The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-03-08
CALLED 1T SLAVERY
ANDERSON COUNTY GRAND JURY
MAKES IT'S REPORT.
WILL END THE PRACTICE.
PLANTERS CHARGED WITH FALSE
IMPRISONMENT.

Found Confined in Convict stock
ndes-Any Breach of Contract WINS
Sufficient 10 Hold Them-InHuen-
tial Citizens Are Accused-RcsuIt
Has Been to DcmOrnIise Labor syS-
tenn of Anderson County.
Columbia. S. c., March THE grand
jury of Anderson county to-day made it's
report to Judge W. c. Benet and declared
that practical cnslavement of negroes
has been conducted in that county. The
presentment was prepared 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 under voluntary contracts.
which they had signed in partial ignor-
ance.
The charge of false imprisonment was
made against ]. S. Fowler, p. B. Allen
and w. @. Hammond, three of the largest
planters and most influential men in An
derson county. The grand jury declared
that these men, who employ convicts from
the state were also keeping confined In
their stoclades negroes who for some pct.
ty cause had been sent there Tor breach
OF contract. although convicted before no
officer of the law
The prcsentment Of the grand jury will
put an end TO this practice. and It is
conducted iAno other county In the state.
1t has been known in Anderson county for
long time that such system was being
carried on, and the people of that coun-
ty are glad that It has been done away
with.
No prosecutions have yet been made.
but the solicitor. Mr.. j. T.. Boggs. will
hand QUE indictments for the June term
of court.
Had influence ON Negroes.
The negroes in the county are under the
impression that all labor contracts now
in existence are practically nullined by
the action of the court, and Judge Benet
stated emphaticaly that all illegal don
tracts would be declared viod, but there
are just contracts which the court will
enforce. Nevertheless. there is a general
state of Generalization JUST at the time
| when crops are being planted.
Judge Benefs charge TO the grand Jury
ed severe denunciation of certain news
papers which had sent special correspon-
dents to South Carolina and claimed 10
have made an exposure.
He stated that the people OF Anderson
county are responsible for uprooting this
practice. He complimented the grand
jury for not having read the newspapers
while making its Investigations
No Need of Interference.
ference by federal courts; we are able to
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 Issue at stake. il is the
righting of a grievous wrong and the court
protests against the idea of outside inter-
ference. The evIl VIII be stamped out for
public sentiment at home Is against it.
He declared that the Legislature has al
ready taken steps to do so and will abolish
tho system of hiring eonvicts 20 private
parties and there can then be no oppoI-
tunity to confne free men.
Judge Benet declared that the present
ment brought pitiful details. 1t tod Of
Illegal arrests and imprisonment Of cruel
whipping, of prolonged Imprisonment
without eve: the farce OF a trial, Of kid
naping negroes from other counties, and
even from Georgia, OF fear to give testi-
mony, refusal to testify, and, most pitiful
Of all, Of poor negroes protesting to be-
Ing satisfied and contented.
Concluding he said that Anderson coun-
ty would thank the grand jury for having
relieved her of this shameful burden and
freed her good name from the stigma that
a few Of her misguided citizens placed
upon it,
The Guilty Parties Presented.
The grand jury in its presentment
+ lar with d1-ef
TO inaugurate this system, but exonerates
him from cruelty His overseers. partic-
ularly Willis MCGEE, are presented for
whipping negroes.
Elias MCGEE, who hires no convicts
from the state, has regular stoclade
where he keeps free labor"
w. Q. Hammond, James Martin william
Bailey and j. II. Day are also presented
for completely in false Imprisonment.
j. II. Miller and his overseer, j. A.
Emerson, are presented. the latter for
whipping negroes
j. h. Watson and p. b. Allen, who en-
ploy penitentiary 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 serving
the warrants upon which negroes were
wrongfully arrested
The grand jury states that II met with
no resistance In Its Investigations. The
free negroes" confined In stockades at
first declared that they were satisfied. but
they were evidently coerced and after
wards admitted that they were cruelty
treated In many instances.
Chiefly Worthless Negroes.
There arc but twenty persons in all
who are guilty Of this practice, and the
grand jury recommends that they be in
dicted The report calls attention TO the
class of men incarcerated. They are
worthless negroes as a RUE, who will not
pay their honest debts. and the laws of
the state shoud DC made more effective.
and should not be prostituted In tho en-
forcement as In this instance. Most Of
the labor contracts In the county are de-
clared legal and just The grand jury sub
mitted q lot Of testimony which Judge
Benet ordered the clerk of the court to
keep secret until the cases are tried.
Aau rAnNE-CIEsg OErTTtsE ArfrpTvE.n