The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-05-16
IN A CONVICT CAMP.
Visiting Day With the Chain-gang-l
Peep into the Quarters.

Visiting Day With the Chain-gang-A
Peep into the Quarters.
The victims Of judicial wrath were en-
joying themselves to the limit of the
chains that encircled their legs day or two
ago when a MORNING News reporter
visited Capt. Allan's convict camp in the
Schley woods, just opposite Minis
| swamp.
The camp contains sixty-two colored
male prisoners, and is in a cool and secluded
spot in the woods. To a person unac-
Quainted with the manner Of keeping petty
| offenders visit to a chain-gang camp Is a
novel experience. Tho present camp Is not
stationary. The shelter consists of long
canvas-covered tent with a wooden
| platform running parallel to
the sides of the tent the entire length of it.
| Upon the platform is stretched single
/ double-folding blanket which serves as a bed
| FOR the prisoners. The guards watching
place is a small wooden structure directly in
| front of the main door of the prisoners
tent Two other small-szed tents were
used by the guards aud overseer of the camp
| as sleeping quarters.
The prisoners quarters. although they are
in close proximity to each other, have every
| facility for ventilation IN the way OF side
screens to keep out the rain and hot rays of
the sun
The wooden platform upon which the men
| sleep is about twenty-four inches from the
ground, and the camp is drained by mar
| row ditch. pump has been placed at the
camp close to the prisoners quarters.
The convicts, despite the fact that
they are in chains, and some
of them are 10th to stay there
for many months, manage to make
Sunday day of enjoyment, if it can be
called such. A number of the convicts
haxr l.-.k 4 A.
good advantage whenever a singing bee'
takes place.
Capt. Aliens camp has four guards in the
| day time, when the men are at work in the
swamp, and one at night. The prisoners
were kept at the camp In Yamacraw woods
where fence has been erected and
number Of stationary houses built, but only
| the meals for the camp are prepared
at that place now and are carried to the
present camp. A colorei female convict
does the cooking. Breakfast is had at 4:30
O'Clock in the morning, dinner at
IL O'Clock noon and supper at
$3.50 at night The menu is not
an elaborate one, but if it is sufficient for
the guards it is certainly elaborate enough
for the convicts. Green peas, molasses, and
"hominy" play prominent part in the
roll of eatables. Pound cake. ice cream,
bon bons, and other delicacies are not kept
in the camp stewards stock The men put
on clean suits every Sunday, and battle once
week. Religious services are held
at the camp every second
Sunday, when local colored preacher and
sometimes white preacher visits the con-
victs.
There are four TRUSTEES in Capt. Aliens
camp. One of the TRUSTEES" has no
chain attached to him. The TRUSTEES are
usually the men whose terms have about
expired, or those who have given no trouble
TO the men at the camp.
When the.NEwS reporter approached the
camp "trusty" was pacing up and down
path about 100 feet from the camp attired
in the regulation stars and stripes, putting
away at pipe about the color of his face.
"Can go ingn
"Yes, sab" answered the s'trusty" with
look of surprise on his countenance. The
"trusty" was not bad looking negro Most
all Of the prisoners are inveterate gamblers,
and where they have not the regular
stock of ''pasteboards' on hand they
make substitute of almost anything.
The craze for betting is almost beyond
control. and they will risk chances on
anything. Every Sunday a plug of
tobacco is given each convict, which is ex-
pected to last for the week, but before
Monday morning some of the convicts are
compelled to beg ''chewn from the others,
having lost their plug in betting.
Everything that is brought by relatives
or friends for the convicts is inspected, and
| not even piece of wire is allowed to re-
main in the possession of q convict The
chains are placed on the men, however. in
| such manner that it would be a pretty
difficult matter to get them off. The chains
put on the men, when not secured to the
main chain, will not allow them to run.
Guard Miller, who acts as CAPTAIN in the
absence of Capt. Allen, sat in a chair di-
rectly in front of the long canvas tent, with
double-barreled shotgun lying across his
| knees. The rest of the guards were loung-
| ing around in close proximity, with revolv-
ers buckled to the belts at their waists
"De niggers amt 'fraid of d'law,n said q
"trusty," "but dey's pow'ful scared of buck
shot,
| One of the most important personages at
| the camp is a well-sized, sleek-looking blood
| hound from Senator Browns coal mines
| The animal is well trained, and, Judging
| from his actions at the camp he is very
much averse to making friends with the
| prisoners.
One of the TRUSTEES" remarked, dat dog
kin run any niger down an make 'em
| climb tree coon fashion,"
| Sunday is visitors day" at the camp.
| and the colored population, and especially
the female portion, is generally well repre-
| sented.
The "best girl" of the convict. most often
| the cause of all his misery, usually comes to
| see him, accompanied by basket contain
| ing few delicacies. Those convicts not SO
| fortunate look on with envy, and when
they undergo tho torture Of witnessing the
| fortunate brother eagerly devouring "city
bread" and gravy and rice" they recall
the time when their liberty was unre-
strained and when they sat down in some
'buckra's" kitchen and ate good square
| meal,
RAINS AND THE CROPS.