The morning news., 1897-08-31
mn MIsDEMEANoK coNvicrs.
Governor Atkinson VIII Undertake
No Radical Relief Measures

No Radical Relief Measures.
i Atlanta, Ga. Aug. 3o-Gov Atkinson
returned 70 the capitol today after an out
ing spent with relatives in Virginia When
/ ne reached town he found himself con-
1 fronted with mass of newspaper advice
! in reference to the course he ought to
adopt in the reformation Of the misde-
meanor convict system which has been
/ accumulaung during his absence.
The local prts has been busy in working
up the question, taking The recent report
4 of Capt. Phil Byrd as a text. The palpable
/ purpose of this journalistic expose by To-
! cal papers has been TO lay the RESPONSE
/ bihty for any further continuation of the
/ evil of the system upon the governor and
! this morning he was editorially called
| upon TO issue executive orders that would
at once compel the counties which have
allowed their misdemeanor conUcts to he
leased to private parties to Immediately
resume control of them. This, it was point
ed out to him was The sworn duty Of the
/ governor as the executive head of the stare
and he was called upon 20 act without de-
/ lay.
/ In consequence of the manner in which
! the case has been worked up and the call
! for action that has been made. the COVER
/ nor was beseiged with newspaper report
/ ers this morning within a short time af-
ter his arrival at the capitol. They were
! there to see what he was going to do
! about it. Expecting that the Press
/ ure' would result i'm the issuance
1 of a proclamation that would be an
! emancipation proclamation to the poor
| devils who, according to the report of
! Special Commissioner Bryd, are being hor-
/ ribly mistreated in the Illegal private
camps Of the misdemeanor lesse.
When ne consented to express himself
| upon the subject. however. the governor
| gave the newspaper reporters very little
| To build upon. "All have to say i'm refer
! ence 20 the matter said Gov Atkinson
/ lis that I have undertaken to correct the
! evils of the present system, and I hope 10
( sec the work accomplished before | retire
from office. I viii follow the usages of the
/ law and keep within the bounds of the
! authority vested in me as the chief eNecu-
! tive OF the state. but what my plans are
! I do not now care to announce"
| Further than this the governor would
! not commit himself. one Of the local pa
! pers suggested to him that the situation
/ was so grave that it might be excusable
! if ne should stretch his authority in order
| 10 demolish the brutalizing and Illegal
] practice of selling the misdemeanor con-
! victs to private task masters. but the gov
] ernor evidently regarded this as hat
! talk Whatever he does viii be strictly
! within the bounds of his authority. which
/ he considers ample TO enable him TO deal
| both with the county authorities and the
| private lessees.
| While Judge Turner. the principal keep
/ er of the penitentiary department, has not
said so for publication, IL is known that
! ne holds that il is the duty OF the judges
| of the courts To remedy the evils
| which were exposed by the
! Byrd report and II Is said that the gov
a.ufar
| The law very plainly prescribes the pun
! ishment that shall be meted out TO persons
! convicted of msdemeanor offenses. This
! punishment extends from a fine of one 70
| n thousand dollars and Imprisonment Of
| not more than six months in the county
! jail or twelve months on the county chain
/ gang. The law also explicitly declares that
/ ia shall bc Illegal for the county 70 let
| such conyicts out TO private parties. The
! position of the principal keeper, therefore,
| is that [ is the duty OF the judges OF The
/ courts 60 see that such sentences as are
! passed are put into effect. II the sheriff
| allows prisoners that are committed 10
| the county chain-gang or jail 10 80 TO pri-
| Vate lessees because. forsooth, the county
| has no chair-gang of its own, then he Is
| at least guilty of contempt OF court.
So if the judge OF any court knows that
| the sentence as passed Is not going 10
| hc carried into execution, and in counties
| where there are no chain-gangs. they must
| know Of the violations. Then he IS dere-
lect in the performance of his duties and
is liable 90 Impeachment. and right here
g. whore the climax is going Ia come IN
| this convict question. Those who know
something OF the plans that have been de-
/ t,rmiu,d upon for the correction of the
| evils of tpe mislcmeauor system by The
/ tufur., ,mfut of the law. predict that uu-
| less tho courts voluntarily take hold OF the
matter. and at once set about the reyoca-
| lill of these private contracts. the conn
| tit- taking charge OF tho couyicts that be-
| long to- them OF committing them to the
| gangs az other counties then there
| VIII Doc "a series Of events that VIII stir up
| the judiciary of the state from center TO
| circumference.
Another of the interesting dcvelonments
| in connection with thD question is th, re-
port that Fulton county officials are tx-
iug strong part in the agitation of the
| NDEh private contracts in order chat
| thIs county may sen holl of lU such
Ooutictz for thc purpose OF placing them
I li WDrk ON tho public roads. or late ful-
| toI county has experience great deal OF
| trouble In krNuiuH hpr rnnE iul because
I private lcss,r- have been out bidding her
| fur tHU uHf Of men convicted In counties.
Nu,r. nrfn ure uo gangs. ll tho private
l,sf.s system could ue broken up at oue
sweep fulton and other large counties
/ tnut want thu mon. Do .a said. would stop
! .u ana H.t tUum practically ou thrIr own
/ terms. Iht local HIIhuuues don't make
Iuf ..#tI. uf rH0 flc. inIt tn.N want 90
"'I lIf.' mru tu augment thU county
HlhF Hni DO NaH ftlfDd upon NhHt ap.
] INHI'I Goo H' good authority .la.rIi nHNH
IHu iNaf tH. Fulton county IaHrI WouIl
'Ih. iH. lNlttttf iu mufrmt.t tl have
iNN m.I confined lH private Damna ro.
I.i..H fii .HfU.I over tn tI.|. r.HU.. .tItt
.uIHIls nn ulH.I# .Urpu. ufu..IIu..
ln HNN' tn1r t.. H....Hn .4t
N'. Nfu N.IHH fu H.Hr u..H f.. .lu.