The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-12-10
The Convict Question.
4 FAIR PRESERVATION OF THE
OTHER SIDE OF THE CASE.


An Elaborate and GoOd.Tempered De-
fence of the Greenwood and Augusta
Railroad by Senator Maxwell
During the debate which occurred in
the Senate on Tuesday in regard to the
rival set Of resolutions of Senators Crit
tenden and Taft on the II Of con-
Quoting the inquiry into the alleged abus-
es of convicts leased from the P~enitentia-
ry, Senator Maxwell, of Abbeville,
spoke rs follows:
NJ. Presidential am not here to exon
crate tho directors, president or officers OF
the Greenwood and Augusta Rallroaa
| from entire blamei in their management OF
convicts, but to make a plain statement OF
| what I consider to be the truth OF this
sad history, In doing so l hope 10 IN
dulce in none of the ordinations ana re-
ordinations that usually attend discus,
sions between great political parties ana
in this case that has extended 10 the CIR
! Gle of friendship and market the artlcies
of thu accused as we'll as the reply OF the
directors of said road. While admitting
that mistakes in our management nave
been made, 1 hope to show tibet malg-
mint, wilful or Intentional carelessness is
not chargeable to our company. 10 90
this, it is necessary to briefly review
THE HISTORY OF OUR ROAD
~ we'll rs the condition of the convicts at
the time Of their reception. The supplies
of our road have been raised by subscrip-
ton and taxation, entrusted to the care OF
a president and board of directors. The
managing ourconvicts has been cntrust-
ed to an officer commissioned blythe Pen
itcntiary, and that officer subject to the
orders and commands Of our president,
Our board has met from three to five
times per year, rs our president deemed
necessary.
In June, 1877, in behalf of the board, I
made application for one hundred con-
yicts. Their condition at that time was
not good. The political struggle of 1876,
the PROSTATE condition in Which the De-
mocracy found W finances, the excite
ment following the election, the long con-
test for the control Of the States the limit
ed appropriation by the General Assem-
blv for this institution and the impracti-
cability of collecting taxes at the season
of the wear when the Democracy gained
political possession of II State Govern.
ment. rendered it impossible for the first
board of directors Of the Hampton gov
ernment to give such treatment to con-
yicts as would have otherwise been done
After vexatious delay, we received one
hundred, August 26, 1877. and we receiv'
cd them bare-headcd, barefooted and ma
ked. I do not say we carried them from
tho P~enitentiary in that condition, bu
the latter institution did not have blank
cts, shoes, hats or clothing for them, ano
we were required to furnish these article:
before we received them. W. complied
with this demand. We were required tc
build our %stockade, quarters, DC, before
we received them. This was done, ant
thew were constructed according to style
mele.
This is not all. The convicts were re
uuired to be worked under a sergeant O.
the Penitentiary. To thisswe objected, a
officers of the institution were Of al
classes land colors. and the matter was
compromised by the appointment O
Sergt. Lyon, suggested by our company
The sergeant was sent to Columbia anc
remained in the P~enitentiary a week
learning the mode of discipline. charac'
ter of punishment, preparation of food
&c.
THE sERaEANT's KINDNESS n 1NDUL'
GENCE
induced him to extend to his prisoners
many liberties and privileges. He al.
lowed them to remain in stockade al
night until 9 OR 10 o'clock, wrestling,
singing, banjo picking, worshipping,
&C. They soon imposed upon his conf
dence and trust. Many of u convicts
soon escaped; on n night, while some
were singing and dancing, others, escap-
ing the vigilance of the guard, under.
mined the stockade and near a dozen es.
capped. Others We're recommended to us
as "Trusties," and they were allowed
many liberties, but they soon betrayed
our trust and began to escape, even pro-
curing files with which others might re.
tmove their shackles. Our sick were al
lowed the freedom of stockade and hos
pitaI unclaimed, and they escaped.
An accomplished Christian lady of oul
village on carrying some delicacy to the
sick was persuaded by q malingering in
valid that he had ne shoes and needed 81
and so. The next day she sent him
pair of her fathers shoes and some deli
cacy, and that night he wore them X
quarters unknown. The number o
escapes under this management was Sc
great that a howl was raised against oul
company almost as great as that agains'
our present mortality. The press o
several counties raised a cry against u
for turning loose upon their counties tn
desperadocs, house-burners and barn
burners of our State.
TO REMEDY THIS EVIL
our company asked the pepitentiary au
thorities to accept the resignation of on
sergeant, who was a prominent citizen o
Edgefield and almost u neighbor ant
friend. We then asked the appoint
ment of Capt. Cahill, who was a strang
err to us, but who came with the highes
testimonials as to character and efficien
CIV, and who had managed convicts, FREE
and slave labor, upon railroads for thirty
wears. He, too, was commissioned by
the penitentiary. But l must be- frank
enough to admit that if any blame is t.
he attached to u commissioned officer
none belongs to the penitentiary, as they
kindly appointed men suggested by oul
company.
Next let us refer to our stockades. J
do not know the accurate, specific dimen'
sions of them, but think I am reliably
informed that all are about the measure
ments given in newspaper reports. The
first, second and third comply with the
requirements of our instructions, anC
afforded ample air space for our number
of convicts. unless No. 3 CHANGED to bt
crowded on the reception of additional
laborers. Each was carefully inspected
by Colonel Parmele or his visit in 1878
and no dissatisfaction was expressed. Al
I am more familiar with stockade No. i,
I propose to go somewhat minutely into
its management. At this stockade, Ser
geant Lyon was in charge about one
fourth his time, Capt. Cahill about three.
fourths. The stockade was constructeo
according to specifications from the pen1
tertiary.
THE CoNvIcTs HAD AMPLE ROOM.
Their beds were made of straw, covered
with bagging, and they were covered by
blankets. The sick had the medical aid
of four physicians, and were nursed by
an intelligent, bright mulatto convic'
from Charleston. He was required tc
keep them clean and make them as com
Portable as possible. He was further re-
uuired to keep their quarters as free from
dirt and dust as possible, They (the
sick) had extra treatment, Kindness, at
t%ention. food and indulgence; but they
abused the trust and indulgence. and ou1
heavy bond forced us to abridge thsli
privileges and liberties. The rations Of
The we'll were good bacon, beef and meat
-. k>o1,oln r,a nr1y lnCf ono n1CD