The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-06-11
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WEEKLY 2-TIAES-A-WEEKS 81 A YE1AE
CRUELTY TO THE C0NvIcTS.
THE GOVERNOR INVESTIGATES
THE KRAMER CASE.

The Fact That Three of the Prison.
crs We're Subjected 20 Inhuman
Treatment Clearly PrOven-Lessee
Lowe Denies the Responsibility OF
the Lcssees for the Acts of the
whipping BOSSES and Tries TO
Throw It ON the state.
Atlanta. Ca. June 10.-The Investigation
into the alleged brutal whipping Of the
three couvlcts VIII Williams. Marshall
Robertson ami Joe Peterson at Camp Kra-
mer ia Wilcox county. was taken up be-
fore Gov. Atkinson this morning. The
governor reserved his decision. but said
enough at the conclusion OF the hearing
20 warrant the inference that he VIII I'M
pose fine for the whipping OF the men.
The hearing was q short one. lasting only
about an hour. The state was represented
10y Attorney General Terrell, President W.
B. Lowe OF Company No. @ and @. "
Gress. sub-lessee Of the convicts at Camp
Kramer. presented their own side OF the
case.
on May %, the governor issued al order
Tor The lesseos to appear before him and
show cause why the convicts under their
charge should not be taken away from
them and their lease cancelled. The order
was issued upon the report of Mr. Turner
the principal keeper OF the penitenfiarv'
VINO found that about three weeks before
tne issue Of the order three cOnvicts win
w .illams, Marshall Robertson and Ike
Letefaon, had been cruelty beaten by n
n; 53or [r'e9; e. {he whipping boss at Camp kra-
iinet Ihls morning Mr.. Turner repeated
M the investigation what he had said In
NE report He found that the three con-
Nlcts mad been whipped in his opinion en-
tWely TOO severely, that they had large
busters and sores on their backs and were
enltely unhl Tor any work after the whip
NrfF ffTf.
mad been punished simply for insurbordl-
nation ana he hardly considered the pun-
,5hment inflicted consistent with the Of
The convlcts themselves we're not pres
T. j. Price the offending WHINING boss
who has been dismissed, submitted a
statement declaring that the bruising of
Two OF the convicts, Williams and Rob-
ettson, was accidental and that Peterson
had lacerated his flesh himself i'm order
10 even up with the whipping boss by
bringing on the investigation.
Dr Bush, the principal physician Of the
penltehuary, submitted a statement show
ing that the men had been so badly whin-
pptea that they had TO be sent to the hos
pltaL unable TO work
Dr. Powell, the camp physician. went
upon the stand and cOrroborated Or Bush
and ,,i, MT, Mr; turner as to the condition Of the
Williams one OF the whipped men. was
an epileptc and was beaten because OF an
attgack a y. ne made on DIR. Powell while in
President W. b. Lowe Of Companv No
Ilaue bfief statement that drew out
some sharp comment from Gov Atkinson
Mr.. Lowe maintained that the lesaees bad
nothing 10 do with the acts of the whip-
ping bosses, as they were the agents of
lne Ftate, ana had a right TO whip a con-
yict at any time for breaking the laws
lald down by the state for their govern
maeht' Under tho law governing
me lessees were. not responsible for the
act5 aot on me whipping bosses. and had
the agents Of the state. IL the whipping
BOSSES saw ht to whip every man in the
camp, and whip them so severely thar
they should be laid I'D for ninety davs
and the mill should stop in consequence
me lessees should consider that the state
had damaged them, through the acts OF
ats agents the whipping boss instead ~
the lessees being liable to the state.
Attorney Terrell replied to Mr.. Lowe,
saying that Gov. Gordon had ruled on
this point and had imposed a fine on
the iessee5 Tor the cruel treatment prac-
tieed by their whipping bosses.
GOV. Atkinson agreed with the attorney
general that 1t was well established that
me whipping bosses were employees OF
spons'Dle Tor their acts. II never dreamed
for moment" said the governor. Hthat
there, was lessee who did not think il
was his duty to look after the convictS
under his care, and see that
they were being humanely treated
by the whipping bosses. 1 want these con-
Victs TO feel that they must be confined
to hard labor and that they are IN fhe
penltentiary to be punished and All the
same time / want them to feel at All
times that they win be treated in a hu-
name manner. / want to emphasize this
fact that II Is the duty OF the lessees 10
look after the convicts and see they are
treated humanely. II appears these gem
tlemen have not 50 regarded It, and look
ing on the whipping boss as an agent OF
the state, have allowed him to have his
own way"
Gov. Atkinson said that the lessees
should issue orders that no convict should
be whipped unless the camp physician
was present to see the punishment prop
erly inflicted.
mAnNann nnrrc nrnmon