The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1894-01-03
NAKED, HUNGRY, COLD.
STATES CONvICTs IN A MISERABLE
CONDITION.
The Committees Report shows Lament
able State of affairs Looking
Glass Article

to the miserable condition of the convicts
at the several camps throus hout Georgil !.
AS shown in the reportoflhe penitentiary
committee.
W Misery, want, immortality, inhuman
treatment, and physical suffering is the
part of the states prisoners.
The Looking Glass, published in At
4nta, in an article showing the true con-
dition of these human beings, says
''The report submitted to tie senate
by the committee appointed to inspect
the condition of the convict camps of
the state was more deeply interesting
reading between the lines than other
wise. The generalizing AID attempted
CLOSING over Of facts was decided fail
ure, and it does not require seventh
son OF seventh son, nor the divine gift
second sight to understand the true
f, import of the report.
I'm plain English it means that the
condition of the convicts is incxcusable
1T means that ten years sentence at
hard labor means death, or if the convict
lives to be discharged he leaves the camp
phys cal wreck; it means that the
essees who pay the state less than 81
5dr for each convict make in certain in
stances over 1000 per cent. on the bar
gain by sub-easing. Naturally the sub
!essee endeavors TO get even by extract
ing the utmost limit of labor from the
poor wretch and treats him incidentally
worse than the poorest farmer does his
cattle.
''For instance, the committee saws:
We found tue camp at Cole City in good
sanitary condition. The convicts are
well fed, but we do not believe they are
furnished with sufficient clothing.
THE real facts show the report to be
but half right, if it be that. The state
ment that the convicts are insuficently
clothed fails to express the true condi-
tion. The truth is that the convicts are
wore last July and August. From sun-up
until shutdown they are forced to work
in mines which are damp and the atmos-
phere of which is laden with the germs
of consumption and pneumonia. The
mines are not drained at all, and it is
not uncommon for the men to work in
the water to their knees. Let the hu-
name reader ponder for moment on
this kird of laDOr performed in a cotton
shirt and pair of cotton trousers, AMI
he will be able to fairly realize what
Suffering exists in these subterranean
Shambles.
FFhe roof of the tunnels are not bridG-
ed, and there are today number of m2n
in the convict hospital suffering either
from total or partial paralysis caused by
falling slate, which with proper bridge
works, at slight expense, would have
been averted.
''In other words, human life is of Sec
OndarY importance to sweating the last
penny out of the lease. If a private con-
tractor of free lab II endangered the lives
of his help in this fashion he would be
sent to prison himself. The convict con-
tractor is just as guilty morally.
CAT Camp Pitts, in the turpentine dis
trict, the men are fed on fl lnks and jowls,
which the committee considers an inferi
or kind of meat. BUTTS as the pieces
are Familiarity called, are portions cut
from a carcass during the trimming pro-
cess. 1t is refuse hardly fit for soap,
much less for human beings.
"AtKramer camp the convicts were
found shivering at their work in the same
apparel worn, during the sweltering sum-
mer months When questioned as to
the why's and whereforeS, the principal
keeper shows bill of lading for the win
Ger clothing which was 'on the way
4 Possibly this humane keeper thought it
4 would be perpetual summer at Kramer"
Speaking of the female convicls, the
81 article says: "*
n Theoretically these women are sent
Il to prison to be reformed. Their moral
status when they emerge from such
den may be imagined Occasionally
q girl of some comelineSs has been taken
to the camp This was the case with
klice White, much talked of prisoner
eom Chatham county, and what she
suffered cannot be decently told in print.
4 This, please to remember, is among a
2 civilized comm unity and in the MIN
q teenth century.
CAT tho Chafta hnOchaa camnS The