Skip to main content

To All the Judges of Superior Court

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA
GOVERNOR'S OFFICE
RALEIGH

March 9, 1917

Judge --

My Dear Judge:

I have examined with care the manuscript of Rules and Regulations and score cards for convict camps prepared by the Board of Health and Board of Charities and Public Welfare, and thoroughly approve the same. It is the purpose of the Secretary of State Board of Health and the Commissioner of Public Welfare to send copies of these manuscripts to you and the several other Judges of Superior courts for your examination and approval, with request for your co-operation in seeing them made effective. It might be wise to let it be known in the counties which maintain chain gangs that in sentencing prisoners to the roads, preference will be given to those counties which most readily respond to plans for proper treatment and care of the men.

I would suggest that when you could possibly do so that you make a visit to the camps in person, and let it be known that you may go at any time, and that you expect to see conditions as they should be. It seems to me that in this way the judges have the matter of immediate improvement where needed in their hands.

Yours very truly,

T. W. Bickett
Governor