Duke University Libraries 
 
 Report of the S 
 Conf Pam 12mo #252 
 
 DTTD7TEflTA 
 
REPORT 
 
 OF THE 
 
 SPECIAL COMMITTEE 
 
 ON THE 
 
 Louisiana Itnitnt-tiarj, 
 
 APPOINTED TO 
 
 EXAMINE THE BOOKS, ACCOUNTS AND VOUCHERS, AND ALL 
 MATTERS CONNECTED THEREWITH, 
 
 TO THE 
 
 LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA, 
 
 BATON ROUGE: 
 
 J. M. TAYLOR, STATE PRINTER. 
 1861. 
 
Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 in 2011 with funding from 
 Duke University Libraries 
 
 http://www.archive.org/details/reportofspecialc01loui 
 
REPORT 
 
 The Special Committee appointed to examine the affairs of the Louisiana 
 Penitentiary, beg leave to report : 
 
 That they have, with more than ordinary care and labor, examined the 
 accounts and vouchers of the Lessees of the Penitentiary, embracing the 
 term of their administration, from the commencement of their lease, on the 
 1st April, 1857, to the 31st of December, 18G0, and have found the same 
 entirely correct and satisfactory. We find that the Lessees have charged 
 to their expense account, the discount on such sums of money as they have 
 from time to time been required, to obtain to carry on their business, but 
 have permitted their profits to accumulate and remain entirely untouched. 
 
 Your Committee also find, that the Lessees have made certain necessary 
 improvements, and added cotton and woollen machinery to the Factory, 
 which, although not authorized by law, your Committee are of the opinion 
 that the charges made should be allowed and approved by the State, as 
 these improvements and additions, as well as the borrowing of money, were 
 absolutely necessary to carry on the business with whatever of success has 
 attended their operations. 
 
 During the existence of the lease, the Lessees have paid in cash, for the 
 cotton and woollen machinery purchased by them, and for buildings and 
 improvements erected, the sum of $87,252 10. Up to the 31st of Decem- 
 ber, 1860, they have placed to the credit of machinery, for the State's 
 share of profit resulting from their management, $45,776 83, which leaves 
 a balance due by the State to the Lessees, of $41,475 27, represented by 
 the machinery, buildings, and improvements paid for and erected by the 
 Lessees. 
 
 Your Committee visited the Penitentiary, and after having thoroughly 
 examined the same in all its arrangements, arc fully satisfied that, for 
 humane treatment, morally and physically, of its inmates, for admirable dis- 
 cipline, and internal management generally, it Avould be impossible to bring 
 it to a greater degree of perfection. The Lessees have evidenced by their 
 management, that they consider and have a proper regard for the comfort 
 
' 4 
 
 and well-being of the unfortunate people committed to their charge ; and 
 for the success that has attended their efforts to ameliorate the condition of 
 the prisoners, and to promote the objects, and carry out the purpose for 
 which institutions of this kind are established, it is but just that your Com- 
 mittee should thus speak of their administration, and accord to them, in this 
 manner, their approbation. 
 
 Your Committee, acting in joint conference with the Committee on the 
 part of the Senate, have united in presenting a bill in reference to the 
 future administration of. the Penitentiary, and having for its objects a full 
 settlement with the Lessees of the amount due them by the State, without 
 any disbursement from the Treasury, which they believe to be just and 
 equitable, alike to the Lessees and to the interest of the State, and recom- 
 mend its passage. 
 
 WILLIAM J,. KNOX, 
 Chairman of the Committee. 
 
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 P H 8.5