The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-12-23
HANDLING CoNvICTs.
The Course OF The Appeal Receiver
Warm Approval. ~


From the Greenville Democrat
THE MEMPHIS APPEAL of last Saturday de-
voted nearly the whole of its front page to
an exposure of the condition of the eonyicts
atwork on the Louisville, New Orleans &
Texas Loop line in Bolivar county, II has
been known for some time that the wretched
creatures were. receiving treatment unfit for
human beings, and THE ArpEAL has done
well in calling the attention of the world to
such shocking state OF affairs. Last week,
| too, Railroad Commissioner McLaurin visited
the convict station and his report. while
justly generating the Louisville, New Or
leans & Texas Company, reflects severely
| upon the sergeant in charge, from whose
brutality several of the convicts have been
sad sufferers. This man has now been dis
charged, has been tried on charge OF
cruelty, sentenced to pay heavy fine and
| to be imprisoned for year. He was, at last
accounts, out on bail, pending an appeal.
SO far, so good; the convicts will not be fur
| Their subjected TO barbarites While on this
| question We desire TO call attention to some
| points in the management of convicts which
| seem to have escaped notice hitherto. The
| great trouble with railroads and Others who
use convict laber has been the placing of the
overseers. All that was necessary in the
shape Of clothing and food has been inyari-
ably provided by the company but whether
| these same supplies ever reached those for
| whom they were destined is quite another
| thing. No man requiring hard work
| from his horses or mules will neglect
| to feed them well or to provide for
them proper shelter and stable The
same rule has, unhappily, been ignored in
dealing with these human creatures, who, -
half starved, half clothed condition, have
| been set TO do labor TO which they were
| physically entirely unequal. Through the
| Ignorance of those in immediate authority
| over Them these convicts, with no previous
experience in railroad building, have been
expected 10 accomplish results which only
| familiarity with work of that kind
could enable them TO do without an
enormous oyer-eXpenditure of strength. In
| rallroading, especially, technical skill en-
ables comparatively weak man TO outlast
| his stronger but inexperienced coworker
| Again, the oyerseer should be thoroughly
| yersed in the art of handling men; he should
know exactly how many TO set at each job,
| and should, If they are lacking in expert
cnce, be able TO point out to them exactly
how to go about the work without need
| lessly wearing themselves out IL
| has been clearly shown that both on
the Ship Island road and in Bolivar
| county these conyicts were badly handled.
As consequence, they have often fallen
down helpless and exhausted, apparently
without reasonable causc-and their over
seets have been goaded on TO use violence
and brute force TO compel the poor creatures
10 complete task that nature had rendered
impossible TO them. We feel satisfied that
II more thought and attention were paid to
this matter OF honest treatment and proper
handling there would be far less heard Of
sickness and death, or of cruel treatment
among the conyicts