The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-06-20
CoNWCTS PUT UP AT AUCTION.
EIGHTEEN AND "A HORSE BROUGHT
SIS a PIECE.

Queer Story of an Emngham Com
Wet Which May Result in "a Law
Suit-Lawyer Clark Looking Into
the Case-The Law on Farming Out
MisdemeanOr COnvicts.
The manner of disposing of the services
of convicts in some of the country coun-
ties of the state where there are no regu-
lar chain-gangs, sometimes gives rise to
amusing and interesting situations, though
they may be more or less serious to the
unfortunate convict concerned.
An Efngham county negro, George Tur-
ner, dropped into the Office of Lawyer
Donald H. Clark yesterday and stated that
he had been sold. put up at auction and
knocked down to the highest bidder for IS
for the term of six months, and he wanted
redress. The novelty of the negros state
ment led Mr.. Clark TO inquire in detail into
the situation, especially as he knew Tur-
ner and considered him a peaceable and
an inoffensive darby.
You say you were sold. George?" he
asked.
''Yasser," he replied, II was sold long wild
eighteen other head of niggers an horse
fur IS apiece"
We'll, how much did the whole business
bring?" Lawyer Clark asked.
ADOuI SfOUt san, the negro said.
Mr.. Clark finally learned that Turner
had been turned over to a man named
Woods, who had been employing Efflng-
ham county's nisdemeanor convicts for
some years. About six months ago Woods
went out of that branch Of business, and
as he had a number of convicts on his
hands for whose services he had paid he
put them up at auction to go to the high
est bidder According to the negro's
bought the entire eighteen, and paid
Woods IS head per month of each con-
vets sentence remaining unserved. Tur-
ner was kept at work until a few days
ago, when he was discharged.
But Turner bases his claim for remuner-
alton on the manner of his arrest and
conviction, and Lawyer Clark thinks he
has a good case against somebody. Tur-
ner says he bought a cap from a man
with whom he was living and agreed to
pay him for it at the end of the week
Before the week was out, he was ar
rested and charged with stealing it. Aft
er remaining in Jail a few days, Turner
says he was taken to the house of the
county court judge, who asked him IL he
had the cap. Turner told him he did, but
bought 1t and intended to pay for it.
Thereupon, he says, the Judge and the So
hcttor general retired to a rear ROOM and
In few minutes returned and informed
MN lldl MS sentence would De $bO or
twelve months. He denies emphatically
that he pleaded guilty, and no witnesses
were called either for or against him He
was convicted and sentenced, he says, on
the judges front piazza Woods, who
was then employing the convicts received
him from the sheriff and paid the $50
into court. The amounts so paid for the
use of the convicts are divided between
the solicitor general and the other officers
of the court.
If Turner was really convicted illegally
in the peculiar manner stated, Mr.. Clark
says there is no doubt that he has case
against somebody. There is a provision in
the code, he says, which prohibits coun-
ties from farming out their misdemeanor
convicts to private parties, and he thinks
this section will apply. He is of the opin-
ion that the employers of the convicts can
be made to pay Turner for his services,
at any rate he says he is going to test the
matter.