Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1922-06-27
Board Of Five Judges Files
Report Of Findings With
Governor


at the state prison farm at Milledge-
vile are severely condemned, and
Recommendation made for their i'm
provement, in the report of the board
of five Superior court judges in their
! finding on their recent investigation
filed today with Governor Hardwick.
The officials in charge of the pris-
on farm are let down lighter than
there was reason to expect, but they
are not whitewashed. The burden of
responsibility for bad conditions is
laid more to the lack of funds, and in
that respect the legislature is held
responsible. That the men are not
properly treated, as human beings
should be when they are sent by the
courts into penal service, is an estab-
lished fact. Among other things the
commission submits:
Recommendation by a vote of
three to two that the system of flog-
ging prisoners be abolished.
! Declaration that the farm is con-
Quoted in an inefficient manner and
that change to intense cultivation
and proper business administration
will make it self-supporting.
The assertion that the water supply
is a menace to the lives of all pris-
oners and recommendation that a
modern water plant be Immediately
installed.
Approval of immediate screening
of practically all of the buildings of
the prison plant in order to protect
the health of inmates from disease
carrying insects.
| Urgent recommendation that ar
adequate supply of bedding be pro.
vided in order that the present con.
dition of filth and the presence OF
vermin may be rectified.
Feeding Scored.
A sweeping denunciation of thu
system of feeding prisoners relating
both to the quality ana quantity Of
| food served which is declared to bt
very poor and lacking variety.
Failure to attribute these condi
tons to malfeaseance or neglect O.
any official but a general assertion
that lack of funds are mainly re
| sponsible. ..,.,.,.............. ...-.-.
Commenting on the tubercular hos
pital, the report states that Wilde thu
location of the building is an idea
tone,5 the Structure is anything BIZ
IDEAL 1T is a cheap type and ha,
been in use for. many wars. Muct
of the plastering having fallen, The
| root. leaking and the entire building
being IN bad state Of repair.
The warden is apparently a kint
and sympathetic man, The repor
| states, and is doing the best he can
The investigators, however, declare
that it is a shame that the afflicted
inmates, even though criminals, ar,
not better provided for than they art
now. The judges recommend that the
legislature provide funds for thC
erection of a new and we'll equipped
building, but if this is impossible,
that sufficient funds at least be pro
yided to thoroughly screen the pres
ent building, to install drop curtains
over the openings for ventilation sc
as to keep out rain and wind, to pro.
vide heating plant and an abund
lance of bed clothes and warm cloth.
ing and the furnishing of that char.
acter Of diet which science prescribes
for sufferers from the ravages of tu-
berculosis.
Blot on State.
IF our state fails to do these need
ed and indispensable things" the re.
port asserts, Openly, it must stand
condemned as cruel and inhuman to-
wards these unfortunate and scourg.
ed wards. There was before US evi-
dence that the beds and beddings in
this building have in the past been
very unsanitary, but this condition
appears recently to have been large.
ly corrected"
In the male and female buildings
the judges discovered that there is
crying need for adequate screens,
particularly in the infirmaries, where
they found that patients were sub
Jected to many discomforts and IN
healthy conditions. Both buildings
are reported to be in fair condition
of sanitation and equipment available
but the report will declare that there
is still room for great and much nee /.
Ell Improvement.
In the sleeping quarters insuffi-
Gent bedding is not supplied or not
used, the report will show, as the
sheets and blankets were found to b.
IN filthy condition. Considerable com.
PLANT was made about the presence
OF 'ermin and severa! members of tho
commission found vermin present, il
is stated. To cure this more frequent
changing of bed clothes and careful
| n