The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-02-11
AN ERROR CORRECTED
The TRUTH ABOUT THE I'LL TREATMENT
or CALEDONIA CONNECTS.
Il Member of the News and Observer Staff
Makes Investigation and Finds That
Charges Against MeSsrs Dixon
and Russell Were Untrue.

Tillery, n. c., Feb. 10.-Staff Core
epondence.) Some days ago the News
and Observer printed the contents of u
letter written by a man at the Caledonia
State farm No. ,, claiming to be one of
the guards, that reflected on the conduct
and habits of Supervisor w. il. Dixon
and Steward ID. s. Russell.
Mr.. Dixon at once wrote denials and
IN reply to suggestion from lis said
that he would be pleased TO have the
paper send Il member of its staff to the
camp and make thorough investigation
as to the charges.
/ visited the farm this week, and
spent a day and night there talking
with guards, overseers and with con-
victs as well as with outside parties, and
| find that the charges referred to were
unfounded. and did injustice to Super
lntendent Dixon and Steward Russell.
The incident referred to i'll the letter
about trouble between the Supervisor
and convict on Christmas day had just
enough truth in it to show that 1T came
from some one who was on the ground,
but my investigation shows tllat Super
wiser Dixon used only such force as
protect the camp from perhaps
serious consequences from this unrUly
convict. who was not seriously hurt. but
was at work again the Monday follow
ing. One other charge had Il shade of
truth in it, and that was with reference
to furnishing convicts i'm the field.
Three times. and only three times,
since Mr.. Dixon has had charge, has
: IL. 4
the offense was of such Il character as
to make Punishment necessary or per
haps lead to serious outbreaks.
The charge of drunkenness on the
part of Mr.. Dixon and Mr.. Russell was
not true, nor are there evidences of
drinking even in a modified form on
the camp. The sobricty and temperate
habits Of the supervisor and the stew
ard are attested by the guards, overseers,
by trusty convicts and by such disinter-
es,ed parties as Mr.. Whitehead. the
railroad agent at Tfllery; Capt. w. III.
Randolph, Mr.. Tillery and DIR. J. c.
Hill, all well known and reliable men.
| was shown some bins of the peas
which form a part of the diet of the
camp. They were not rotten, but sound
and wholesome.
Inc JGtcUOlll farm Is an immense III
st.tution-more than 1000 acres in cult
vation, and several hundred convicts.
Rigid discipline is necessary under any
management, and from a general sur
vey of the situation, / find the rues
adopted by Supervisor Dixon are not
any more rigid or stringent than are ne
cessary to prOmte good order among
convicts under his charge.
| was told by Mr. Dixon that the
Caledonia farms No. I and No. 2 had
already packed more than eighteen hun
dred bales Of cotton and housed nearly
or quite fifty thousand bushels of corn.
The management of an agricultural en-
terprise of this kind is no child's play,
and those who have the responsibility
should not have an injustice done them
by the unrefuted publication of an err
rone0us statement For this reason
am glad that | came down that | might
ascertain just what the facts were and
correct any error that may have arisen;
from the publication of the former
communication.
We have had occasion to print enough
scandal about the management of the
peuitcntiary that was true without
allowing any Incorrect statement reflect
ing on innocent parties.
+. B. ARENDELI..