The Savannah morning news., 1901-03-07
CAROLINA'S SCANDAL
SENSATION EXPECTED AT ANDER-
son TODAY.
LABOR CONTRACT SYSTEM.
JUDGE BENET DENOUNCEs 1T IN
SCATHING TERMS.

Compares UnfnvornbIy With ST.
berinn scrTdom-NegrOcs Bound
Under Cantract. Arrested without
Warrant of Law, Held ns ConvIcts
Without Trial and Their Labor
Bought and SOld-NeGrOcs Escnp-
ing From This slavery Have Been
Shot and kilIcd-ONer 500 such
Contracts Executed Before One
Magistrate.
Columbia, S, c., March 6.-The grand
jury of Anderson county will tomorrow
report to q special term Of court the re-
suit of its investigation of the labor con-
tract system in that county which It has
been inquiring into for three weeks, and
which was declared by Judge Benet to
be worse than slavery" and equal only
to the conditions in Siberia.
Al the February term of court private
representations were made to the Judge
that contract laborers We're being kept in
stockades and worked as convlcts by the
landlords; that these contracts were
bought and sold by the planters. the la
borer having bound himself to be trans
ferred at the will of one landlord to an
other; that freemen were whipped for
infraction of Plantation regulations, and
each landlord made his own rules to
govern his farm.
The grand jury made hasty investiga-
tion and reported that they found on
record a number Of contracts of which
this is the form:
This contract and agreement for labor
on farms, made and entered into this day
between --, landlord, party of the
first part, and ---, laborer, party of the
second part. witnesseth:
That l, -. laborer of the second
part --- do hereby bind over and hire
myself to , to do and perform gen
eral farm work under the supervision of
said ---- or his agents for the period of
------ months, commencing ---, and end
ing --, and as pay for the said services
/ am to receive the sum of s. per
month, together with my board and lodg-
ing, which wages, less or any ad-
vance made to me from time to time, and
lost time at -- per day, is to be paid
to me at the expiration of above time.
agree at ali times to be subject to the
orders and commands of said -----~ or his
agents, perform all work required of me.
------ or his agents shall have the right
! to use force as he or his agents may
| deem necessary TO require me to
remain on his farm and perform
good and satisfactory services. He shall
have the right to look me up for safe
keeping, work me under the rules and
regulations of his farm. and IL / should
leave his farm or run away he shall
have the right to offer and pay a reward
of not exceeding SIS for my capture and
return, together with the expenses OF
same, which amount so advanced, to-
gether with any other indebtedness may
cwe-at the expiration of above time,
agree to work out under all rules and
regulations of this contract at same
wages as above commanding and
THE said shall have the right
to transfer his interest in this contract
to any other party, and | agree to con-
tinue work for said assignee same as for
the original party of the first part
Il, --, landlord, party of the first
part, hereby agree with and hire the
said - for the above time. and
pay wages as above set forth aud other
wise fulfill my part of above statement.
Witness our hands and seal this, the
-- day -, 1S9---