Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1880-01-15
SICKENIyG REVELATIONS.
TREATMENT OFF THE CONvlCTs
-.INHUMAN CRUELTY AND
NEGLECT.

4 NESAL1A -
The following are the reports o
the superintendent and surgeon o
the State Penitentiary as to the treat
ment of the convicts leased to th,
Greenwood and Augusta Railroad
Company, which were called for BY
| the Senate at its recent session, ant
by that body ordered to be printed
The Report OF Superintendent Lips.
comb.
COLUMBIA. S. O., Sept. 2, 1879.
To the Chairman and Board Of d.
rectors, s. G. P.
GENTLEMEN-Haying received q
letter from Gen. P. II. Bradley, pres,
ident Of the Greenwood and Angus
ia Railroad, stating that great deal
of mortality and sickness existed
anoug the eonvicts leased to that
company, rconfcrred with the chair
man of the board. showing him the
letter. He instructed me to 60 over
there and make an inspection OF their
condition. At my suggestion he in
structed me to take DR.. Trezevant,
the surgeon Of the institution, with
me, to see what could be done to
am. .liorate their condition.
Dr.. Trezevant and myself appoint
ed the morning Of tho 2lst OF An
gust to 90 on the inspection, Gu
the night OF the Goth I received the
attached note from Dr., Tr.zevant,
saying he could not go; and I pro-
ceeded by myself on the morning Of
the 2lst.
l met the Hon. A. p. Butler, one
OF the board OF directors, Ii Angus
Ia, Ca, about II o'clock the same
morning. We left Immediately for
the camp on the South Carolina side,
in Edgefeld County, about nineteen
or twenty miles distant, which We
reached about 5 P. NJ.
! found in one end of the stockade
nine eick men chained on what was
intended to be a straw bed, but the
straw was too thin to do much good.
| could not stand the awful stencil
and had 10 direct the guard to un-
chain them and bring them out in
front of the stockade. I found them
in deplerable condition, all Of them
complaining OF veneyeal diseases,
swollen limbs, &c. / then went to
the so-called hospital. where found
three sick--two white men and one
black man. They had some straw to
lie upon and were allchained. They
were all covered with vermin and
deas-so much so that was forced
to leave the room. don't see how
it was possible for well pan to ex'
let in these places well treated, much
less a sick man with no treatment, or
so little that regarded it as none.
They had no change Of clothing, no
shoes, no covering Of any descrip-
ton that | could see. They report
ed that they had had no medicine
and no medical treatment except one
d'se Of Iaregoric in the three days
preceping, and their nonrishlnent was
fat bacon and bread. left tho camp
aud proceeded 10 where they were at
work on the road. about mlls or Il
mile and half distaut. ! found
about seventy five nen ut work on
the road, clothed in the Penitcntia.
ry stripe that | had sent to Gen.
Bradley about five weeks before. IL
Was so late ! could only lok at
their condition generally and post
pone the inspection until next morn
ing.
l went next morning to where they
were at work, called the roll and In
spected them. found great many
Of them complaining of venereal dis
eases and swollen limbs, and almost
all with acurvy. They were very
dirty in person and clcthing-hav-
ing no change; some Of them said
they had not washed for Weeks. l
SAW no blankets or bed clothing for
them TO lie upon or cover with.
heard great and loud complaint
about The cruel treatment OF convicls
by Capt. ]. j. Cahill and bis guard.
One OF them. w. II. AcGayvry. N.
1926. showed Col. Butler and my
self scars upon his head which he
said were caused by blows from d
stick in the hands OF Capt. Cahill,
and persons outside gave the saIue
information. Capt. Cahill himself,
in reporting those that were dead,
informed me that the guard had shot
one while in shackles and fastened 10
the gang chain, claiming that he was
in revolt. We heard that Cahlll
had ordered the guard to shoot him.
The convIcts We're generally In
such bad condition that deemed
it my imperative duty to send the
surgeon Of this institution to see
them.
The sickners and mortality being
30 great | beard that Solnr CT ths
directors Of the road had resigned