, hous-
F.! ing and water supply at the prison
farm also were urged. The food was
| described as inadequate in quantity
and unfit in quality, particularly the
food served to sick prisoners.
| Water Plant Condemned
The water plant at the farm was
| condemned and the installation Of
new and modern plant was strongly
| recommended. The present water is
! exposed to contamination and the
/ supply lis hopelessly inadequate, &C
cording to the report.
I
! buildings in which prisoners are
t'housed and in which meals are pre-
| pared be screened; that the bedding
in the living wards be supplied in
| larger quantities during the winter
months, and that it be changed more
frequently; and that an adequate
supply of drugs and medicine be
| kept at the prison in charge Of a
full-time physician, with an assist
ant, if found necessary.
A complete new building to sup
plant the present tuberculosis ward
was recommended, and sweeping
changes in the operation Of the farm
property were suggested. Intensive
cultivation of the best land on the
farm, and production of diversified
food crops, was recommended.
[ leAG VI INcpOFG
The text of the report follows:
'IIon. Thomas w. Hardwick,
! Governor of Georgia,
Atlanta, Ga.
| Dear Governor Hardwick: The
undersigned superior court judges,
appointed by your eXcellency to ex-
anime the state prison farm located
at Mllledgeville, and to inquire into
the treatment accorded prisoners
therein confined, and to report the
results of such investigation and in
quiry to you, beg leave to submit
the following:
| "Your eXcellency was gracious
enough to submit these matters to
us broadly without any restrictions
on the extent of the investigation to
be made of this property and inquiry
into the condition and treatment OF
prisoners, or the methods to be en-
ployed by us, and for this evidence
of confidence we beg to thank you.
1.-THE commission organized by the
election of Judge Searcy as it's chair.
man, and Mr.. Emmett Barnes, of.
ficial reporter of the Macon circuit,
as its secretary, and then adjourned
to meet at Milledgeville on Monday,
June -, inst, to begin it's labors.
On this date the commission met, as
agreed, all commissioners and the
/ secretary being present, and remain
ed in session for three days hearing
evidence and inspecting the property
and confering with prisoners and OF,
fIc;als.
Evidence Fully Reported
"All of the evidence, which was
delivered under oath, was stenog
raphically reported by the secretary
and his transcript thereof is here
with filed for your information and
such use as you may care to make
of it, together with certain written
(but unsworn) statements by prison
ecs attached to the transcript of evi
dence as exhibits. We call to your
especial attention the fact that GER
tain of these witnesses are prisoners
still confined in this prison under
sentences not yet discharged, or per
! formed, and that these witnesses
Justified under assurances giver
them by this commission, by your
direction and authority, that they
would never suffer any punishment
or penalty because of the evidence
given by them. In addition to tbs
evidence given and herewith filed
each of the commissioners (while Al
the PRISON. interviewed many pris
oners whose testimony was not for
ma3ly taken and entered in the rec
ord.
1.-THE findings and recommends
tons of the commissioners, as herein
after set forth, are based upon tht
inspection of the property, the evi
dence formally taken, and the infor
nation derived from interviews WITH
prisoners.
TubercuIar Hospital
'The location of this building is ar
. ideal one and could not be improved
:, the building itself is anything bu
! ideal 1t was a cheap structure
; originally, and has been in use {
number of years. It is now in a ba(
state of repair. The warden here is
| apparently a kind and sympathetic
man and is doing the best he can
The inmates speak well of him. We
deplore that these afflicted inmates
| even though criminals, are not bet
; ter provided for than they now are
If it cannot be arranged to provide {
new, modern and well-equippet
building for these unfortunates ant
afflicted wards of the state, at leas
e sufficient funds should be used tt
+. thoroughly screen the buildings nov