The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-02-28
LESSEE ENGLISH USES ALASH
CHAIRMAN REAGAN GIVEN ITS
FULL FORCE.

The Captain Takes the Position
That the Convict Investigation Is
Political Trick-He Announces
His Desire 90 Give I'D His Lease
and Objects 10 Being Put on Rec
ord a. Abusing Any Human Being.
Atlanta. Ga, Feb. 27.-The convict in
vestigation was finished to-day. after be-
ing In progress continuously for eighteen
days. The case is now in the hands or
the governor and his decision is all that
is needed 70 complete the record
II is not probable that the decision win
be made soon, as such was intimated by
the governor when he announced this
morning that the court would take a re-
cess until his opinion had been formed.
He stated that owing TO the pressure Of
other matters, he could not begin re-
viewing the case at once. When his de-
cision is reached he will call the court
together and announce it,
just what the decision will be it is i'm
possible to predict. Many who heard Col.
Hammond's speech this morning are Of
the opinion that a heavy fine will be i'm
posed upon at least Penitentiary Com
pany No. ], and perhaps upon the other
companies. Some go so far as TO predict
that the lease of company No. 1 will be
forfeited
The total cost Of the investigation win
be much less than has been generally
supposed, under $1,000 Col n. J. Ham,
mond and Judge Anderson took the case
lot the state under contract with Gov.
Atkinson to represent the state for $3.50,
each TO receive 1915 Afterward an amend
ment 10 the original bill was filed, neces-
slatlng more work, and il is probable
that the governor will increase the sum
to about $500 for each of the attorneys.
Ihere were two stenographers taking
testimony, whichswill cost not more than
SbO. John Ellis received S72 for acting
as sergeant-at-arms for the eighteen DAYS
ana the witnesses were paid S256.Sl, MAX
ing total of a little over 81, 800
Capt. J. w. English president of Com
paHy NO. 8, made short statement to
the court to-day in place of an argument
by an attorney for his company, which
created sensation. He made a severe
criticism of Chairman f. j. Reagan of the
House committee, who wrote the sensa-
tlonal report, and declared that it was a
alrty political move of a low type. Il
learn from what Col. Hammond says"
said Capt. English, that he intends TO
ask for the forfeiture of the lease. If the
state wants the conVictS under my care,
your excellency. she can have them, as
DO what is right and being heartily
weary of this task, l now ask you to
take them If you will only relieve me of
the bond After referring to the argu-
ments against the lessees defending
them, earnestly. he continued: They say,
ST. tlldt lHeTc Is no politics IN this mat
ter What was 1t in 1866 that called for
the new constitution, wasn't that poll
uGs on the part of the carpet baggers,
When the 'niggers were on top? When
they were promised forty acres and a
mule, and the adjustment of that they
SO much dreaded, the whipping post;
promised these things in return for their
VOTES But there Is no politics in the
legislative report. How about the report
ana the chairman of the House commit
tee who made it, the gentleman who had
a IA a hn
port from verbal messages delivered to
MN by other members of the committee?
how how about the words 'Half-starved and
over worked; how about that 'fnhuman
punishment Would any fair honest cit
izen of Georgia have made such state
ment unless he knew it to be true? A
charge, too, against men who were wor-
thy of belief. If that was not politics 1t
had the earmarks of politics so plainly
that blind man could see them. 1t was
not an honest nor was it a truthful re-
port, Tor there was not a word of evidence
10 sustain 1t. There was some hidden OBJ
1ect and to my mind ii was nothing but
politics, not pure politics, but very nasty
politics and dirty politics of the lowest
type"
Capt. English said that he would rather
nave his throat cut from ear to ear than
have 1t go down in the record that he
was guilty of half starving or cruelty
treating any human being and in con-
GLIDING his remarks he said he wouId not
take the convicts again as free gift
with half million dollars thrown in
vi, hammond Iollowed capt. English
concluding the case for the state. In his
argument he claimed that Capt. Cox
whom he charged with cruel treatment
OF the convicts, was the agent, not only
Nos. and 3. The Dade Coal Company
had worked the convicts of the other les
sees and the other lessees were RESPONSE
BILE for the treatment the convicts re-
ceived. When Capt. Cox whipped a CON
Wet that had been leased to Capt Eng
lish, he did SO as the agent of Capt. Eng
lish. 1t had been claimed that the inves-
LEGATION could do no good and it might do
harm. The good old state of Georgia was
being arraigned before the world The in
vestigation had already done good. Every
witness on the stand had testified that
the camps were now in apple pie order
There had been a general cleaning since
the reports of the legislative committees
had been made. There had already been
some good results from this investigation,