The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-05-05
CONVICT COMPANIES CALLED.
GOV ATKINSON IMPOSES FINES
FOOTING UP $4,000.

Company No. Put Down for $3.50,
Company No. for $500 and
Company No. 3 for S1,25O-The Lat
ter ComDanS Fined for violation
of the Rule in Two CamDs-If the
Fines Are Not Paid the Leases Apt
10 BE Forfeited.
Atlanta. Ca. May 4-Gov. Atkinson to-
day announced his decision in the case
against the penitenuary lessees. impos-
ing fines upon the three companies aggre-
eating $3.50.
The governor has not yet ordered the re-
moval Of any Of the officials OF the lessee
companies who may have been deemed
guilty Of mismanagement and neglect, on
account of which the penalties were i'm
posed, because such Of these officials who
would probably have been dismissed in
disgrace, rendered their designations some
time ago and are therefore beyond the
effect Of the reprlmand.
In addition 10 the fines imposed the gov
ernor suggests to each one Of the COM
panies the possibility Of the cancellation
Of the lease contract as further penalty.
II this shall seem TO him advisable pend
ing the settlement Of the fines.
Under the decision all the fines must be
paid into the state treasury by July 15.
next II they have not been paid by this
time 1t is plainly the determination of the
governor to proceed with the cancellation
of such Of the lease contracts as have been
violated and are in default
While the evidence introduced al the
nearing, the decision reads. shows that
there have been such violations of the
lease contracts as might have authorized
40
contracts, or abolish certain camps ana
Nacate the lease contracts so far as they
apply 70 certain members and stOckhOld-
ets IN the three penitentiary companies,
II Is deemed to the best interests Of the
state TO hold In reserve these questions
Tor further orders IN this case"
Company No. l. which operates the
camp at Cole city, and OF which julius
brown Is president and receiver, Is the
panies Nos. @ "Gi and 5'f' 3 p99du bsd sIbIet 8ie
their convicts TO company No 1, and were
lined on account OF the mistreatment
these men received while IN the custody
of that company The legal right OF ne
government 10 hold one company respon-
sible for ill-treatment Of convicts assign
ed 10 it and then sublet to another Of the
companies, was one of the chief points OF
controversy in the investigation, which
lasted nearly month last February.
The imposition of the fines upon all three
of the companies because OF the bad man
agement at Cole City shows that the gov
ernor holds that the lessees are morally
and legally responsible for the ill-treat-
ment Of their men, whether the ill-treat-
meut was inflicted in their own camps
ir In the camps OF others to whom they
had farmed them out.
The fines are distributed between the
companies as follows. Company No. l.
$3.50; company No. 2, $780, company No 3.
I,2J0, the latter being on account OF vio-
lation of the rules toward convicts IN
both the Cole City camps and in the camps
Of James NJ. Smith.
Company No. / il now in the hands OF
a receiver, and is alleged to be insolvent.
This company has more convicts at work
than any OF the others. If any fail to
pay the penalties imposed by the time
specified Il is likely 10 be this company
which would mean the forfeiture OF It's
lease contract. In addition to the fines
imposed upon the lessees companies to-
day, Gov. Atkinson, several months ago,
imposed penalties amounting to 50, 200 upon
the three companies for escapes, maxi
ing a total Of $500 IN pelaties to which
they have been subjected by the state
within the past twelve months.