The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-03-12
ENsLAvKMENr OF NEGROES
Grand Jury Reports It's Present TX
fstence In Anderson County, .. G..

Columbia. S. c., March THE grand
jury Of Anderson county today made
its report TO Judge w. c.. Benet, and
declared that a practical ensiavement
Of negroes has been conducted in that
county. The presentment was pre-
pared by a special committee which
visited the convict stockade camps in
Anderson county and found confined
therein negroes guiltless of any felony,
but undergoing a term OF servitude un-
der voluntary contracts which they
had signed in partial ignorance. The
charge OF false Imprisonment was
made against J. S. Fowier. P. B. Allen
n W. Q. Hammond. three OF the larg-
est planters and most influential men
in Anderson county. The grand Jury
declared that these men. who employ
convicts from the state. We're also
keeping confined in their stockade ne
grceS who for some petty cause, had
been sent there for preach of contract.
although convicted before no officer of
the law.
The preseGytment of the grand Jury
Will put an end to this practice and il
is conducted in no other county in the
oN@N@s - AA(IJ bSNAI ~ II III u
county for a long time that sucn a sys-
tenn was being carried on. and the peo-
pie of that county are grad that it has
been done away with.
No prosecutions have vet been made.
but the solicitor, j. E. Boggs, Will hand
out indictments for the June term of
court.
The negroes in the county are under
the impression that all labor contracts
now in existence are practically multi
fled by the action of the court, and
Judge Benet stated emphatically that
all Illegal contracts would be declared
void, but there are Just contracts
which the court will enforce. Never
theless, there is a general state of de-
moralization just at the time whe
crops are being planted. Judge Benet's
charge to the grand jury after it lac
rendered it's finding contained a severe
denunciation of certain newspapers
which had sent special correspondents
to South Carolina and claimed to have
an exposure. He stated that the people
of Anderson county are responsible for
~uprOoting this practice. He compli-
mented the grand jury for not having
read the newspapers while making it's
Investigations.
He stated that there is no need of in
reference by federal courts; we are
able to deal with this matter without
outside help. he said. The testimony
of negroes is valid evidence in the state
our There is no politics, no party
or C ssh at stake. 1t is the right
ing of a grievouS wrong and the court
protests against the idea Of outside in
reference. The evil will be stamped
out, for public sentiment at home is
against 1t. He declared that the legis-
lature has already taken steps to do SO
n will abolish the system of hiring
c%onvicts to private parties aSd there
can then be no opportunity to confine
freed men.
Judge Benet declared that the pre-
sentiment brought pitiful details. 1t
told of illegal arrests and Imprison-
ment without even the farce OF a trial,
of kidnapping negroes from other DUN
ties and even from Georgia; OF fear to
give testimony. refusal to testify and
most pitiful of all, of Door negroes pro-
Tossing to be satisfied and contented
In concluding he said that Anderson
county would han the grand jury for
having relieved her of this shameful
burden and save her good name from
the stigma that a few OF her misguided
citizens placed upon 1t.
The grand jury in its ~presentment
charges j. S. Fowler with being the
first to inaugurate this system, but ex-
onerateS him from cruelty.