The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-02-16
CONVICT LIFE IN THE CAMPS.
MORE WITNESSES DENY THE TALES
OF CRUEL TREATMENT.

The Taking of Testimony Expected
to Continue Until the Latter Part
of the Week-The Lawyers on
Both sides Preparing for n Great
Battle in the Closing Arguments.
All the Witnesses of the Day Called
by the Lessees.
Atlanta, Ga. Feb. 15.-4ne convict in
vestigation to-day was pretty much like
yesterdays proceedings. the defense in
Producing number Of witnesses 10 refute
the charges Of acknowledgement and cruel
ty.
There will be no session Of the court
on Monday, and it is lot probable that
the case will be closed till the latter
part of next week.
The arguments 10 be. made on both sides
are expected to be the most interesting
part Of the investigation. The attorneys
for both the state and lessecs both have
a wide field for argument, and their man
ner in the examination Of witnesses, in
terspersed. as the proceedings have been,
with frequent suggestive sparring for
points indicates that they viii take fun
advantage Of il.
DR.. r. J. Battle camp physician at the
Barlow camp, was the first witness ex-
amined this morning. In regard 10 Prin-
cipal Physician Bush, DR.. Battle said that
the state official did not make careful eX-
aminations Of the men who complained,
but took their word for what
they said. DR.. Bush had testified that men
were not allowed to stop work when sick,
that they were not treated for proper COM
plants and that treatment was not given
as quickly as needed. DR.. Battle stated that
none OF these things were true. As Tor
broken arm that was not treated promptly
DR.. Battle stated that the arm was so bad
ly swollen that he could not bind IL. When
cross questioned DR.. Battle said that there
was no dispensary at the hospital nor any
instruments for use IN case Of accidents.
He kept medicine and instruments at his
home, four miles from the camp.
Col. Hammond produced a letter from DIR.
Battle 10 DR.. Bush which stated that some
of the men We're made to suffer on account
of the financial embarrassment OF the
Georgia Mining, Manufacturing and In
vestment Company. The letter was allow
ed to be put in as evidence.
DR.. Battle stated in explanation OF the
letter that he never allowed the financial
situation to interfere with the humane
treatment of the convicts who were I'M
we'll
DR.. O'Daniel principal physician of
the penitentiary from April l, 1891, 10
April TO- 1895, under Gov. Northens ad-
ministration, was introduced. He testified
that he had not found anything to con-
denim in the penitentiary while he was
principal physician. He thought the men
were treated humanely and well cared
for.
The next witness, T. J. Cooper, chief
usher at the Grand opera house, had made
a visit to the Cole City camp at one time
and found the men well treated by Capt
Cox. The captain mingled freely with the
men and seemed on excellent terms with
them.
DR.. ]. c. Brock, camp physician and
superintendent at Rising Fawn, stated
that many of the convicts tried to bet"
a new doctor, and probably had bet"
DR.. Bush. BY betting the doctor" the
convicts mean to stop work by playing off
sick The witness told Of the habit of
gambling for socks prevalent among the
convicts. His books were introduced in
evidence TO show the amount of food is
convicts for feigning sickness. In-regard
10 the form of punishment known as duck
ing, he said that DR.. Mcintosh, when prin-
cipal physician had recommended the
water treatment" to him, but he judged
from DR.. McIntosh's description of it. that
such punishment would be farce, and,
therefore, declined to adopt it. He thought
there was absolutely no danger in duck
ing, as practiced at the camps, provided
a mans head was not held. If mans
head was held it was possible to kill
man by drowning.
A. NJ. Luck, superintendent OF the Bar
tow camp since May, 1894 formerly
whipping boss, stated that some men
were whipped for being idle and some for
being lazy. When a man was charged with
idleness on the whipping book he was gen.
rally a good convict, who was idle at some
particular time. They charged convicts
with laziness when they were habitually
idle. The lazy were punished more Sc
verely than the idle.