The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-01-31

punishment. II has always been customary
! to whip convicts, if it is necessary While
witness was chief there had never been any
/ whipping done without his orders, and when
he was not present. He had heard talk
about town which connected Schuman IN
/ a bad way with female convctS didn take
/ any stock in it; 1t generally came from
! parties who had been guards; thought he
had heard Daniels mention it. Consider
! Schuman a wild man when he Is drunk,
/ Know of no particular occasion when he got
into trouble in the city: had heard from a
! comrade on the force that Schumnnn had
had a racket a short time ago at Dieter 5
store He knew Of no gauntlet running
at the camp.
George r. Wheeock, quartermaster OF
! the camp. was sworn Had been connected
with gang four years, under Schunah,
/ with the exception of short time when
/ Goeble wa, chief since witness had been
there Schumans conduct had been
! humane. Had seen Schunan drunk. II
! was at night when he would come INTO the
/ camp after a visit to the city. Never knew
! Schuman TO punish prisoners when drunk.
! He got his liquor away from the camp.
News Kept liquor in camp Witness
! knew of no convicJs being punish
/ ed severely. Have heard Of i'm
moral conduct between Schuman
and "Chucky" Bacon. Daniels told
| him of IT, tut he paid no attention to 1t;
! thought "Chucky" Bacon had a little white
blood IN her She had a baby il the camp;
she was in the camp two o. three months
before the baby was born. Don't know
how long "Chucky' had been Off the gang
when she was brought back this time.
Didn't know whether he heard the reports
connecting Schuman with the woman be-
fore or after the birth of the child. Schu-
man was strict with the con-
yicts Never saw any familiar con
duct between Schuman and the fe-
male prisoners He had no favoriteS among
them. Had seen convicts gambling for
tobacco, and sometimes small change had
seen the stakes as low as n chew of tobacco;
saw money up once when Mr.. Dorsett
visited the camp; never knew of 1t after
ward.
Commissioner Dorsett-Did you never re-
ceive orders to stop the gamblings
Witness-Ne did not.
Commissioner DOrsett-ln justice to the
board, | will state that an order was passed
by it to stop the gambling.
The witness resumed by stating that no
! orders had been sent out to his knowledge.
Commissioner Lawton-Was there any
whipping of convcts when Goebel was in
charged
Witness-There was none.
Commissioner Lawtou-During this time
was there not playing off sick by the con-
| victs to avoid work.
Nitness-There was. At one time there
were fifty-eight at work and filty-two in
| camp Schuman kept prisoners out of
| work in water when their feet were sore.
| Didn't know the cause of Schuman's rcsig
nation: it was written off III town, and wit
ness never heard of it until after Schuman
resigned Saw the negro Frank Brown,
who was shot by King. He was treated i'll
the camp He lived near the camp, and
would come over frequently TO be treated
when the physician was there.
Commissioner Estill-Was the medicines
belonging to the camp used!
Nitness-A small portion of it, such as
carbolic acid and salves. Didn't report the
| occurrence to board. Didn't think the mat
ter concerned the chain-gang. King was off
duty when he shot the negro. 1t was done
| some time last July or August.
Commissioner Walker-SOmewhere about
| watermelon time!
! Witness-Ye sir
Witness to Solicitor duBgnon-Know
Charles Houston, who escaped and was
| brought back His punishment took place
at the other camp. Don't know of any
gauntlet running. Heard of its being done
| in other camp. The man shot by King
was allowed TO remain III camp some time
| and did some light work, such as running
| errands. He was not wounded much; did
not lay abed an hour. He was fed on the
| leavings from the food of the guards and
! prisoners The rule is to allow visitors only
on Sunday Never knew of visitors play
ing cards with conyicts.
Col w. j. VIM, formerly county en-
gineer was sworn. His duties as such III
| volved many visits to the convict camp, and
he had visited the work since from curiosity.
Had never seen any acts of inhumanity by
Schumau. He thought him an unusually
| good dlSciplinarian. Had visited the camp
when Baughu, Gus Friend and Schuman
were in charge, and thought Schu-
man'S discipline was far better
than the others; had seen convict camps in
Louisiana and North Georgia and never
saw any better managed than this one; his
visits were to the works and not to the
camps; had no opportunity of judging of
the conduct of the camp; on the works his
duties often kept him IA day at a time
Schuman was always at his post; he was
thoroughly competent of carving on work
directed 10y engineers; saw the whipping OF
a convict once on the works; it was done by
guard, with switch.
II. Buntz sworn-Am commissary at the
camp; went there July 10. Schuman was
chief Thought well of Schumans gen
eral conduct TO prisoners Never saw any
cruelty. Had seen Schuman punish con
victs with strap and switch. The STRAP
was used in the camps and a switch on the
works. The whipping was over clothes, and
was seldom more than two or three Hicks.
Prisoners were punished because they
wouldn't work. They were never strung
up Sometimes a prisoner would be called
on to hold fellows hand while being pun.
ished, to keep the strap from cutting his
hands Witness had never seen Schumann
on the works drunk Had seen him come
to the camp drunk several times
didn't know where he had been to get
LIQUOR. He was not noisy and
did not interfere with the guards
when drunk. On these occasions
he would visit the guards as was his regu-
lar custom. Had seen prisoners gamble
Schuman stopped it some time ago
Guards were ordered to stop the gambling,
but it had been done since. Knew nothing
of Schuman and the female prisoners. The
females were treated we'll. Never noticed
any favoritism on the part OF Schuman
toward any particular prisoner Knows
"Chucky" Bacon. She is in the camp now
Have never heard of any improper rela
: tions between Schuman and "Chuckv'
Bacon. Females are kept in a separate
house.
Commissioner Estill--Don't Schuman q
of on his DRINKS two or three days at
time.
WitnesS-He was Off one time four or Ave
days We heard he had gone of to hunt
Stokes, who was a prisoner and had escaped
He was captured, but don'tthink Schumar