The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-06-10
THE REPLY.
In support Of the Damaging state
ments ~ 10 the Treatment of Con-
YictS.
Tile State.

The State.
In addition to the piece published in the
Waterman and SOuthrOn In theState FRIDAY
the following written statements may help TO
purSuade the Board of Directors that there
was something wrong:
SUMTER, S. G.. June 4, 1901.
hereby certify that I visited the a. {: l..
depot on Tuesday while the squad oi cOnVlctS
were quartered there. and was strnct by the
filthy appearances Oi the whole lot. i ques
TONED the guards on the subject ana was
told that the convicts were allowed TO wash
and change their clothing once a week, nnd
that most Of them were now suffering from the
itch. | saw no cnangc of clothes nor any
sign Of baggage for them, ana ~ far ms
could see there was not Il decent pair or shoes
I'm the gang. Most of the prisoners were bare
footed. | was begged by them for money
with which to buy something TO eat and
was told that they had had no food furnished
them since before leaving Darlington.
X. L. Monaghan.
SUMTER, S. G., June S, 1891.
saw the squad Of nvicS quartered at A..
G. l.. Depot on Tuesday; The majority Of
them were filthy, ragged and barefootcd.
heard 1t stated by several persons at the de-
pot that the convicts had had nothing given
them to eat since s o'clock the night before.
1t was about midday when was there. These
statements were not denied by anyone.
did not see them cook anything while here.
There was some three or four trunks be ons-
Ing 10 the party in front of the depot: wheth.
don't knnw. There were three or four sacks
OF meal shipped along with the trunks.
{. NJ. Brand,
Agent a. c. l.. Depot.
testify to the truthfulncss of Mr.. c. NJ.
Brands statements, having seen the condl-
tion OF the conylcts. w. w. McCagen,
Employee A. e. L. Depot.
SUMTER, June 5, 1901.
was down at 4. G. l.. depot on Tuesday
and saw the convicts quartered there 10
| lnflf ff,ntF n
ragged condition. The -pantaloons of many
were so worn and ragged as to be Indecent for
| men to wear. j. II. Doughcrty.
SUMTER, S. c., June >, 1891,
| I was ut the A. G l.. depot on Tuesday and
saw the squad OF convicis quartercd there.
To my certain knowledge they were In rag.
ged and filthy condition and In my Judgment
| the appearance they presented was a disgrace
to the State and to the official in charge.
III. Schwcriin.
SUMTER, s. c., June 5, 1871.
| was Mt A. c. l.. depot on Tuesday and saw
| the convictS quartered there. They were In Il
ragged and filthy condition. The clothing OF
some OF The men was In such u state that |
did not consider them uhe wearers) in fit
condition TO be where decent citizens could
look at them. Joseph n. Alphonse.
SUMTER, S. c., June ), 1891.
was at 4, C.. l. depot on Tuesday and saw
the conycts quartered there under n shed
They were ragged and dirty. Their clothes
were not decent for them 10 be seen in. The
men complained Of hunger and said they had
had but one meal since they had left camp
the day before and that they had walked
twenty miles. gave 81 cents and Mr.. r. ii:
Baker gave 81 and they sent UP town and
bought thirty-fOur loaves OF bread. willch we
divided between them. / was told one man
died on the road to Darlington. l saw one OF
the men with drorsy. lie was IN Il Terrible
condition. was told he cooked for the gang.
A. II. Weeks,
Chief or Police.
SUMTER, s. c., June s. 1891.
heard that the couvlcts were at the y. C..
l.. depot and went TO see them; They were
dirty. ragged and filthy and barefooted.
They begged inc for something to eat, and
said they hah had nothing since the night be.
fore in Darlington. One man hid five cents
and another 10, and they begged me to take
the money and get some food for th en-. This
was about p. nj. came back to my house
and cooked some rice and bread and fried
some meat for them. The c0nyicts did not
cook anything while here. \ good many of
the colorcd people cooked victuals and carried
down In the evening for them TO cat when
they heard they had nothing.
Annie Keen, colored.