Cheyenne transporter. [volume] (Darlington, Indian Terr.) 1879-1886, 1885-08-15
Southern Convict System.


Within the last few weeks The NeDs
has called attention to some of the OBJ
jections 10 the system, and pointed
out the almost imperative necessity in
this state of overcoming these objec-
tions by adding reformatory feature
to the system. The system ought
never to have been adopted, and it
ought to be abolished as soon as prac-
ticable. During the time that the
leases have to run, however, the gov
ernor should exercise the greatest care
in preventing the abuses to which the
system exposes the convicts, and the
legislature ought to take steps at once
to provide the means of reforming
those of the convicts who are suscep-
tible of reformation. The South Caro-
lima authorities have succeeded in get
ting at most of the facts relative to
the cruelties practiced at the convict
camp on the Savannah Val
ley railroad, the publication of some
of which a few weeks ago created such
profound sensation throughout the
entire country. In an editorial article
The Charleston NeWs and Courier says:
"The facts disclosed in the reports are
shocking in the extreme, Henry Porter
was so brutally beaten by Jackson
that his complete recovery is doubtful.
AS evidence of the severity of the
whipping, it is stated that the tissues
have sloughed, leaving an open sore
eighteen inches long by ten inches
wide. Frank Smiley, another convict,
was also severely whipped by Jackson,
and was sent back to the hospital by
DR.. Pope, the penitentiary physician.
There were slight scars on the bodies
of several of the other convicts, ali OF
which were attributable to whippings
by Jackson. The number of convicts
on the Savannah Valley railroad at the
time of the inspection was 103. OF
this number 90 were at work. Sixteen
of the convicts died between Jan. 19
and June 18. Ten of the number died
between May 8 and June 18, little
more than a month. In this brief
period of time nearly one-tenth of the
whole number of leased convicts died.
At that rate every one of the hundred
convicts would have been set free by
death in less than year. Why was
the mortality so terrible? 1t is stated
distinctly that the deaths were due to
natural causes, and that there were
no indications of ill-treatmento or cruel
ty. Shacklcd, with insufficient food,
and working about eighteen hours a
day, is it surprising that one-tenth of
the convlcts should have died in about
six weeks, and from natural causesp
1t is too plain that these poor people
were brought into so low physical
condition by excessive labor, with the
occasional accompaniment OF ill-treat-
ment, that they succumbed at once
when attacked by maladies which per-
sons in good health would have sue
cessfully resisted. That, in our view,
is the whole truth about it. A fixed
sum is required to be paid for the con-
victs, and it is to the interest of the
lessees to get as much work as posi-
BILE out of them, and to bring the cost
of feeding and guarding them to the
lowest practical point. There is, as
we have said, but one remedy, and
that is to prohibit absolutely the leas'
ing of convicts. They who allow this
horrible system, this worse than Siber-
ian system, to continue will be respon-
sible for every death that occurs '
The treatment to which the South
Carolina cOnvicts at the Savan
nah Valley railway camp were
subjected was not much more
cruel perhaps, than that tc
which cOnvicts in other camps il
states where the lease system prevails
were subjected. The story which tn
NeUS and Courier tells is dreadful
one, and ought to arouse feeling o
hostility against system which make
possible condition of affairs which il
a disgrace to civilization; but it !
probable that it would not be diflicul
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