The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1884-03-01

would faint, by the lash on the na.
ked back, while the sufferer was
held BY four strong men, holding
each a hand or foot, stretched out |
over the frozen ground or over
stumps and logs and often beaten
with 800 stripes at a tina, which
more than once it is thought re-
suited in the death of the convict;
men unable to work have been
driven to their death and have
even died when fettered in the
chain gang.
The question of food for these
men is not one Of the numbered
crimes generally, as the rule seems
to be to feed well, and then run
them as long as they can stand up.
But when working in the swamps
or fields they were refused pure
water and were driven to drink
out of sloughs or plow burrows in
the fields in which they have Ia
bored.
One instance of this being on
the N. o. & N. e. r. R., where the
owners were unable to get con-
tractors to work at given point
known as Caney swamp, uncom-
monty hard work and unhealthy.
They hired from the sub.lessecs
the labor Of the convicts at S1.75
cents per hand per day, to do this
work. They were placed in this
swamp, in water ranging to their
knees, in almost nude state, spa
ding In caney and rooty ground
in bare feet, chained together by
chains that frctted into the flesh,
compelled to attend to the calls of
nature, in this line as they stand
chained day in and day out and
their thirst driving them to drink
the water in which they were
compelled to deposit their excrc-
ment.
The cages Of both public works
and on plantations are of the
rudest and most unhealthy char
acter, made by setting wooden
posts In the ground on end and
covered by somo method-usually
30x60 feet in size, and in this
structure from IS to 100 convicts,
wet, cold and dirty were huddled
together, and the stencil from the
filth accumulated SO offensive as
in moro Instances than one the
buzzards and carrion crows con-
stantly hovered over them.
In other instances many con-
victs who were sub-leased in lots
from exposure and ill-treatment
have been badly crippled and 1t is
feared In many instances their
hurts are permanent by losing
toes and contracting foot maladies,
chilblains or arising from frost
bite. In fact the system of leas-
ing out tho convicts under the
laws of this State has opened the
gate so wide for crimes to be CON-
mitted against this class Of people,
that in many instances it has been
taken advantage Of, in fact the
sub-lstting system is SO utterly
horrible that the committee re-
gard It as improper to place be-
fore this honorable body any
more Of its horrors than the re-
suits Of this system and to recon
mend such legislation as 1t may
deem proper.
As committee we recommend
that for the present there be a
law passed increasing the salary
of the Superintendent and adding
to his duties by requiring him to
visit each of the camps monthly
: or oftener If necessity requires,
or the Governor directs-also CIV
ing him power to annul and cancel
sub.contracts and report and pros
ecute to conviction, all inhuman,
barbarous or cruel and unusual
treatment Of said prisoners by the
guards or lcssees and the passage
Of law prescribing the pains and
penalties to be visited upon them
upon conviction. They recommend
that q law be passed requiring
the State to purchase lands in al
least two other places in the State
! for the erection of prisons and
farms IN different portions of the
State, and the working of the con
victs on the State plantations un'
der the eye and supervision Of
: bonded State officers, and that the
money now on hand belonging to
the Penitentiary fund, and the
amount required to be paid In and
now due be used to that end
They advise that certain penaltle'
prescribed for minor offenses bt
so fixed that while they will still
) remain effective and certain onl
I Pepitentiary may not be filed will
Q crimes minor in their nature.
NAV havo heen informed thai