New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-11-30
GEORGIA CHAIN-GANGS.
THE SLAVES AND THEIR OWNERS.
THE EVILS OF THE SYSTEM AND WHO REsPoN-
sIBLE FOR THEM.

To the Editor or The Trtbune
SIR: An editorial in The TRIBUNE of Septem-
Der 81 upon the convict system of Georgia has created
sensation in this state. especially among the "lessees"
who own all slaves for such they are beyond
tuvcrsy by their control of corrupt Legislatures. Ger
tain Journals favorable the interests OF the
have criticised The TRIBUNEs statements in the harshest
manner those familiar with the subject their crit
icsIns and denials amount to less than nothing.
What the facts in regard to these cOnycts and their
birei Who owns theml What is paid for them First,
the principal prominent favored lessee Senator BrOwn
whose Dade Coal Company is allowed three hundred
able bodied. long cOnvets for twenty years the
lease beginning April 1, 1879 His share increased
to $50 year by the principal keeper and it supposed
that he only limits the number to suit his
fence the necessities OF his works Senator Colqutt
wis lessee with ex-senator Gordon 70: several years
but the latter generously carried both shares himself to
allow COquitt TO deny and repe attacks upon
ais business character in the hot campaigns he
obliged undergo nominations for Governor Of
the State When il is understood that both the present
Senators from Georgia thus connected with these
wet leases the value OF their contract with the State
and thu political influence il gives these gentlemen
may be estimated by everybody. THE TRIBUNE is EN-
phatcay IN saying that the State, prop
ery the States political masters have "an unlimited
number Of workmen to draw upon, who paid nothing
but their victuas and Clothes
down 10 inc notlOtn OF dllOW me 10
CODY part OF an open letter. written by the Rev. J. ].
Singleton Of Athens Georgia. printed in The Wesleyan Adj
roca the organ of the Methodist Church in several
Southern States and an old established religious
paper. ~ -. =. fl, ~
criminals and destroy their selfrespect. Whites and
blacks chained together yday and by night Those nut
partially corrupted ana those betrayed by sudden passion
into commission ~ crime chained 10 those stepped IN
iniouty have refraiuod from the statement of
many known and deplorable facts connected with the
history OF our chain gangs. desire this article shall
have no personal bearing desire IN tins humble way to
call the attention ara conscience OF tne many integent
ami piOs readers or Tie Weseyah To Georgia treatment
statrsmanship and civilization before men-and, must
believe our humanity and pety before God. also de-
lautbropic members OF Legislature 20 this painful
subject | cannot believe that they will assume the re-
accessibility Cf perpctuuting this folly and barbarisnl
This calm pous did not desire to stir strife but
,be atrocities OF the syse great that he begged
the lie gsatlire abolish this baTbaItsm" Pety and
humanity" demand What effect did this appeal have
Not particle Senator Brown and Senator Colqut the
confessed leaders Of Georgia Democracy, the heal
and 'front.' of the system although one is Baptistdea
con and the other Methodist preacher II in the coming
session OF Congress either OF these church members
should allude to TowksburY other kindred matters
call on the Librarian OF the state OF Georgia for the Legs
ative report which exposed the atrocities OF this convict
case I'm 1873 which report cost the chairman his life at
the hands Of sUb-lessee. When that report with its
examped horrors laid before the Legislature sena
tor Coouitt was the State Executive and Senator Brown
was the head figure among the lessees whose management
was so heavily condemned.
When the lease system was established in Georgia
after the war-tere only about 800 cOnvcts 20 he
cared for In less than six years. under Skttnt man
agemen" the number increased TO 300 As you remark,
petty larceny is very common" and convictions are
very sure things, when every convict to swell the
income OF the bosses" The solicitors Of the Judicial
districts whose duty il to to prosecute crime, all
elected by the Legislature az likewise are the Judges
The members of the Legislature elected themselves
by the influence these convict lessees, who in turn
elevated United States Senate No wonder appeals
TO the Legislature have been in vain.
In one convict camp the rate of mortality in 1873 ran
I'D TO 30 per cent per aud the records Of the
Criminal Court in Atlanta show one case where sixteen
vearod colored girl sentenced 10 five years for steal
ng afty cents.
The state guarantees to Senator Brown for twenty
veor the work Of three hundred able bodied ongterm
men" Does il strike yeu that State is assuming
queer re responsibilities in making such guarantee.
Two hundred dollars IL specified the sum due the
State from the when convict escapes. Now, IL
would pzzle you guess how they evade that penalty
can give one instance the working Of one camp which
corraed some Of these poor wetches within few miles
NJ nv home Escapes from this chain-gang common
The feeble folk" loosely guarded and when an
.seane WA reported to sub-lessee he cooly in
notice that such escaped convict dead Unless the
noor creature was bodied Il paying business
20 turn him loose The frequent courts aud the willing
officers keep up a supply from which to choose better
workers.
Now You will ask what pay does the State receive for
the labor of these fifteen hundred slaves mostly negroes
who are strong and Injured TO hard worki Twenty-Five
thousand dollars per little St6 apiece
for a whole years worwOrk that begins with the dawn
and ends in the night work that is drawn out by the
stroke of lash of the club where the Is all
given to overseer and the convict has protection
This Is Democratic rule In Georgia. This is Democratic
bossism In Georgia n, by run OF luek the con-
vts should up toward 600, you expect to
ace In every Congressman from Georgia representative
of that valuable property. Since 1876 the lessees have
kent a representative Ia the United States Senate
stany. To show you that Democratic journals we'll
aware of the atrocies OF the stem editorial article
appeared In The AUGUSTA Chronicle and Ooshtonoftst
some months This paper dealt with the subject
fairly, but political pressure strong In the Empire
State South that q rOttcie aud Constitution
ds itself 20 the election OF both Senators Brown
and COllutt IL could take the 10 the raw,
but could swallow the strongest part OF the lease just little
sugued and sweetened Hear IL: "The man who enters
ts Georgia Penitenary OF to-day forever shuts out the
ifrht OF hope. Apart nom the reformatory motives
wheel have high claim our sympathes. the disgrace
and inhJmanity OF the present system should bring
about reform. The prisoner though he be convict has
the rxht least 20 be humanity treated His body and
soul must cared for and this cannot be done under the
present syste THE TaIBuSB did not say half much,
or use half the vigorous words To denounce this wretehed