Raleigh, Jan. 9—Record-breaking cotton crop and biggest population in state prison history marked the annual report of the state prison board today in a sitting filled with routine but interest nevertheless.
The state is feeding 1,415 prisoners as of January 1, 1926. Of these are 202 able-bodied men who are available for any hard work. The cotton crop is 2,500 bales. The cash deficit is approximately $240,000 for the year. But the cotton has not been marketed and when it is sold it would seem that 2,500 bales will easily wipe out the debt for the year.
The board was expected to do something in the case of Basil Hedgecock, High Point Banker who mixed up his last week with booze and was flung from high grade A to low grade C.
Unless the directors intervene, the financier of the Caledonia farm is good for another two years or so. Hedgecock, who is a fine accountant, most too fine for his own good, has been a very useful man at the Halifax farm, but he has been returned to Raleigh, and he is now a disfranchised citizen of the central institution. Aforetime he was a sort of out of doors ambassador, going ack and forth, mostly forth. Pardon Commissioner Sink won’t help hm to regain his lost paradise.
James A. Leak of Wadesboro, as chairman of the board of directors of the state’s prison, issued the following statement:
“The board of directors of the state’s prison held its regular monthly meeting at the prison at Raleigh.
“Besides routine matters, the board received a report on the population of the prison for the calendar year 1925. It showed an increase of 189 convicts for the year, the prison having a total population on January 1, 1926, of 1,415 prisoners. During the year 59 convicts made escapes from the various points of confinement. Of these 46 were recaptured. There were eight deaths from natural causes, which the board considers a fine record. Three prisoners were killed attempting to escape. In each instance the board made a personal investigation and the coroner’s jury exonerated the guards. One prisoner died of exposure after escape.
“The farm committees reported a yield of more than 2,500 bales of cotton, which is a record production for the prison, so far as available records disclose.
“The board took up for final consideration their placing of the prison cotton from the 1925 crop and the 1926 crop in the Cotton Growers Association. The decision of the board was that they would not join the association.
“The board advised of an average monthly cash deficiency for the year of approximately $20,000. However, the cotton has not yet been marketed.
“The board further advises the public in general that there are now 202 able-bodied convicts available for construction of highways or other public construction work, for which the superintendent and the board are unable to obtain work. This large number of idle prisoners, together with the large number who are physically unfit, constitute and enormous drain on the treasury of the prison.”
Bids were awarded for materials and supplies to be used in the new convict dormitory at Caledonia farm. The following were low bidders and will be awarded contracts if approved by the budget bureau:
Plumbing—Weldon Sheet Metal Works.
Jail work—Pauly Jail company.
Cement—E.T. Bulard.
Lime—E. Dillon Sons.
Miscellaneous iron—Dewey Bros.
Roofing—Waters brothers.
Brick—Nash Brick Company.
All members of the board were present and expressed satisfaction with the prison affairs in general.
From the front page of The Zebulon Record, Friday, Jan. 15, 1926
newspapers.digitalnc.org/lccn/sn92073191/1926-01-15/ed-1/seq-1/
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