The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-01-31
GETTING At THE FACTS.
THE COUNTY CHANGING IN
VESTIGATION BEGUN.

Rack-An Army OF Witnesses and
the Testimony They Gave-An Insight
Into the Convict Camps and How
They are Managed.
The special meeting of the County Com
missioneIs to investigate tn" management
of the convicts in the county camps
assembled at 10 O'Clock yesterday in the Of
fee of Phillip NJ Russell, Esq, Clerk of
the City Court There were present Com
missioners Walker chairman, Lawton,
Casey. Estill and Dorsett
Mr.. ]. r. SauS,y, County Solicitor, APP
peared as the legal adviser of the board to
conduct for them the questioning Of wit
nesses.
Commissioner Estill moved to take up
the matter Of the whipping of Collins, a
convict, by j. J. Brady, late Chief of the
Convict Guard.
Before the motion was put Commissioner
Casey moved to take up the Schuman case.
JpOu vote Commissioners EStill and
Dorset favored the Collins case and Com
missionerS Casey and LawtOn the Schuman
case. The chair, by the deciding vote, set
tied that the investigation of the Schuman
case should take precedence.
Solicitor General duBignon stated that
inasmuch as the Investigation concerned his
official duties, he desired permission. TO ask
witnesses questions as the investigated pro
ceeded.
The permission was granted
Hon. p. w. Meldrim said that he appeared
for Mr.. Schuman, who had heard that Ger
tain charges would be made against him.
Speaking for Mr.. Schuman, he would not
insist upon any formulation of charges, as
he would have a right to do in case he was
on regular trial He did not wish to APP
pear as an obstructionist, but would co
operate with the board in the investiga-
ton.
Dr.. T. B. Chisholm, the physician OF the
convict camp, was first sworn. SO far as his
personal knowledge went he could say moth
ing against SChumans management OF the
convict camp. He had not allowed convicts
to work when sick He had seen Sclnman
under the influence of liquor, had never
seen him beastiy drunk He was not rude
or boisterouS Never saw him so drunk he
could not attend to his business in camp.
Wheelock was a guard of the camp, and
was in charge at times. Had seen Schuman
in the city under the influence of liquor ut
could not specify the time. Suppose
it was about two months ago. He knew
that Schuman had gotten into some trouble
in the city once and that Dr. Read
and himself had given him surgical
time, but was under the influence of
stimulants. He had been told that
Schuman had been discharged from his
position for not attending to his business.
He had heard of a case OF shooting at the
camp: could not tell the circumstances con
nected with it. He had known that a man
was shot by a guard named King Ii was
not serious wound. King paid witness to
attend him; treated him in the convict
camp: did not know how he happened to be
brought into the camp. The wounded man
was not a convict.
do you know of any illicit intercourse
between Schuman and any of the female
convictSF be was asked.
II do not have not heard of any," he an
swered.
The Solicitor asked who the man was that
King shot The witness did not know. He
bad forgotten the name. 1t occurred last
fall; ne was a negro. He had delivered one
female convict in childbirth 1T was prema-
ture birth saw her while sick but made no
inquiries as to who was the father of tho
child 1t was last year; the woman's name
was Laura something. She was also called
'Chuckyn She had been in the gang seY-
eral times. The child was mulatto.
He had seen convicts gambling. had never
seen guards gambling Saw convicts play
ing cards one time last year; cannot specify
the time; could not say they were gambling !;
tneY were IN the prfSOn.
Commissioner Estill-Do you know any
thing OF convicts' running the gauntlet!
WItneSs-No. No other case OF cruelty
to convicts except Collins has come under
my treatment. Convict ONeil went to the
camp poor in health. He is well now he is
crippled in hand and foot he has been trea ed
as others. lie was whipped by Brady but
was not laid up. Scnuman was not in
charge OF gang when ONeil was whipped.
A. B. LaRoche, who lives near the camp,
was then sworn. He had been at camps
while Schuman was in charge, ana had
never seen any brutal treatment of prisoners.
Lived within 500 yards of camp and visited
II frequently on business or to chat Never
saw Schuman take drink. Had seen him
at times exhilarated. but could not say he
was drunk. 1t was said at the camp
that Schuman was sterner in his
management when he was under
the influence of liquor: he knew of no laxitv
of discipline. knew OF nothing immoral, but
had little opportunity 10 find out Could
hear prisoners laugh or halloo when whipped.
He was glad when convict camp was moved
did not fear living there; the camp was
noisy, and as he was IN earshot, the general
hubbub disturbed him; think convictS were
allowed to gamble; could not say that be
had seen any cOnviCtS who were pregnant
Il. X. Daniels. formerly a guard, was
sworn and said he had been to convict camp
seldom recently. w hen he Went there II
was on a visit, was there while Schumann
was chief thought his discipline and human
ity was good enough; didn't think his moral
ity was good; saw him drunk ON several oc-
casions about the premises; he is turbulent
when drunk; witness would call him bad
man when he was under the influence OF
liquor the morality OF the camp was not
good; there was dallying with tine women
by the guards he thought was witness to
one act Of rehabilitation between Schumann
and Dora Bacon they did not sleep to-
gether; he knew of several cases of whip
ping.
In reply to Commissioner Estill: Never
saw prisoners whipped numerically; Schu-
man whipped mercifully in his opinion: had
had seen them put over a wheelbarrow
hey were held down by their
hands and legs they were whipped by the
chief or the guards in his absence: when
ever one guard was whipping a convict un,
mercifully he was generally stopped by the
other guards; no particular number OF
blows for a convict TO receive when pun
ished was prescribed; never saw anybody
get as many as fifty blows Dora Bacon
was the mother of one child born in the
camp; it was still born; the matter was re
ported; Mr.. Casey knew il, and
/ think Col. Walker did also: the woman
was seldom out Of the chain-gang, and it was
n short time after her second incarceration
that the child was born; saw the child could