Herald of Kansas. [volume] (Topeka, Kan.) 1880-1880, 1880-02-13
"HELL'S BROKE LOOSE IN
GEORGIA."
Worse Than Slavery.
Sentenced for E4iEe for Stealing
"a TEncEereE-.E'he Ante Bel
Iusu Slavery Days Outdone.
chased by BLOOD hounds
and Whipped to Death.

A correspondent for the Chicago
Inter Ocean gives description of the
convict chain gang system which Is
practiced in Georgia. that seems too
horrible to believe. that human beings
would be so lost TO feeling "a to t0le-
rate but facts are stubborn. things,
and he processes to deaiawith facts.
In 1869 the cham gang became an
institution in Georgia by an act of
the Legislature authorizing the Gov
e:nor to tease out the cOnvicts to enc
person, or oae comp&Hv of persons,
ror two years. This was the begin
ming Of what has since developed
into the most brutal system of slave
very in which the slaves life is not.
protected even by market value.
The convicts were worked FROM day
light to ten O'Clock at night, and AL
lowed no rest for the Sabbath. Fe-
males were worked indiscriminately
with the men, and were chained on
the same sleeping hunks with them
at night.
There are 1875 convicts in the
chain gangs, and only lis of them
white men. There are thirty-six col
ored woman, and but one white wo-
man alEqng them. A colored man
was sentenced TO the .penItentiarv for
life for stealing a m&ckercl. A Demo
cratic Senator, who was opposed to
the system, stated on. the foor Of the
Senate that two thirds of the negroes
ent 10 the chain gang because they
stole bread to feed their children.
One coIored man was whipped 10
death the clothing of another was
brought to the State offcer. with the
statement that the convict had tsCa-
ped but the clothing was bloody aud
perforated with bullets. Another
was thrown into burning furnace
and burned t. ashes right in the city
Of Atlanta. The average de9th-rate
Of all the prisons of the United States
| is less than one per cent. per AMMAN.
bat there the death-rate reached as
high "a ten per cent. Over twenty
| five bastard children have been born
in the penitentiary, the paternity OF
three Of whom have been ascribed TO
one OF the lessees.
The convict slaves are leased out to
men who entirely control them, who
have to pay, but six. cents per day
for their hire and only 5000 if one
escapes. A white man with money
can bride his way out, but there is
no chance for the poor unfortunate
cOiOred people. liza colorcd man at
! tcmpts TO escape he is shot down Xix g
dog, aud should the bullets mss
him, they have blood hounds to track
him down. One escaped one dav and
took refage in a lake, 10 wnich The
hounds tracked him. The guard tol6
I him 10 come out, hut he was afraid
of the dogs, which they would not
call Off; thereuron the guards ridlIed
him with bullets, and be sank in the
water dead
If q coloreG man breaks contract,
he = sentenced to twelve months on
the chain gang. A guard deliberate.
~ shot TO death q cook ut one OF the
camps, and the coroner,s jury brought
in verdict Of accidental shooting.
Under new lease the State agrees TO
furnish one Of these companies with
thee hundred able bodied men for
the next twenty years.
When such atrocities are parpetra.
ted upon 6 class OF people with the
States sanction, c&G it be wondered at
that they desire 10 leave for more
congonial c.;mcs. These damnab!e
ontFages are 80 well known that can
didates promise 10 use their influence
70 abolish the wills OF The system in
order TO catch the colored vote. W.
h"pe that so long a these outrages
continue The colored people will con-
ilhne 10 leave the South. until thos.
IL power will see the error of their
NVaIs, and reoent "a sack cloth and
asSe2and accord equal Justice 10 al.