Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-08-08
ing diseased food. He was strung up
by hIS thumbs and logged

ing diseased food. He was strung up
by his thumbs and hogged.
1t was the practice of the guards
when line of negroes passed up the
planks to. the levee tops to stand to
one side and with long "blacKsnake"
whips give each lash to make him go
faster. These are some of the out
RACES when were commonly practiced
upon the convicts under the Odd lease
system.
Change for the Better.
Now all is changed. The revolution
is complete. Since the first of the
present year the state of Louisiana
has had charge of her own convicts,
and in by far the greater number of
cases the negroes receive kindlier
treatment and better food and care
than when they were at liberty.
The constitutional convention of
1898 made provision for the abolition
of the lease system and the creation
of board of control to have entire
charge of the convicts for the state of
Louisiana. An appropriation of $780,
600 year was made for maintenance,
but the board was authorized aside
from that to buy two plantations-one
for the cultivation of cotton and corn,
and the other for raising rice and sug-
ar cane. Both were also designed to
raise vegetables, cattle, horses, sheep.
hogs, and other necessities, while to
the penitentiary proper was left the
of clothing, shoes, under
wear, and such mechanical devices as
were necessary on either place. The
board expended some 100000 in the
purchase of the two plantations, the
Angola place, on an island in the Mis-
sissippi river seventy miles above Bat
on Rouge, and the Hope plantation in
the rice and sugar belt. A few days
ago, in company with party of visit.
ors, the board made a trip of inspec-
ton to the Angola farm, and there the
wonderful benefits of the revolution
lied system were made manifest.
Transition From Slavery.
The life of the convict there is
transition rom slavery into compare
tive freedom. Every energy of the
board has been directed toward the
perfection of system. The planta-
ton comprises 5000 acres of land, of
which $500 acres are under cultiva-
ton. Of this $500 acres are
planted in cotton, from which 1000
bales will be raised this fall Over 700
acres are in corn, from which 10000
bushels will be obtained; twenty-five
acres are in vegetable gardens and
twenty in alfalfa for hay, while there
are $50 mules, twenty-five horses, ITS
head of cattle, and large droves of
hogs and sheep rowing on the pastures.
The place is under the control of
manager, who has under him four cap
them are some forty or fifty guards,
whose business ll is to watch the con-
victs at work in the fields.
A camp is a small town in itself, the
440 convicts on the place being equal
ly divided among them. Instead of
small cells or foul stockades they are
housed in long, well-ventilated barrack
buildings, filled with three rows of
"double-decker" iron bedsteads, upon
winch are clean sheets, pillows, and
blankets. Every prisoner is required
to wash thoroughly on coming in from
the fields at night and is given night
shirt in which to sleep-an innovation
which is strange one to most of
them. The barracks are 220 feet long
and divided in the middle by a wide
opening all the way through, forming
a shed to the opposite side, where the
kitchen, bathroom, and dining-room
are located.
Few Fry to Escape.
Surrounding the barracks are the
houses of the guards, some of whom
sit with rife in hand night and day
watching that none attempt to escape.
But two attempts have been made
since the state took charge, and it has
been known to happen that where a
negro was discharged, he would an
nounce that he would "be back soon,"
and, committing some small offense,
return to the farm where good food
and comfortable bed are obtainable.
By practical experiment the guards
have found that kindly treatment Sc
cures better results than the old bar
barous methods of compelling the ne
groes to work, and it is not often that
the strap has to be resorted to.
One of the most striking benefits Of
the new method, is the large decrease
III ulol IoA1IJ bhloA1o IhC SohflSIos uSl
has been since the first of the year q
decrease from nine to three per cent
per hundred in the death rate, due to
the perfection of sanitation, the clean
and wholesome food and the kind
treatment given the prisoners. Much
is also expected from the moral effect,
for by the healthy, outdoor labor, the
presence of chaplains on the farms,
and the inducements offered in the
way of privileges for good behavior, it
is anticipated that the moral as well
as the physical condition of the con-
victs will be much benefited, and hav-
ing learned an avocation under con-
finement, prisoners will be induced to
lead better lives and in time become
good citizens.
1t is a remarkable fact that the con-
vict population of Louisiana has but
little increased in the last thirty years.
Whereas, in 1858 there were 900 con-
victs in the state, in 1901 there are
1,076.
Angola Farm.
The Angola farm is one of the old
antebellum plantations of the south,