The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-01-25

in which could be detected the slightest
CLEAN OF hope. They knew their fate
They knew what the past had taught
them. and what the future had in store
The contractors whose leases had Just
expired had used the greatest efforts 10
get the most work possible out OF their
purchases. Why shouldn't they7 They
had paid the state. It was a legitimate
business transaction The fact that sla-
very has been abolished in the United
States was no affair of theirs.
The old leases had expired. and the
new ones for the year ISIS had been ne
Eotiated. The new '1essees"-they don't
like to be called slave drivers-are J. A
Crawford. s L varnadoe. w. y. Camp
and West Brothers. They had decided
upon division OF the convicts. and ;hey
actually drew lots 10 see who should have
first choice. That privilege fell to Gran
ford. varnadoe secured second choice
and the Vests and Camp followed in the
order named.
Crawford chose his men. then the others
followed. selecting the strongest OF the
miserable looking beings arrayed before
them OF course there IS always desire
To secure the loug-term men: that fs.
those who are serving life sentences. or
whose sentences have years to run For
at the last session OF the legislature
new lease Of four years was decided upon.
And four years is long time 10 live I'M
der such conditions.
II was not until nightfaI that the four
dealers in human beings had decided upon
their various choices. One man was en-
ployed TO check off the cOnvicts as they
were chosen by the contractors. This
man was Alexander Campbell. who is
serving a life sentence for numbering his
sweetheart. pretty Mamie Joseph. at 81.
Augustine several years ago. The tragedy
was one of the most shocking that has
occurred in the history OF the state. the
young girl being pursued In the shruhbery
at her home and shot down. Campbell
pleaded insanity and he saved hts life 20
spend II in penal servitude.
Finally the convicts were divided into
four lots. according TO the choice OF their
respective owners. And the next day they
were st.ll further divided. as they were
apportioned of to the sub-lessees. For
these contractors. be It known, reap no
small profit in renting their slaves 20
other masters who have not the necessary
funds 10 deal directly with the state.
was rather interested in knowing that
a man convicted of murder was the FIRST
choice. Crawford admired his physique.
He looked like a man who could stand al
most anything, so Crawford took him. His
name is James Kelly. and while police
man in Jacksonville, two years ago. he
shot down and killed a man from St.
Louis Death only can release him from
the shackles that bind him. unless ex-
ecutive clemency shall Interfere with the
sentence passed upon him
An average OF little more than so per
bead had been paid for the years labor
of each man. woman and child convict in
the state-surely II pittance when It Is
considered that they are fed on the cheap
est and coarsest OF food and clothed in
the scantiest OF raimeut in winter and
very little in summer.
OF the $50 convicts thus disposed OF at
Albion. nlnety-four were white and the
remainder were negroes. OF the whites
there were ninety-one men, two boys and
on woman. OF teh negroes twenty-one
were wome. thirty-one boys between the
ages of IL and 16 and the remainder were
men.
The convicts are employed principally
in the phosphate mines and turpentine
camps OF The state. They are worked un-
der guard. and generally with shackles
on their legs to prevent them from run
ming away. Besides this. there Is al
ways an armed force OF guards over
them, according to the number Of CON
victs. and in case Of an attempted escape
the guard does not hesitate to shoot.
-Four were killed in this manner during
the last year.
A guard IS Kept busy during the entire
year gathering up the convicts as they
are sentenced in the various counties
Tho number frequently requires several
assistants. When being taken from the
county jails they are handcuGed together.
and frequently n dozen or more will be
seen being marched 70 the station IN
this manner They are taken 20 the head
quarters At Albion. where they arc pro-
vided with the striped suit. and then
marched OF 10 the camp where they are
20 work out their sentences. II the camp
IL more than twenty miles from Albion
they arc taken on the train. but other
wise they are marched through the coun-
try Arriving ~ the camp, they are SCI
10 work doing whatever the contractor de-
sires.
The work T. hard. particularly 20 men
who are not accustomed 70 81. and espe-
cialiy under the conditions that they have
20 work with shackled feet. the chain be-
ing only sufficiently long 70 permit them
20 take a step % about ono foot az
time. In the phosphate mines some d.
the rock. while others wheel 81 oct on
harrows. In the turDeutfnc camps they
must first box the trees. and sftervard
gather The turpentine and prepare 8; for
market. The working hours beuin a. SUI.
rise and continue tiB sunset though - s.
often long after this when The men reach
their campo. their work possibly having
been several miles away from hesGquar-
ters.
~ the time the state legislature was IN
session last spring a COMMITTEES % ssna-
tors was appointed 70 VISIT the several
camps Of the state This committee re-
ported some u the camps 20 be in sr-
treuely bad condition. The report q one
-