212 BULLETIN 414, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
on his discharge, in addition to the sum of money ordinarily given discharged con- 
victs. On petition of any convict, the warden may pay such sum, or part thereof, 
in support of those dependent on such prisoner. Convicts shall for good conduct and 
faithful work be granted such good time in addition to that allowed by law as the 
governor may order, not to exceed 10 days in any calendar month. * Convicts so 
employed shall not be used in building any bridge or other structure of like character, 
or do any work in connection therewith which requires the emplovment of skilled 
labor. (Acts 1915, No. 359.) 
Every male prisoner in any jail or workhouse may be worked eight hours daily, 
but no steam, electricity, or other motive power shall be used in conducting such 
work. Such labor shall be classified, fixed, and established by a prison board, created 
for each county, and shall be performed in accordance with rules and regulations 
prescribed by said board, and may be performed on the public highways. Preference 
shall be given to roads leading to county seats. Said prison boards are authorized to 
spend such sum of money, out of any money in the county treasury not otherwise 
appropriated, as may be required for the purchase of materials and tools adapted to 
the work, as per classification. The respective prison boards may employ such depu- 
ties and other officers as shall be necessary for the supervision, safe-keeping, and good 
conduct of such prisoners. Any prisoner who shall escape while so working shall be 
deemed to have committed a breach of prison, and shall be subject to the penalty 
provided therefor. (Acts June 18, 1897; Apr. 29, 1899; and Apr. 24, 1901.) 
South Carolina. 
General. — -Any person serving a sentence of six months or more, life sentences ex- 
cepted, either in the State penitentiary or any county jail, or upon the public works 
of anv county, shall be entitled to have one-tenth of such sentence deducted for good 
behavior. (Acts 1914, No. 352.) 
State. — The county supervisor from each county in the State may be allowed to 
use without charge, for the purpose of working the roads of the county, any of the 
convicts he may select of those sentenced from his county to the State penitentiary. 
Said convicts shall be under the absolute custody and -control of the supervisor and 
whatever guards he may appoint. (Acts 1914, No. 366.) 
The punishment for arson shall be death by hanging, but the jury may find a special 
verdict with recommendations to mercy, whereupon punishment may be reduced to 
a term of imprisonment in the county jail or at hard labor in the penitentiary or on 
the public highways, in the discretion of the court. (Acts 1915, No. 133.) 
"Where punishment of imprisonment is provided for crime, all able-bodied male 
convicts shall be sentenced, without regard to the length of sentence, to hard 
labor on the public works of the county in which convicted, if such county maintains 
a chain gang, and in the alternative to imprisonment in the county jail or the State 
penitentiary at hard labor. Races and sexes shall be kept separate. Should the 
supervisor or commissioner of any county find it impracticable or inconvenient to 
work any such convict, he mav turn him over to the penitentiarv authorities. (Acts 
1914, No. 291.) 
Counties. — All courts and municipal authorities having power to sentence convicts 
to imprisonment at hard labor shall sentence all able-bodied males to work upon the 
public works of the county or of the municipality. All such convicts shall be under 
the exclusive control of the county supervisor and by him formed into a county chain 
gang and required to work on the highways, bridges, ferries, and other public works 
of the county. Municipal convicts shall be so worked under proper municipal authori- 
ties. The county boardof commissioners shall feed and provide suitable guards and 
appliances for safe-keeping said convicts, and shall provide all necessary tools and 
implements, all costs and expenses of which shall be paid out of the county road 
fund. Municipal authorities shall make like provision for municipal convicts. If 
in the judgment of the board of county commissioners the number of convicts avail- 
able is insufficient to warrant the expense of maintaining a chain gang, the supervisor 
of such county may contract with the supervisor of any other county for hiring or 
exchanging such convicts. (Codeof 1912, Vol. I, Title VI, sees. 956-962. ) ^ 
The county commissioners shall not let to contract the repairing or building of any 
bridge which can be repaired or built by a chain-gang force. (Code of 1912, Vol. I, 
Title VI, sees. 1079-1081.) 
South Dakota. 
Counties. — Able-bodied male prisoners, over 18 and not more than 50 years of a»e, 
confined in any county jail, or any prison or lockup of any city or town, may be 
required to labor not more than eight hours per day upon the public roads or streets, 
or other public works. Persons awaiting trial may, at their request, be allowed to 
