Letter from M. G. Moore to Alabama Governor Thomas H. Watts; August 1864

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Letter from M. G. Moore to Alabama Governor Thomas H. Watts; August 1864

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Each transcribed document contains links that connect it to other documents on the same topic in the collection.

People

Baker, A. C.Brown, Unknown Moore, M. G.Pettus, John Jones, 1813-1867 Rice, J. M.Rice, Unknown Saxon, L. P.Shorter, John Gill, 1818-1872 Watts, Thomas Hill, 1819-1892 Williams, Thomas

Events

Convict Labor Convict Labor. Alabama. Leasing Program Convict Labor. Mississippi Convict Labor. Mississippi. Leasing Program Criminal Procedure Criminal Procedure--Writ of Habeas Corpus Legislation. Alabama

Organizations

Alabama--Executive Department Alabama--Legislature Alabama--State Penitentiary (Wetumpka)Courts and Judicial Systems Mississippi--Executive Department Mississippi--State Penitentiary (Jackson)Prisons

Occupations

Cotton Factors Inspectors Law Enforcement Mechanics Medical Profession Medical Profession--Physicians Prison Guard Prison Wardens

Places

Alabama Alabama--Elmore County. Wetumpka Alabama--Montgomery County. Montgomery Mississippi--Hinds County. Jackson Mississippi--Lowndes County. Columbus

Social Identifiers

Imprisoned people

Page 1

[seal]

Alabama Penitentiary
Wetumpka

His Execellency
Thomas H Watts
Montgomery Ala

Dr Sir

Below you will find the correspondence and orders in reference to the Mississippi prisoners in this prison

"Executive Department"

Montgomery Ala May 4^th 1863

D^r M G Moore
Warden Ala Penitentiary

Dear Sir

I recieved yesterday from Gov Pettus of Mississippi a dispatch which the following is a copy

"Jackson May 2^d 1863

Twenty three (23) convicts in Mississippi penitentiary disloyal and dangerous men. Will you receive them temporaly in your penitentiary? In case of neecessity I am sending them under guard. Answer by telegraph John J Pettus" to which I replied—"Send your convicts here under guard I will receive them"

Page 2

I regret that this application was made, but I could not refuse it in view of the present condition of affairs in Mississippi—You will have to make needful provision at once for their safe keeping and Maintaince. They will probaly arrive in a few days.

(Signed) Respectfully
Your Obt Svt

Jno Gill Shorter"

After receipt of the letters I went to Mongtomery and saw Gov Shorter in person in reference to these prisoners and his instruction to me was under all the circumstances and as their stay needs only be temporary to keep them in Isolatory Confinement as it would mean less risk and expense in extra guards. On the 8th May 1863 I made the following order

Executive Department
Montgomery Ala May 8 1863

Drct M G Moore
Warden of the Penitentiary
Wetumpka Ala

Sir

This will be handed you by Mr J M Rice

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who is in charge of the prisoners sent by Gov Pettus for safe keeping in our Penitentiary and of whom you have been advised. You will please give Mr Rice the necessary ~~necessary~~ receipt for these prisoners as turned over to you

Very Respectfully

(Signed) [gap] Jno Gill Shorter
Gov of Alabama

The boards of inspection are of the opinion that we had no right to work them or control them whatever. In fact no jurisdiction over them at all. Upon investigation I found there was no Mechanics amongst them as they had been Cotton factory hands.

We tried and could not find emp-loyment for all of our own prisoners owing to the want and difficiency of getting Material and we did not think it would be profitable to undertake to make Mechanics ~~out~~ of them and let men of ours be idle even had the boards of inspectors thought we had jurisdiction over them

I had frequent payment [enclosed?] with Gov Shorter in reference to them and he said we would have to do the best we could under the circumstances he could not insist upon their being removed and it was from my representive that he sent a message to Gov

Page 4

Pettus of their condition &c which caused Gov Pettus to write the following letter—

"Executive Department
Columbus Miss 4 Nov 1863

Hon John Gill Shorter
Governor of Alabama

Governor

Your message was delivered by Mr Brown.

