New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-07-30
GEORGIA CHAlN-GANGS.

GEORGlA CHAIh-GANUo
FEATURES OF A BARBAROUS PENAL SYSTEM.
A souTHERNER's PERSONAL oBsERvATIoNs-How
CRIMINALS ARE TORTURED AND INNOCENT MEN
DEGRADED.
fYRoM AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNE.
ATLANTA, Ga, July 25.-Atlanta claims to be
the centre of Southern civilization the seat If the pro-
pressive ideas of New South She calls herself the
only Yankee town of this section and assumes that
title the basis suggested by the thrift and energy Oh
the driving Of the North This assumption Is oy
no means unMeaning Atlanta Is remarkable cfty Inc
hU Of nearly every conceivable kind OF machinery Is
tned in harmony with the music of cotton spndes h&'
wrl within the walls of her large factories Long rows
OF elegant handsome structures line the thoroash
fares ana her reaches tie amount Oh soo'ooo
600 annually. When the last echoes Oh She'nan
had ceased to reverbe,ae through these feu MAS
there was scarcely house. not 500 people, ana not
n dollars worth OF commerce In Atlanta ~
dav mot less than 10000 souls make this their hoe
and the business of 1888 expected to reach S.oo
O0O There are splendid schools, Churches puplo IL
nary with IL 1000 volumes, aud eight trunk hnss Vi %
ways No one will gainsay the fact that TINS Is of'A
SAINT showing.
put With all tb,s Atlanta and Georgia disgrace them
..lvas Inv their miserable sysem of Furnishing offenders
against the law. COnvcts are let eut 10 serve INC
the highest bidder, and the time when the po~seSS
stood upon the auction block finds It's III
N Ia
by men who force from them hbor through '"O So
,ries Of torture and bring the sweat trucking down
boaies beneath the sckenipg slashng OF the iaso'
re,ppaned by the dismal baying OF the pioodhouno'
Cbidreu are taught the science OF rvfc law ON inc VIC
hand only TO learn the barbarous edcts of new slavery
~,, tb. other No erds portray the miseries
-, .ba cnsn-sang which few moments ago came
cIankiue mast my door. Two white men acted as
Guards They guided thirty swarthy Aesroes ana TWO
white men to work OF grazing neighhoring street
AS they passed. one poor fellow more daring than INC
rest family called to me and begged piece Of tobacco
went out and gave him all had He took IL huInpy
and the guard said: Here. ---youl II you speak
"a another white man I'll give you ~ The protes-
sion moved Soon heard cry OF PAIN sooVo tne
CHATTER of slovels and the dull thu CT picks Cur sy
led me to step side gate 10 see the cause Ono I"
the cart boys had shackled prisoners he was
an the ground writing in PAIN for the carr was ioaneo
with dirt The guard walked up to the fallen man. ana
drawing from the ashland Of his trousers heavy
leather strap two long. the end OF stout harness
trace sad There. take that for your blndness ana
nj once struck dozen heavy blows across the conVSts
body The latter seemed unmindfu Of the beating ana
ceuld not RISE but only groaned Then the guard grew
white with rage; the convict lay with his face in the
dirt Here YOU dirty seoupdel, If YOU don't get up
from there III kill your and with that his foot was
struck with thud into the eonvets side sun he dd
not move and with legs chained together hsd
TO drag him side. where he was stretched out
10 him: Here, you, come to work" The prisoner
fried 10 rise and fell back exhausted The guard, still
uttering the ouest oaths walked up to the prostrace
man. took hun by the ,ollar, and said fou amt hurt;
set up from here at onee' The convict slowly ooeyed
and could scarcely walk. he was using pick, and IL
vou,d not enter the ground inch from his Efforts
This convict was a white But tue negroes fare
The other day had long talk with one Of the guards
assed him if ne didn't show the white men In the gang
"A little partiality. Well" he said, you know now
that is Sn . sye WON'T evan S &na mo
The life of slave during the worst days of slavery was
From this sasrG learned thst negroes in
his gang who had earthly business there; some Wee
sent up for drunkenness. some for petty thlevine
others for almost Dehing-merey 9aarreg' "nere not
There an old negro over there" said the guard to
me- who ought to be at hoaie'
He owns little house the other side of the town
ana rented 1t TO negro woman. Inc woman WIS
charged with keeping honse of i'll repute ana this man
was sentenced sixty days IN the calng for rent
!, .Is this tTns~
And vet Atlanta is noted for her wealth OF such
OF the old school, who are never arrested or renting
rs not an eyeryday occurrence eonvicts
shot down but 1t occurred very eteD IL matters
asemrt 10 escape means sure tue nuzzle OF
abe guards shotgun The press OF Georgia mas oeen
Ieaiins Journals have defended the miserable system
j could sirng out list OF atrocities many OF wsira
not in tender FEELINGS man requires ny thc ltsry
law OF tins country average OF twerty eght nches
for n step. To-day I convict stumble ana roil
over on the ground when guard hurried Nun ID MS
march 10 work Whist the matter 4 looked ana
saw his chain not eightf en- inches long with the
ends locked to his ankles Yesterday IN TINS same AM
biz we'll proportional nIulatO. strong ane athletic
sase his hands dropped ri. pick and Tell uncon cous
On the ground had heart disease and was drag2eo
oui 20 Que side he lay painting IN the brohDs sun
" IN, ,t hand relieve his suffering and NO EFFORT On
the part OF the guard give him cup OF water
Is that man sick 2" asked the giard NO = nm;
ne is ONLY playing possum. " went up TO hlin ana
drew "A cart over him give hm shade His pdlse vas
drawn out to and his heart papltated win the
yebeuence "a pounding machine. His respiration was
aver tblrty He did breathe. but only Sasped
on TIE other side day ago saw nnother
large gang miserable creatures TO the legs OF
bttriy negro chained 10 sDa1 enEietate1 mite poy
as pale "a ghost The BOY mad stolen bread ana the
negro mad pilfcr I'd meat. Not long ago the SON or well
known Confederate general killed poor nesro by beat
luz him death with enb or strap on NORTH neo,s
railroad chaiu-gang. This fact Is known ana IaIaeu
about over t,eoryia Perhaps the 0nly argument the
men who the ring advance in favor OF the - stem
n that the death less here than IN any other state
7 will not say that good quarters are not provided.
They have enough to eat; good elothes-and living
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