The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-09-14
WAS SOLD AT AUCTION.
Strange Charge of Colored Ex-Convict
Against Georgia Officials.

Savannah, Ga, Sept. 14.-George Tur-
ner, an Effingham county negro. has en-
tered suit for S96 against Shearouse &
Co. for his services for eight months, and
the case is now in the hands of Messrs
J. G. & D. H. Clark of this city. Turner
is suing on the ground that he was illeg-
ally leased, rather sold, to the firm
the term named. Turner makes a fur
Their contention that he was Illegally
convicted, and hence was illegally con-
fined in a double sense.
After Turner had served his term on
the changing, the full term of twelve
months, without allowance for good be-
havior, as he states, he came to Mr.. Clark
to make complaint. Turner claimed that
he had been sold outright, he having first
been leased by Wood & Co., who, when
they went out of business put all of the
convicts in their charge up at auction
and sold them to the highest bidder, Shea
rouse & Co. paid IS a head for the negroes
or in other words, So per month for the
time that each negro was to serve. The
nineteen negroes which Wood & Co. had
along with one horse, were bought by
Shearouse for $4O0
According to Turner his arrest and
conviction were peculiar to say the least.
Turner stated to Mr.. Clark that he
bought a cap from a man with whom he
had been living, and agreed to pay him
for it at the end of the week. Before the
week was out however, he was arrested
warrant charging him with having
stolen the cap, and though he protested
he had not had an opportunity of carry
ing out his contract, he was nevertheless
put in jail.
After remaining in jail few days, he
states he was taken out by the sheriff of
EyffinPhana who told him he had
better not deny his guilt, something to
that effect, or it might go harder with
him. The sheriff carried Turner to the
residence of the county judge, F. M.
Traver and not to the court, he says, and
there upon Judge Traver's front porch he
had all the hearing he ever received.
Judge Traver asked Turner, he states.
if he had the cap which he was charged
with stealing. Turner replied that he had
it, but had bought it and intended to pay
for it according to his contract. There
upon, he states, Judge Traver and So
hcitor General r. W. Sheppard, of the
county court, retired to a room inside
the judges house, where they are sup
posed to have consulted, and returning in
a few minutes they informed him that
the sentence of the court that he pay
a fine of $50 and costs or serve twelve
months on the chaingang.
He denies emphatically that he pleaded
guilty and says positively that no wit
nesses were called, either for or against
him. Convicted and sentenced on the
judges front piazza. he was taken in
charge by the sheriff and turned over to
Woods, who was then leasing the INSIDE
meanor convicts from the county court
Woods paid over to the county officers the
$50 and costs of court and took Turner for
the twelve months sentence. The fine
and costs, WERE of course, divided among
the court officers pro rata, according to
the law in the matter. In other words,
the money goes to the solicitor general
the sheriff and the clerk of the court.
Woods worked Turner only six months,
when he decided to sell out all of his men
Turner says he was then sold at auction
along with eighteen other negroes and a
horse, as stated, and that up to the end
of his twelve months term he was in the
employ of Shearouse & Co.