The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-06-10
GUARDsMEN TRUE TO THEIR EMPLOYER
Being in the Same Boat With the Au.
thOriiIeS, They of Course, DO Not
See that They Have Done Any
Wrong.
News and Courier,

News and Courier.
Official cOgnizance was taken by the board
Of Penitentiury directors to-day or a state
ment published in one of the Columbla pa
pers this morning. The following Is the rec
ord, which will explain itself:
COLuMBIA, >. Z. June 3, 1891.
10 the Board OF Observation-Disclosures In
answer TO your inquiry as to the correctness
OF statements made, as you say, in the State
by Il correspondent from Sumter in regard
to treatment of conviclS, have this To say ::
AS far as am concerned, from what you say
OF said correspondent his Statements are pos
iLively false, but would not ask that you in
veStgate the matter fully and satisfy your
selves us to the truth of II. Respectfully,
W. J. Tnlbert, Superintendent.
In view Of the fact that an article appeared
IN this morning paper that the convlcts en-
route from the railroad camp TO Columbia
were crnclly treated, etc., we, at our meeting
to-day, have Investigated the matter and en-
amincd the convicts themselves who landed
here last night and we find that the charges
were altogether unfounded. The convlcis
show to their having had good treatment
and have bcen we'll fed.
We call attention also to the statement OF
Capt W.!ercr, cOrrOboratlve by certificate OF
guards, published to-day, with report of Capt
Sigh,
ined III 40 Ks and ACCOUNTS OF the inStitu-
ton z. n'raliy, ana we are perfectly salts
fled w::E tn: infringement of the supern-
tcndcn: >I far. +. j. Cunningham,
Chairman II. ID. >. y. i.
COLUMBIA, =. c., June 3, 1891.
To the !innn!a5ie Board OF DircctorS-Gen-
tlemen: ~ the request OF the Board desire
tomakc; Statement in regard TO this matter,
of cOnvic;s hcing mistrcated, &c., on the way
from the ri:i :iirold camp TO Columbia.
In regard TO tho convict that died ON tho
road hUm Pee dee t0 Darlington ] wish TO
say that under the circumstances, being un-
able to stop to attend to 1t myself turned
him oyer 10 an old reliable cololed man to be
pfi.I tn M La
box, in which 10 bury him, OF course rrce!v.
ing u just compensation for the same.
therefore, pronounce the statement llat
he was buried in blanket false, according
To the agreement made for his burial; and
can iruthfully Say that II was not from IL lack
OF attention that hc died, for hc had been In
the hospital under Il physician for about i've
weeks, receiving good attention all the while,
anu Tic lElralyllc has been III the hospital Tor
about two months.
Now rs to their clothing. They were clad
very com mfOrtably, about as well as could he
expected OF parcel OF hands who had been
1T woi k on Il railroad. The majority of them
were barei"oted. but ! thought IT. best to
before We expected to bc there.
Then, too, about their being at the point OF
starvation. When lett the camp with them
l had sufficient quantity ui rati0hS cooked
To last them (without any unnecessary de-
lay until they could get to Columbia; but,
owing TO Il failure 10 make connection at
HulitcT, us we 1ully eHpccle'i Lo no, acColuiuS
TO the arrangements previously made with
the railroad authorities 10 that effect. we
were left without anything To- eat. the At
ihntic Coast Line train having pulled out
ern rolled up, IL being about seven or eight
hundred yards from the crossing OF The
charleston, Sumter and Northern, thus de-
laying our arrival at Columbia from Sumter
I'LL III o'clock.
/ can vouch for their treatment ut the
camps, they have all the while been well, well
leu und well treated In general, ana tlat lney
nave received no unnecessary abuse, anu thaI
we have worked no sick hands, all or
thom having been during their sickness In
The hospital, where they have received all
necessary attentions.
G. f.. Wheeler,
Manager Convict Camps.