The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-03-31
SPECIAL PREsENPMENT
By the Grand Jury OF the City Court
Of Savannah.

By the Grand Jury OF the City Court
of Savannah.
To the City Court of Savannah: In the
matter of the alleged ill-trcatment of
George Bunge while serving out q SEN
tence of three months in convict camp No.
/, the grand jury Of the city court Of Sa-
vaunah have carefully examined a large
number Of witnesses. These consisted of
county officials having general charge Of
the conyiets, the physician in charge,
captain Of the camp, quartermaster,
guards, ex-guards and ex-conyicts.
The investigation took a wide range,
and every eIort was made TO get at the
facts, relating not only TO this case, but
to the general management of the con
yicts.
We are satisfied that the arrest and
conviction Of BgnEe We're regular and IN
accordance with die law, and that the in
variable rale of the court in providing an
interpreter for those unable TO speak
English was not deyiated from in this
case.
We find that Mr.. Buuge, though or not
robust physique, was pat 10 work shovel
lur and wheeling dl.t. cleaning bitches.
etc. that the latter WORK proving too
| heavy for him, at his own request he was
put ON the tor of the bank; that in the
course OF his work, when his movements
did not suit the guard, he was whipped
with ''rlw hide" over his clothes. re
ceitiu- from zen to twenty-five stripes,
and that this occurred at least twice.
We md that Bmge claims that il was
necessary 20 trade mis- watch ga cheap
silver one, put an helroom) to secure ac-
ccplible food The condition Of his feet,
when examined by US on the 10Th inst,
was such AS, in our Judgment, would in
cdpactate him from work. This was not
SO much from the abrasion Of the skin by
the shackle5, as II was, apparently, very
Dad sores caused probably from working
in the water. His feet were in Il terri ole
condition ana required Immediate atten-
ton. All OK the guards testified that they
had known nothiue OF this, and that no
application was made by him for admit
tance TO The hospital, although Bunge
teshhes TO the contrary. one of the
guards thought him able o work even in
that condition. The captain said he
would have sent him to the hospital if
complaint had been made. His lack Of
knowledge Of English may have been the
cause of this failure 70 make himself UNI
derstood, IN charity we hope this may be
the truth.
While recognizing the fact that proper
discipline must be maintained IN the
camps, we condemn the promiscuous whip
ping which is practiced in this county.
We are estOpped by the law from adopt
ing any other course than the expression
in most emphatic terms of our COndemna-
ton. The law Of 1891 allows any guard.
uperintendcnt, or manager, in the failure
of the authorities TO appoint
| whipping boss, - to whip a prisoner
This authority is not limited but
any offense, real or imaginary, can be
punished in this way There is no report
or record required, no limitas TO the mum
Der of stripes or the instruments to be
| used. Such dangerous latitude must lead
TO abuses Of power, and we are surprised
that trouble OF even grayer nature than
this mas not grown out of the practice
The remedy is the appointment by the
commissioners of whipping boss, 10
be governed by proper estrjctiOns
We regret that no other course is left
open to us in his matter than to express
our disapproval and condemnario OF the
suffering and indignities unnecessarily
| put upon this young an, wuose misfor-
| tunes OF trIeudlesSneSS, inability 10 speak
| our language and to perform the tasks
! assigned him, should have appealed to
/ the humanity of those Who had the
! authority over him.
! Ia the matter Of the rati0ns allowed by
| the rules of the camps, we believe them
! to be sufficient in quantity if properly
| prepared, equally distributed and OF good
| quality.
Itappears that at the request Of Mr..
! Bunge, the quartermas -er OF the camp
| wrote to a friend in New jersey, who
sent him sum more than Su1cieut TO
/ pay the fine of so. This reached him
! after he had served Two mon hs. lie
/ elected 10 pay the fine, rather than CON
/ tinue another month in camp. IhCre is
! no authority or law 10y which any portion
of this tine could he remittei The whole
| must be paid, or the full term served, I'M
| less partOned by the governor.
The grand jury recommend that the
whole of this fine be refunded to Mr.
Buuge to assist him in paying the medi-
cal bills made necessary by the condition
| OF his feet
We further recommend that greater
care be exercised in the ASSIGNMENT Of
! work and the general II atment of pris-
oners, that Justice may be tempered with
mercy.
We recommend that this special pre-
sentiment be published in the MoRNING
News and Press.
Those matters, growing out of this in
/ vestigation, to wAich We desire to ask The
special att nton Of the county commits
sioners, Will be treated of in our general
/ presentment. Respectfully submitted,
{. II. DORsETT, Foreman,
{. Is. STlLLWELL,
! ORION tBIERSON,
G. A. GREGORY,
@. A. WHITEHEAD,
WILLIAM j. MARSHALL,
JoHN LYONS,
JOHN DERsT,
Is. G. THOMPSON,
IT, N. THEUs,
w. A. WALKER,
s. NROUsKOFF.
JOHN @. BUTLER,
A. u. FAwCErT,
B. NJ. DEMERE,
w. @. MoRRELL,
T. S. willy,
II. Y. CHATEAU,
JOsEPH T. FULTON,