The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-04-21
BLACKS HELD IN BONDAGE.
BRUTAL CRIME CHARGED AGAINST
GEORGIAN.

Negroes Arrested on Trumped-up
Charges and Forced Into SerfdOn
10 work out Imaginary Debts.
children From Two to Eleven
Years of Age Bound over to Work
for Him Until of AGe-His Victims
Subjected to Inhuman Treatment.
Atlanta. Ga, April 20.-The United states
grand Jury has returned true bill against
William Eberhart of Oglethorpe county
charging him with one of the most afro
cious and shocking offenses in the criminal
annals of the state.
The indictment charges him with arrest
ing negro men, women and children on
trumphed up charges. and unds the threat
of prosecution compelling them to work
on his farm and subjecting them to the
most horrible and diabolical slavery.
E,berhart. il is alleged, has been carrying
on this industrial serfdom since 1895.
There are five counts against him. and
each is equally shocking.
The first count charges him with having
uplawfully arrested Nose Sims, colored. in
Fulton county on July 49, 1895, pretending
to the negro that he was indebted to him
for a certain amount
The negro was carried before Ben Will
liams, brother-in- law of Eberhart, who
was justice of the peace, and under the
threat of prosecution, Eberhart made Sims
agree TO work on his farm for period OF
years to liquidate the alleged debt. Sims
was also compelled to enter into contract
with Eberhart to place his five minor chill
dren, Weyman. Ned. Sarah, Ophelia and
Nv q & 4
at work on his farm until they become of
age.
Eberhart 1t is further alleged, beat Sims
numerically, bruising, wounding and 9TH
erwise maltreating HIM.
In the second count he is charged with
having illegally arrested Phillis johnson.
He charged the Johnson woman with hav-
ing taken from his employ her children,
whom he told her had been bound over to
him until they were q years of age by her
husband, who owed him a large amount
of money. He compelled the Johnson wo-
man to work on his farm for two years,
meeting out TO her the same treatment ac-
corded the other negroes under him.
The next count charges that on Jan 10,
Charles Galloway, who had formerly been
In the employ of Eberhart, was arrested
by him, having previously left the farm.
To keep Galloway on the farm he stripped
him of his clothing and hand-cuffed @im
with another negro, Orange Nelly by
name. Nelly was confined to bed from
sickness caused by Eberharts inhuman
treatment and Galloway was thereby oblig
ed to remain with him. Galloway was also
forced to pinion his young son. Robert, to
the ground, while Eberhart brutally chas-
tised him. The boy, it is alleged was beat
en- until blood gushed from his body and
was made cripple by the heavy blows he
received.
Galloway. ii is charged, was made to ap-
prentice his three minor children, two of
whom were infants, until they should be-
come of age.
The fourth count charges him with the
illegal arrest of Arthur Neeley, colored,
aged 16
The fifth and last count charges him with
the arrest of John Robinson in August,
1897 on false charge compelling him to
agree to work for him for three years.
Robinson was beaten with leather strap
and other harsh punishment was inflicted
upon him.
Eberhart gave himself up last night,
and this morning was placed under 5000
bond. His case viii probably be tried at
the October term of court.