The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1854-08-19
Convicts in the Georgia Peniten-
fiarv

Dear Sir-I take the liberty of address
ing you few lines giving short descrip
ton OF the convicts in the Georgia Peniten
tiary. As you are fully aware of the gen.
eral character of convicts, 1 will only notice
what sort OF convicts are at present in con.
hncment. There are three sentenced for
| life, for murder; others for from one to ten
years for an assault with an intent to mur-
der: another class from one to four years for
lnanslaughter in its various degrees. Then
comes in those of the Murrel clan of robbers,
or more recently known as DR.. Roberts
clique, who arc stalking through the coun-
try, the finest gentlemen among us-wolvcs
in sleeps clothing; general supply of nc-
gro thieves, in the persons of Irish, Dutch,
Yankees and Germans. Then come others,
not few in number, whose offences should
not be mentioned here, land here 1 regret
to say your favored county has one of this
class J besides the remainder, made mp of
horse thieves, swindlers, and those guilty of
petty larceny of every grade. So much for
their crlmcs.-Thcy are made up of all
grades Of persons from thirteen years of age
to scventy-five.
10 see them all seated together during
divine service on the Sabbath, or or at ia
bic during meal time, and reflect on their
various characters, and that they are sent
from almost every county in the State for
crimes Of every character you can name, is
enough to attract the attention Of parents
us the best mode Of educating and train
ing their children. Here you may see the
old grcy-haircd father and the youthful son
inmates OF the same prison, and brothers
brought chained together, to be imprisoned
tor years; the diseased of almost every kind
Some with consumption, some with drop
sy, others with old chronic diseases, some
having Its every day ;-cripples, too, may
be seen, some OH crutchcs with Ole leg, and
some with one hand, who have gone through
almost everything that human thought
can imagine. Yesterday, understand from
good authority, they received one from
Lowndes county with but one hand, who
has been bit twice by rattlesuakes, crushed
through n sugar mill, struck with lightning,
torn up by a panther, covered up and left
for dead, and while the. panther pursued an
other boy WHO was with him, lie made his
escape, about six weeks ago stabbed man
so that he died, and is now in the Pcniten-
tiary for three years.
OF the one hundred and sixty four con-
vlcts now confined in the Pcnitentiary, at
least one hundred and fifty of them are
confined for Offences committed while I'M
der the influence of liquor, numbers of them
can neither read nor write, not one-fourth
OF them had pious, praying mothers, and
not one out of ten Of them ever saw their
fathers knecling at church or around the
family altar. This will be good text for
Uncle Dabncy and others Of the temper
ance cause TO dwell upon.
This is short sketch of what might be
said, were I more acquainted with their i'll
dividual cases. I may at some future time
give you more extended view of the in
mates of the Penitentiary, as one of the Of
ficers of the Institution is preparing list
of them, with their crimes, character, and
carly training, moral habits, and their means
of education, a copy of which he has prom
ised me as soon as completed. K. A. O.