The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-11-26

the convlcts employed by the road is a prose-
cutiOn by Charleston, Columbia, and the
Greenvillc and Columbia Railroad, designed
to cripple the Greenwood and Augusta Rail-
tages OF fcIon labor. Those who know the
a Is C. Of human nature can realize how
strongly the waverlng balance Is shaken by
these causes, and how much mems observa:
lions md impressions can be tfngcd by them.
On the other hand, the most Of those with
whom I talked ARE persons whom / could not
and would not suspect OF making any state,
ment which they knew to be ftlsc. 1 could
not but notice, however, that some apparent
~ disposed to give unfavorable accounts
seemed to be fearful of mourning the cnmity
OF their nciglbors by so during, and either
'toncd down" what they had said, or mani
when their suspicIons'wcre aroused that my
inuniries were the result of anything but
careless curiosity. The first man with whom
] talked on the subject lives within IL stones
throw of the line OF road. near St"ckade NO;
3. He seemed to think that the c~ollvlcts had
been
VERY HARDLY
md oycrworke ed while In his nelghborhood In
the spring of 1879. lie had heard Of W dy-
Ing In the cut near his house, but had not
seen them. Members of his family, how
ever, stated that they had seen one man beng
taken home from the work necvcning, dead.
They also stated that when the last squad of
- convlcts first passed their house on the
march up the road they ooked hearty, were
well dressed in new penitentiary clothes, and
snng chcerily rs they went by. In response TO
~myfnquirics regarding Capt. Cahill, they said
that he was Swearing and thrashins around
all day" when at work opposite their house.
They also said that while in their neiglIbor-
hood the c~onvicts complained OF q lack OF
food. The next persons approached We're
two respectable white women living directly
opposite the stockade Itself, and within thir-
ty steps of It. When asked If they knew OF
any striking or beating OF convicts, one OF
them replied quickly:
"THAT VAS CONSTANT" .
She said they were beaten with sticks, and
that their heads seemed generally to be aimed
ut. They were tied up and beaten In the
stockade until she thought they would have
been killed. They had bread and meat and
peas to eat: She had seen one or two them
boxes. Had seen Mr.. Palmer, Il former over.
seer, hit tho men with sticks until he burst
their heads open. She seemed to think much
cruelty had been shown generally. 1t wa,
cold during u part OF the time they were al
work in the nciglborhood. Some seemed &c
have right good clothes, while others had not
Had seen MEN brought from the work 'as
good rs dead" They died soon after they got
back.
MR.. PATTERSON,
on whose place the stOckade stands, was ncXl
sought. found him In his field Mt work, and
nv taking so much trouble to seek him EVIL
IDENTITY excited his suspicious that | had more
of an object than was apparent. He was very
| non committal and disposed to be retlcent
He had never seen, he said, anything every
rough" in the treatment of the conyicts. Had
seen them strapped sometimes. Had nevel
talked much with any Of them except one Ole
man named "Ned,' who was about the yart
doing odd jobs all the time. He seemed TO bt
pretty well satisfied, and said he was comfort
able. He was better Oft than the others, now
ever. The quarters seemed to be gch eralIJ
c!canly and neat. Mr.. Patterson thought the
sick had not received as much attention ~
/ thew should nave had. He was much inter
estcd in the railroad. Thought the men wer,
kept Mt work pretty constantly, but could no
say positively that IL was too hard. Dla no
know what made them die SO fast. Capt. Ca
hill said they died of grief. Dr. Jennings uset
TO attend them. Thought the men were rath
| er late getting their clothing In the winter
| Much of tho subsequent testimony Is OF {
character which may be denolninateu ~
"mixcd,' and 1 will give 1t just as 1t was CIV
on 10 nc. a.. Is. W.