You will please immediately have the Convicts sent by me to your State Penitentiary put to work and treated exactly as your other convicts. I was surprised to learn that they have remained idle so long, for when I sent them I supposed it was understood they were to be placed on the same footing as Convicts belonging to your State

I am Governor
(Signed) [gap] Your Obt Servt

John J Pettus "

"Executive Department
Montgomery Aug 11 1863

D^r Mr G Moore
Warden Ala Penitentiary
Wetumpka Ala

Sir, [gap] I enclose you a copy of a letter received from his Excellency John J Pettus Governor of the State of Mississippi in which he request that the Convicts

Page 5

in the Ala Penitentary should be "put to work and treated exactly as your own convicts". As far as you can conveniently comply with this request of Gov Pettus I hope you will.

Respectfully
Your Obt Svt

(signed) [gap] Jno Gill Shorter
Gov of Alabama

On receipt of this letter from Gov Shorter I addressed the following to the Inspectors.

Ala Penitentary
Wetumpka [Nov?] 14th 1864

Inspectors Ala Penitentary
Gentlemen

Enclosed you will find copies of letters from Gov^s Pettus and Shorter in regards to the working of the Mississippi prisoners. As there is some doubt of the legality and propriety of working them I do not feel authorized to take the responsibility upon myself without some action of the boards of Inspectors and ask you to take some action upon this subject as soon as practible

Very Respectfully
(signed) [gap] Your Obt Svt

M G Moore Warden

Page 6

The inspectors did not take any action at this time but addressed your Excellency upon the subject giving you their views and all the particulars in relation to them and the following is your reply—

Executive Department of Ala
Montgomery Dec 31^st 1863

Messers M G Moore Warden &c
Thomas Williams
L P Saxon &
A C Baker

Inspectors of Alabama Penitentary

Gentlemen

I have your letter of the 24 ' inst in reference to the Mississippi Convicts received into the Penitentary last May. Whatever doubts may have existed as to the right of the executive of Ala to recev said prisoners or as to the right of the State Officers of Ala to put them to work in our penitentary, have been remand by the act of the Legislation of this State passed on the 29th of August 1863 and found on pages 33 & 34 of Acts of Extra Session in August.

So long as the present Condition of Mississippi remains it would be an act of discourtersy to a sister State to refuse

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to keep prisoners if we have the room in our institutions. If consistent with safety such convicts ought to be worked and treated in all respects as if they were convicts sentenced by our Courts—

In my opinion a writ of habeas corpus I need out by these [puds?] of these Courts will avail them nothing.

I desire that they should be put to work and treated as Convicts under sentence from our own Courts

Very Respectfully

(signed) [gap] T H Watts
Gov of Ala

At a regular meeting of the board of Inspectors on the 6th Feb 1864 the following order was issued that

"The Mississippi convicts are allowed the privledge of the cell room for exercise during the day under a special guard and to be employed at any useflu labor the Warden can find for them to do."

Thos Williams
(signed) [gap] A C Baker
Lyd P Saxon

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As to working them in the cell rooms in here no work that cou d be done in it. For the last two years it has been impossible to find employment for ^all^ our prisoners owing to the great difficulty (and in many respects impossible) to get such material as we could manufacture and we are now doing scarcely any thing except for the goverment and such work as they furnish the material for.

The amended bill against the State ^of Miss^ is made from the actual cost of [provisions?] and clothing and no charge for the [work?] and in the future we will have to be governed by the price as it may increase or ~~[demand?]~~decline. At the present price of meat &c two ($2⁰⁰) dollars per day will barely pay for it.

Trusting that under the circumstances this explanation will be satisfactory to your excellency I am

Your Obt Sert

M G Moore
Warden

Page 9

State of MississippiTo Ala Penitentary^C/_y

1863

Oct	10	To 3 pair shoes @$30	90	00
"	"	" Repy 3 pair shoes	7	00
"	17	" Cash paid Wahl (Discharged)	5	00
"		" Clothing " "	50	00
Nov	20	" " for White "	40	00
	"	" 5 pair shoes @$30	150	00
	" 7	" 3 pair shoes	90	00
1864		" 103¹/₂ Yas Jeans for Jackets @$10	1030	00
April	20	"4 pair shoes $30	120	00
		" Repy 6 pair shoes	30	00
		" [Boarding?] Wahls 101 Days	101	00
		" " White 200 "	200	00
		" " 23 [remaining?] prisones }
		341 Days @1 pr dy upto Apr 20 }	7843	00
	30	" Boarding 23 days ap to May 17@2	400	00

$10281.00