§28-5-37. Maintenance of convict's wife and family.
The committee of any convict who was, at the time of
incarceration, a resident of this state shall allow (subject to
the claims of creditors) a sufficient maintenance out of the
convict's estate for his wife and family, if any; the wife to be
entitled, as long as he is confined, to the profits of such
portion of his estate as she would have if he had died intestate.