The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-04-28
UNCLEAN CONVICT CAMPS.
The City Court Grand Jury Recon-
meldS Some Improvements.

1t Gave the Convict System a Thor
ough Examination, and is Convinced
That Some Changes Should Be
Made-Better Food Should Be Given
the Prisoners-A Change in the
Method of Whipping Strongly Advo-
Gated.
The grand Jury Of the city court made
/ its general presentments yesterday after
noon and adjourned for the term.
Much interest has centered in the work
of this grand jury on account Of the fact
that it had before it the investigation of
the Bunge case, which involved the
methods Of treatment Of convicts at the
county camps.
Indeed, the subject Of the chain-gang
and the canvict camps is the principle
matter discussed in the report. Several
unimportant recommendations we're made
with regard to the county Jail, and the
clerks of the courts officers were all COM
! plimented on the correct and systematic
manner in which their books and offices
are kept Attention was called to the
/ fact that the windows on the west side
of the jail are in bad condition, which al
lows rain TO come in, making it uncom-
| Portable for the occupants.
CoNvICTs AND CONVICT CAMPS.
The presentments refer to the fact that
! the chain-gang has become one of the in
stitutions of the county, and that the men
are required to perform labOrious ana IA
! tiguing work.
! The grand jurors do not overlook the
! fact that they are criminals and are to be
treated as such, but still it is considered
| that they have their rights The labor
! required Of the men, say the grand jurors,
requires wholesome food in order that
they may have sufficient strength to
| do it.
The grand jurors visited all the camps
| and inspected the condition of the con-
| victs at all of them. The bulk of the con-
Yicts were found at Camp No. l, on the
county land. This is the only permanent
! barracks in the county, and was built for
/ the purpose some five or six years ago.
! The presentments say the arrangements
are fair, IL better attention was given to
| certain details.
THE BEDS AND THE MEN ARE FILTHY.
The supply of water is small, while the
| quality is good, but the pump is de-
! fective. The presentments then go on to
! say
THE convicts and their beds are filthy,
and there seems to be no regulations for
enforcing cleanliness. If one-fourth of
the convicts desired to wash themselves
after the days work it could not be done
without taking up good part of the
night. The bedtick and the contents,
| which was once rice straw, are in very
filthy condition"
The grand jurors, it seems found what
they considered a better condition of
| things at the camp at Sackville The ar
rangements for the care and comfort of
| the men are reported to be much better
there
| IN AN UNSATISFACTORY CONDITION.
"The camp near Southover" say the
grand jurors, 1--WE found In a very unsat-
isfactory condition. The bedding was
filthy, the tents dIlapidated, no projection
| from the weather for cooking arrange
ments, prisoners crowded together and
absolutely no attention paid to sanitary
| conditions
The grand jurors further say no green
| vegetables are furnished the convicts,
and that they get nothing but dried
peas; that change once a week at this
| time of the year to green vegetables
would be very desirable for the health of
the prisoners, and that their investiga-
tions have confirmed their belief that
other regulations should be adopted for
whipping convicts.
WHIPPING NOT DONE RIGHT.
II is not believed that it is safe or hu-
name to give the power to every guard
In this respect the grand jurors do not
believe that the camps would be passed
by the state inspector in the matter
of cleanliness if they were subject to
his inspection. Eve incline to the be-
lief" say the grand jurors, that better
care is taken of the state convicts under
the rules laid down by the state, than our
own conyicts receive whose punishment
is for misdemeanors, while those Of the
state are punished for worse crimes in
the calendar
The thanks of the grand jurors were
rendered the court and the solicitor gen
eral for their able assistance in the work
before them Judge MacDonell thanked
the jury in discharging it for the faithful,
careful attention it had given tojthe work
required of its members
FURTHER INVESTIGATION.
The grand jury of the superior court is
making an investigation of the convict
camps, and it is likely will give the mat
ter careful consideration in making up it's
presentments.
The condition of affairs at the camps as
described by the grand jury was very
mildly put to those who have visited some
of the camps recently and have seen the
way in which the convicts are cared for
II is probable that a conference will he
I
to aiding in securing a reform in the
management of the convict system. The
filthy condition of the convicts and of the
sleeping quarters of two of the
three camps now occupied
demands immediate attention the grand
jury believes.
THE FOOD QUESTION.
One of the matters to which the grand
jury gave some time was the matter of
food, But one camp has been supplied
with vegetables from the poor farm
There has been apparently no reason why
the other camps should not have
been supplied The arrangement of the
camp near Southover junction is primitive
The tents under which the guards and
convicts are sheltered are old and dirty
The sleeping quarters are filthy and over
crowded eighteen men sleeping in a
tent not large enough for a dozen to sleep
in comfortably. The cooking is done in
the open air and in wet weather the food
which is not the best at any time, is
lily prepared. The convlcts stand
in fear of the guards and even
the TRUSTEES when found alone, and where
they are not under the eyes of the guards.
are afraid to talk. 1t is evident to the
grand jurors and others who have given
any notice TO the convict camps that
there is room for a reform in their con