The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-12-19
MLAURIN'S REPORT.
The Bolivar County Convict Horror.
a Report Which Ia as Mild as a
Summer Breeze,
But Which. Notwithstanding It's
Conservatism,
Shows That Lomax Was an Unfit
Man to Manage
The State Prisoners and His Deposition
is Insisted upon--The L., N. o. 81
7. Railroad Commended for
Their Humanity.

Special Dispatch to Tho Appeal
JACKSON, Miss, Dec. lS-Thc Hon.
Walter Mclaurin, Railroad Commissioner
and eX.oilicio member Of the Board Of
Control OF the Mississippi Pentcntary,
who was recently deputcd 10y said board
to investigate certain alleged ill.trcatment
Of conyicts in Bolivar County, today made
the following report to the board:
Jackson, Miss December Il, 1883.
To the hoard OF Control OF the rcuitcnuary Of
Mlsl,sippi3
/, the undersigned member Of tho
Board OF Control, having been delegated
on December by said board to make an
inspection OF the convicts ut work on tho
Louisville, New Orleans q Texas Rail-
road, in Bolivar County, Miss, hereby
submit my report, which is IA follows I
left here on December 7, and arrived 40
the convict camp the next day at about 1
o'clock pm. examined the men on
December ., aud found sevcnty-two pris-
oncrs. Six Of them were in the hospital.
The camp had good physician, and tho
sick were well cared for. Tho men were
well fed, well clad and in good condition.
They all had good shoes, except three.
MIR. llulchins, Superintendent Of Road
Construction, said two Of these three had
shoes up 10 the night before; the other
one could not wear shoes, owing TO tho
fact that his foot was too large for No. ~,
the largest size in the camp. Mr., lutch-
ms furnished tho three men with shoes be-
fore | lett the camp. examined the
backs Of the conyicis aud found no marks
or evidence Of cruelty recently inflicted
except On one man. From the camps on
the morning Of the 9TH went up 10 Rose
dale and met Mcssrs. Sillcrs, Moore and
othurs, aud learned from them that Mr..
prcagroyc and Ne. Catchings had been ON
the works ON December .. ! saw Mr..
rrcssgroyc. mir. Catching was ont Of
town. Nj Pfcssgtoyc said that on
december he was on the WORKS.
lie saw Sergeant J. &. lOmax,
with a club, ko convict down and
Kick him w tNc side. so~etal Vartlva said
| that lomnx worked the men too hard. I
! invited scVcml OF the citzcns down 10 in
spoct the convicis. They met me nj tho
camp at 3 o'clock that evening We in
spcctcl the men aud found no evidence Of
recent cruel treatment except ON ona
man, inflicted by lomaN some four weeks
ago This was one mark, about one inch
hy two inches. We made all the men
bare their backs The conduct Of Scrgt.
l.omlN was very bad while the citizens
Wcrr at the camp. After the inspection Of
the men ! informed the citizens that |
would meet them In knsrlalc next motn-
iug. aud notified several NJ the citizens
that ! would want them Tor witnesses.
On nay way to RosUdnlc next morning
Mr. J. &. lluichns said ho would dis
charge lomnN that day, and that hc could
not work the conyiCts any longer while
they were ON the Louisville. New Orleans
q Texas Railroad. IomnN was discharged
on December luut Ruscdhlc. ! met Mcs-rs.
Oscar Mcclure, ~ Moore. Charles Hull,
Watt Sllrr and several leading citizens
anil informed them that l.OmaN would bo
discharged thai day That ended the in
ypaiigatuuR. Tor the citizens, Mr.. I'd
moore thanked mo ipr the prompt action
Ut the Board II Control IN sending me 10
investigate the matter and Tor my full lair
aud fearless investigation, and for the dis
charge ui a man VITO had seen ~ - treat
cunyicls in such n cruel aud inhuman
manner ! hereby recommend that this
board pass nn order that Jess l.omax
have NJ connection whatever with tho
conyicls In this State. Mr.. llutchins as-
sisted me- In many WAYS "a find out tho
mistrcatmcnt II the cunyicts. -Four con-
yIrla have died since the Louisville, New
Orleans 4 Texas Railroad has had them.
They took charge Of the scvcnty-nino
about October ~. one has escaped, ones
time has expired aud one has been taken
10 franklin County Court rs y witness.
WMtg MCLAuniN.