Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1879-02-07

The revelations which have been made con-
cerning the treatment Of prisoners in Georgin
give MS n very unpleasant illustration OF the
manner in which leading Southern State is
dealing with one of the most important prob
lens which any State has to meet The ends
which the prison system should seek to ac-
complish are. on the one hand, the protec-
tion of society and on the other the inflic-
ton Of just punishment upon the criminal,
with a view to his restraint ut all events, and
so far as possible to his reformation. The
plan pursued in Georgia is not adapted to Sc
cure either Of these ends. The prisoners are
leased in gangs to contractors who apply for
their labor, and are scattered over the State.
The supervision of the State authorities, af-
ter the prisoners are thus disposed Of, is
merely nominal. The prisoners are subject
only to such discipline rs the whims Of the
contractors may dictate. There arc excellent
laws providing for the supervision Of the con-
victs, but they are dead letter. The prin-
cipal keeper is required to make monthly in
spection of all the conyicts, but the camps
are so widely separated that it would require
month of steady travelling for him to spend
two hours in each of them For the same
reason, the chaplain and physician provided
for by law have not been appointed, as it
would be impossible for thCn to fulfill the
duties of their offices.
The system does not secure the protection
ofsociety because the prisoner insufficient
ly guarded, and the average number of es-
capes from all the camps is from 20 to ~ per
cent. 1t is estimated that upward Of j2O es-
capped convicts are now roaming at large
about the State. Although the law provides
a heavy penalty for any contractor through
whose negligence a convict escapes, it has
never been enforced, because it is impossible
10, a,i1.p.a of naplanf Tho fritrl
full mortality which prevails among the pris-
oners reveals the extent to which the neglect
of their physical welfare is carried. In the
Grant camp in jefferson county 10 per cent.
of the conyicts have died within year and
in camp of the same contractor i'll Richmond
county the mortality has been 40 per cent. in
four months, or 10 per cent. a month. In
the Barnwell camp the average mortality for
three years has been 1G per cent. per year.
1t is i'll evidence that the convicts are insutli-
cently fed and that they are made to work in
the swamps and malarial wildernessos where
they die off by scores. When it is remem-
bered that the average mortality in well con-
Quoted prisons is scarcely l per cent, and
that even in Texas, where similar lease sys-
tenn prevails, it is only - per cent, the dread
full condition Of affairs in Georga is more
clearly apparent. Nor is the morality of the
prisoners any better cared for than their
health. Men and women are chained togeth-
er and they live promiscuously and, indeed,
the whole system is so conductedas to be intn-
itely worse than the slavery which it las su-
perseded.
But not only is the leasing system so work
ed as to bear heavily upon the negroes and
poorer conyicts and to brutalize, starve and
kill them, out it is also manipulated to thwart
the execution of justice and secure practical
exemption from punishment in the case of
criminals who can bring wealth and influence
to their rescue. 1t is provided that the prin-
cipal contractors shall not sub-let convict la
Dor but the law is disregarded, and wealthy
criminals are hired" by their relatives and
allowed to live as comfortably as if they had
committed no crime Probably our readers
have not forgotten the case of Kate Southard,
a white belle" of good family, who in a fit
of jealousy plunged her knife into the breast
of young lady with whom her husband was
dancing, killing her instantly. She was sen
fenced to death, but the sentence was CON-
muted to imprisonment for life. Soon after
she was LEASED" to friendly contractor
named 7. j. Smith, in Washington county,
and her husband was employed to guard her.
There the two are living to-day, as happily as
if no crime had been committed Other in
stances of the same sort are mentioned.
These facts have been developed in the
course of investigation made by Col. Aston,
a member Of the Legislature and Chairman
of the Committee on the Penitentary. He
and other of the better sort of Democrats are
awake TO the duty of removing such re-
proach to humsnity and justice as the exist
ing system, but any attempt to reform will be
met by the old race and party antagonisms,
and by the interested and INSCRIPTIONS oppo-
sition of the contractors who are growing.
rich out of convict labor. The prospect for
the abandonment or removal of the abuses is
not n hopeful one. -B0stOH Journal.