The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-02-11
CARE OF THE STATE coNvIcTS.
THE CHARGE OF CRUEL TREAT
MENT UNDER INVESTIG ALTON.

MENT UNDER INNESTIG ALTON.
The Developments of the First Days
Session Rather Favorable to the
Lessees-DuckInE at Cole city the
Only Questionable Practice
brought out as Yet-Its Defenders
Claim IL il More Humane Than
whipping.
Atlanta Ca. Feb. 1o-The investigation
of the charges OF i'll treatment and mis-
management against the penitentiary les
sees made by the committees OF the last
legislature was begun before Gov. Akin
son to-day. As matter promising some
sensational disclosures. the opening OF the
investigation. preparations for which have
been in progress for some time about the
capitoI. was full Of interest but in point
of actual developments, il fell short OF
those expectations. The lesSees at the
close of the session undoubtedly had the
best Of the case, and although the state
may have some strong witnesses to pre-
sent for the purpose Of sustaining the re-
ports Of the legislative committee as the
investigation proceeds, IL is already evil
dent that it is going to be a difficult mat
ter to make out a legal case against the
penitentiary companies. If the lessces are
exonerated. the state penitentiary depart
ment will stand indicated or indorsed-
Principal Keeper Turner made the issue
with the legislative committees, taking
the position that the charges Of misman-
agerent were made with an Interior po-
htical purpose in view. If the charges
should be sustained, which, as stated at
the outset does not appear probable, the
onus will be on the other foot. and gen
eral shaking up in the penitentiary system
will doubtless be the result
The investigation has brought 10 town
a number of well known men who are
taking a good deal of interest IN H. Inc
galleries of the Senate chamber, Where
the high court is being held, were also well
filled to-day. in view of the sensational
character of the House committee report,
which made the horrors OF Georgia con-
Wet life equal to those OF the SIBERIAN
exiles described by George KEENAN,, the
public expecting to witness a thrilling eX-
pose of a state institution that Is not
often held up TO general view.
Gov Atkinson presided, with Attorney
General Terrell at his side, while the role
of prosecuting attorneys was assumed
by Col. n. J. Hammond and Judge w. =.
Adamson. under appointment of the gov
ernor. The lessees present were julius l..
Brown, president of penitentiary company
No ], w. 3. Lowe, president of peniten-
fiary company No. 2, and ]. w. English,
president of penitentiary company NO. 8,
these three companies being IN entlre
control of the state conVicts. Inc indl-
vidual lessees who hire convicts from the
lessee companies We're represented oy
their attorneys IN SIeh ms s'a isS,s
lative committee and had been summon
ed by the governor to appear.
Attorneys Julius l. Brown Ellis q Gray
and Bishop Andrews and Hill represent
ed company No. !, while Judge John l..
Hopkins represented company No. 2,
The only convicts of company NO. 3,
oh AT charges were
those of this company which had been
turned over by it to the other two com
pahies therefore President English stat
ed that he did not consider II necessary
that his company should be represented,
but the companies in actual charge OF MS
convicts should defend their management
James NJ. Smith, who as an individual
lessee, is more interested than any OF the
against which exceedingly severe charges
were made, was represented ny Judge
Hamilton McWhorter OF Lexington, Hon
ID. w. Meadow of Madison ana u. l.
Shubrick of Atlanta.
A mass of documents were introduced
as evidence in the case at the opening this
morning. This included the lease act and
the regulations governing the treatment
of the convicts by the lessees, the point
in controversy being whether the lessees
have complied strictly with the rules in
the clothing, feeding and punishment OF
the prisoners in their custody. THE state
also introduced the records in the last
ago by Gov. Gordon, and heavy fines i'm
posed for cruelty to convicts. This record
was objected to strenuously by the les
sees, but the governor ruled ii In, under
the statement that he did so simply to
show that the lessees We're on notice that
the state could and would enforce the
rules laid down.
The public is already conversant with
the legislative reports which brought on
the investigation, and which constitute
the charges against the lessees. The Sem
ate committee report was somewhat con-
Trajectory. In the detailed portion re-
ferring to the several camps, ii was COM
plimentary to the lessees. but in the last
paragraph, in which it was all summed
up, the committee made several severe
charges of cruelty and msmanagement,
stating that in some instances the con-
Victs were not sufficiently fed or clothed
and were inhumanely punished. The House
committees report was a red hot roast
for the lesSees throughout it being there
charged that at Cole City and other camps
the convicts were being starved; that they
were not well clothed, being denied socks,
and in many cases shoes that they were
overworked. also, and punished in a most
barbarous manner. This punishment in
vogue at Cole City was what is known as
'ducktng." 1t consisted, the committee
stated, in strapping the victim down and
squirting water into his nOstrls until he
was so strangled that he was nearly
dead. 1t was this camp, Cole City, and
the other two camps of cOmOanV No. 1.