The age-herald., 1901-03-08
4 SENSATION IN
 SOUTH CAROLINA Practical EnsIaVemGnt of Me- grOeS in Convict Camps GRAND JURY INVESTIGATION Terrible Condition Brought to Light in Anderson County 4 STATE OF NATURALIZATION Judge Bennett Says the Evil Will Be Stamped Out Without Outside h.
 terference-Details Are Pitt
 ful In the Extreme.
STATE OF GENERALIZATION

Columbia, S. C., March 7.-The graad jury of Anderson County today made it's report to Judge W. c. Bennett and de- clared that a practical enslavement of negroes has been conducted In that cour- ty. The presentment was prepared by a special committee, which visited the con- vict camps of Anderson County, and it found confined therein negroes guiltless of any felony but undergoing a term of servitude under voluntary contracts which they had signed in partial ignor- ance.
 The charge of false imprisonment was made against J. s. Fowler. P. B. Allen and W. Q. Hammond, three of the larg est planters and most influential men in Anderson County. The grand Jury de- clared that these men, who employ con victs from the State, were also keeping confined in their stockades negroes who for some petty cause had been sent there. although convicted before no officer of the law.
 The negroes In the county are under the impression that all labor contracts now In existence are practically nulliiiad by the action of the court, and there is d general state of demoralization just at the time when crops are being planted
 Judge Bennett in speaking to the grand jury after the report had been presented, presented the alleged interference of cer- tain newspapers claiming to have made an exposure of conditions in Anderson County. He said there is no need of in- ,,,iiI deal with this matter without outside help. The testimony of negroes Is valid evidence in the state courts. There is no politics no party, or race issues at stake. It Is the fighting of a grievous wrong and the court protests against the idea of out side interference. The evil will be stamp ed out for public sentiment at home is against it."
 He declared the Legislature had already taken steps to do go and will abolish the system of hiring convicts to private par ties.
 Judge Bennett declared that the pre- sentiment brought pitiful details. It told of illegal arrests and imprisonment, of cruel whipping, of prolonged imprison- ment without even the farce of trial, of Kidnapping negroes from other counties, and even from Georgia, of fear to give testimony, refusal to testify, and, most pitiful of all, of poor negroes protesting to being satisfied and contented.
 The grand jury in It's presentment charges J. s. Fowler with being the first to inaugurete this system. but exoner- ates him from cruelty. His overseers, par ticularly William Mcqee. are presented for whipping negroes It further presents Elias McGee, who hires no conyicts from the State. but has regular stockade where he keeps free labor"
 W. Q. Hammond, James Martini, Will liam Bailey and J. H. Day are also pre- sented for compicity in false imprison- ment.
 J. R. Miller and his overseer, J. A. Elm erson are presented, the latter for whip ping negroes
 J. B. Watson and P. B. Allen, who en- ploy penftentiary convicts. are exonerat- ed from the false Imprisonment charges.
 Magistrate J. J. Gilmer Is charged with failing to turn in money belonging to the county, and is also presented for serv- ing the warrants upon which negroes were wrongfully arrested The grand jury states that 1t met with no resistence in its investigations. The free negroes" confined in stockades at first declared that they were satisfied; but that they were evidently coerced, and afterwards admitted that they were cruelty treated in many instances.
 There are but twenty persons in all who are said to be guilty of this prac- tice, and the grand jury recommends that they be indicted. The report calls atten- ton to the class of men incarcerated as follows:
 They are worthless negroes. SIS a rule who will not pay their honest debts The laws should be made more effective and the State should not be prostituted In the enforcement of the law as in this in stance"
 Most of the labor contracts in the coun- ty are declared legal and just.
 The grand jury submitted lot of tes- timony, which Judge Bennett ordered the clerk of court to keep secret until the cases are tried.