The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-12-10

thorough examination has never been
made. All the examinations have been
hurried and imperfect A microscopical
or chemical examination has never been
made by our stockade physicians, by the
visiting physicians, or in the Pepitentia-
ry. The reports of both Drs. McKie and
Merriwether indicate some affection of
the kidneys.
18th, That in the year 1883, the Sec
ton of country from Stockades No. 2
to s had been subject to much fatal sick
ness, in families a large percentage of the
sick having died. This had been proba-
bly, due to the long and continued
droughts, to the absence of electricity,
and to the want Of ozone in the air. If
the mortality was not due largely to some
local, climatic or atmospheric cause, I
would like to inquire why did the great
bulk of deaths occur during the months
of June, July and August, three of the
sickliest months of the year? If due to
silent torture, cruelty and starvation,
why was there not the same percentage in
other months? 1t must have been large
ly owing to local causes or to accidental
o~ver-crowding by the reception Of new
convicts. In making the above
MEDICAL STATEMENT
I merely give my own opinion-an opin-
ion which I believe l am able to sustain
by the best Of medical authority. I do
not set myself up to be infallible; but
while making this admission I claim that
other physician or body of physicians
are absolute authority upon any medical
In concluding this medical part
Of the defence I would say for myself
that I regret that a single word has been
said in this controversy that would re-
fleet upon or wound DR.. Taylor, Trcze-
want or Pope. From each I have been the
recipient Of many personal and profess
sional courtesies, and from the former
the kindest Of medical attention in hours
of suffering. While I am forced to differ
from their medical theories and conclu-
sions, I have the highest esteem for them
as gentlemen and physicians, and exon
crate them from all intent to injure or
misrepresent our road or it's directors.
AS to the condition in which the visit
ing physicians found our stockade and
hospital, I am not familiar. For the want
of mattresses and feathers we are not re-
sponsible-for any want of cleanliness we
are. The sight Of a manacled man Is
NATURALLY HORRIBLE,
Of a sick manacled man is still more re-
pulsive, but the management of our road
is not altogether to blame; if one escaped
from hospital our bond suffered. The
much-talked-of McGarvey did escape
while sick once, and I believe his shackIes
were filed in hospital a few months before
his death, Besides, we were working ir
what had been the most lawless part O.
the State during the Republican admins
~t-ation, were working in a country
known as the locality of "Butler's War;
where Ned T%cnnent's gang still survive
We were In a country sparsely settled by
white men, and working, according tt
Col. Lipscomb, the most desperate mer
of the Penitentiary.
In conclusion, I admit there were many
many mistakes-palpable abuses. I re-
greet that the law and our contract did moi
prevent US from keeping over fifty in any
one stockade, however large. I regret
that ut all times We were not required tc
keep two full suits of clothing. I regret
our directors did not meet once pc,
month, and that the superintendent Of
the ~Penitentiary, or his surgeon, was moi
required to inspect our convicts equally
rs OlISlls "Oho tiloOtbNOcs ouG ehSJ
were the mistakes of the law and contract
as we'll as of our board. For two years
monthly reports have gone from oul
company tothe ~Penitentiary, giving es'
capes, deaths, &c. More ought to have
been known in Columbia of the death
rate than by our directors. Again
IF SUCH TERRIBLE ABUSES EXISTED,
why was not complaint made to our
board? Not a man has ever come to us
to complain of cruelty. The complaint
hos been made in every instance to
some third party. The first is Judge
Kershaw, and he very properly ordered
an investigation by the grand jury o
Abbeville. Upon that grand jury, were
men interested and living along the line
of road. They were excluded from the
jury and mon from Abbeville village and
the northwestern section OF the county
made tho investigation. If a railroad
can possibly injure any section, it lnjur.
cd the homes of these gentlemen, and
yet at Stockade No. 2, they found moth
ing wrong. They made a close examin
alton. They inspected stockade, prison:
ers, hospital, sick, food, &c. They called
before them Capt. Cahill, the overseer,
guard, and every farmer through whose
plantations the convicts had been work.
ing, and they found nothing to report to
Judge Kershaw.
Shortly after this, at Stockade No.
complaint was made by a correspondent
of the Neys and Courier, and again we
invited an investigation, and Governor
Hampton sent Col. Parmele. The latter
inspected Stockades Nos. 1and2, then va
can't, and found the dimensions, culinary
and sanitary arrangements all that could
be wished. He then visited Stockade No
8 and found it as good and. %capacious as
the others, and inspected the bands at
work, the quantity Of work they were
doing. examined the muscles and gener.
oil appearance of the convicts, inspected
the cooking, the facilities for cooking,
water, modes OF washing, &c. He only
made one suggestion, that with regard to
diet of the sick. This visit was made al
a time when our sick were dying rapidly,
No other complaint was raised, and in
August of the past summer, on a meet
ing of the directors, we learned that our
mortality was frightful, and with the as.
sistance of Drs. Burckhalter and Mcrri.
wether we examined the convicts discov.
ering their diseased condition, and i'm.
mediately, by order of the board, made q
statement Of what we believed to be
their condition, and asked an investiga.
ton. In every instance of rumored
complaint, and as soon as we learned the
reality of the mortality, we have asked
an investigation. AS to the mors
about
CAPT. cAHILL's CRUELTY
we know nothing; no one has ever made
a charge to us; we have made inquiries
and found nothing to sustain the suspic-
tions. He denies them to US, and has al
ways defied any one to prove them. We
propose to cloak 10 cruelty; he has al
ways expressed himself as willing for
any Investigation. He is a hard worker
and may have done things of which we
know nothing, but it is hard for me to
believe that any as true to his en-
ployers as he is, who takes every care of
their interests, can be wantOnly cruel. /
can hardly conceive Of n who takes
such care Of horses, mules and imple-
ment being the unmerciful tyrar1t rep
resented. He is impetuous I know, but
how one whom l have seen exhibit such
tenderness and anxiety for his w sick
family can be brutally cruel to q chained
convict l cannot comprehend.
GEN. p. II. BRADLEY,
the president of the road, to whose direct
care our management has been entrusted,
is a gentleman of the highest character
and intelligence. For years he has been
an officer and member Of O church Of the
NEST rigid discipline I; he has served as
foreman of tho grand jury ~oftener, per-
haps, than any man in our county ; has
always been q member and once or twice