The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1901-03-14
STORY OF BRUTALITY
Is Given in Report Of Anderson
County, S. C., Grand Jury.
MANY CONTRACTORS INDICTED
Presentments Sensational and
Show That Negroes Were Ille-
gally Held and Mistreated.

gally Held and Mistreated.
The Anderson county, s. c., grand
jury made its report Thurfday to the
special term of court on the abuses OF
the labor contract system in the coun-
ty. The report sustains the allegation
made that where the system is used
virtual slavery exists. The jury found,
however, that this method of working
negroes was employed by only twenty
men in the county and these were
presented, and will be indicted, for
false imprisonment at the June term
of court.
The free laborers have been whipp-
ed and shackled, and in one instance
man was kidnapped in Georgia and
brought to a stockade in the county,
where he was worked until the grand
jury found him and he was set at lib
erty. The report was prepared by
committee of five and was adopted by
the full jury. It says in part:
ga T. Newell works state conyicts
and has astockade, but he has worked
no free laborers along with the con-
yicts until recently, when he has taken
two contracts of that sort. One OF
these was the case of the unfortunate
negro, Will Hull, who was killed by
w. 8. Newell few weeks ago,
50. B. Miller formerly worked con-
victs, but they were taken away by the
state and he now employees only free
labor, if indeed we may use the word
siree' to describe those laborers who
have signed his contracts and subject
ed themselves to the conditions exist.
ing on his farm. He has a stockade
which was originally built for his state
conf sAts.
Son our first investigation at this
place we were met by statement from
the negroes that they were satisfied
with their treatment, but their man
ner indicated coercion, and subse-
cuently we made further investigation,
which convinced US that J. r. Miller
and his oyerseer, j. A. Emerson, had
been guilty of whipping negroes,
locking them up at night. of working
them under guard, and putting shack
les upon them.
In many respects, the most re-
markable case coming under our notice
was that of Elias MCGEE, who has
never employed state convicts, but
Who built q stockade and prepared to
treat his laborers as convicts. Some
of the negroes had been arrested and
signed contracts after being put under
arrest. We think the grand jury
should make presentments against
Elias McGee, and We 80 recommend.
"W. @. Hammond runs large farm
in this county and employs a consid-
erable number both of state convicts
and free ,laborers. His contracts pro-
vide that the free laborers shall be
worked under guard and locked up at
night, and they suffer this illegal i'm
pfisonment and more, for the evidence
shows that q number. of these unfortu-
mates have been worked under guard
and gun, have been locked up at night
and on Sundays, and have been shack
ed and whipped. Several OF these,
who had been indicted last fall for
gambling, had been taken out OF Jail
on bond by Mr.. Hammond and kept at
his farm without trial until this inves.
tigation began, when he surrendered
them to the sheriff.
..The negro, Tom Parks, whose case
was called to the attention of the grand
jury by the presiding Judge, was re-
leased almost Immediately thereafter.
He was then taken forcibly and with
out trial. under one of the harsh con-
tracts above referred to, and confined
in the stockade and worked with the
convicts aud suffered the other abuses
above mentioned until this investiga-
ton was begun.
The report contains list of free
laborers who were whipped :; various
times, and recites an instar where
one of them received one hundred
lsshes.
Judge Benet after reading the secret
evidence taken by sEs committee, said
It contained 'spitiful details of long
imprisonment, without even the mock
cry of trial; whippings, kidnspings,
from one county to another, and even
from Georgia"
He declared the grand jury had his
profound thanks, aud those of the
state of South Carolina for the fear
less, thorough discharge of their duty.
He deprecated the unjust criticisms
of northen newspapers, and declared
that South Carolina would not send
her dirty linen to a federal laundry.
The threat of congressional interfer-
ence was absurd. Such talk did harm.
It hurt the negroes cause.
The solicitor will bring indictments
against these planters OF the June