The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1901-03-14

themselves to the conditions cXistins
Oh ms farm. lie has Il stockade which
was originally built for his State CON
Vlcts, and his contracts provide thai
the free" laborers Will work under
guard aud will allow themselves to be
locked up at night.
Our first investigations at this place
were met by a statement from the ne.
grocs that they were satisfied with
their treatment, but their manner in-
dicatcd coercion and subsequently we
made further Investigations which
convinced us that j. II. Miller and his
ovcrsccr, j. A. Emerson, had been
guilty of whipping negroes, locking
them up at night, of working them
under guard and putting shacklce upon
them. Among these unfortunates
were John Harrison, Will Wright,
Warren Sloan and Lige Jones. We
found several of Mr.. Miller's contracts
left blank as to time of service and
amount TO be paid, though the contracts
were duly signed and witnessed. In
the case of Warren Sloan he seems to
have been arrested by j. II. Miller and
another man, whose name we could
not ascertain, near Central in Pickens
| County; there is testimony that no
warrant was exhibited if any existed,
but he was handcuffcd AMI taken to
Millcr's stockadc and kept there until
this investigation began. Since our
first visit to this stockadc lie was
turned loose and allowed to 20 home
In our judgment the said j. II. Miller
and j. ~. Emerson should be present
ed by the grand jury for the offences
above mentioned, and we 50 recon-.
mend.
In many respects the most remark
able case coming under our notice was
that Of Elias McGce who has never
employed State convicts, but who
built stockade and prepared to treat
his laborcrs as convicts. His con-
tracts provide that the laborers shall
be worked under guard and locked up
at night, ami there was abundant cvi.
dcncc TO show that he had locked up
in the stockade, worked under guard,
and whipped his laborers. Among them
who suffered part or all Of these
abuses are Wesley Norman, Handy
Earle, Vance Smith, Geo. Tillcy, John
Clinkscalcs Clarence Galllard, Evins
Webb, Louis Alexander, Morris Jor.
dan. Some of these negroes had been
arrested, and signed contracts after
being put under arrest. John Clinks-
Gales was accused by Elias McGec Of
stealing corn, was brought to Anderson
hand-cuffed, and after lie had signed
contract, but without any trial, was
turned over TO W. q. Hammond who
carried him to the latter's stockade.
We think the Grand Jury should make
we SO recommend.
w. q. Hammond runs large farm
in this county and employs a consider
able number both Of State convicts
and "free" laborcrs. His contracts
provide that the "freen laborcrs shall
be worked under guard and locked up
at night and they suffer illegal I'M
prlsonment and moro, for the evidence
shows that number of these unfoltu-
mates have been worked under guard
and gun, have been locked up at night
and on Sundays, and have been shock
ell and whipped. Among those who
suffered these things at the hands of
MIR. Hammond and his ovcrseers, VIM.
Bailey, James Martin and---Day,
are the following: lsham Abercrom-
bic, Pink Rogers, James Clinton, John
uewey, Tom Parks, Charley johnson
and John Clinkscales. Several of
these were in Jail at the time of our
examination. They had been indicted
last fall for gambling, had been with
out trial until this investigation began,
when he surrendered them back to the
sheriff.
The negro, Tom Parks, whose case
was called to the attention of the
grand jury by the PRESIDING Judge was
released almost immediately thereafter.
lie was taken lorcibly and without
trial, under one Of the harsh contracts
above referred to, and conlin I'd in the
stockade, worked with the convicts,
and suffered the other abuses above
mentioned until this investigation was
begun. We learn that perhaps score
of other laborers held under similar
contracts have left this farm during the
past few weeks. One of them, Pink
Rogers, states that he was given a
whipping of fifty lashcs by VIM. Bailey
at the stockade.
We think that the facts disclosed
demand that w. @. Hammond, James
Martin, Nm. Bailey and---Day
should be presented by the grand iury
for the violation of law above men
toned and we 80 recommend.
}. S. Fowler, who first used the con-
tract providing for "free" laborcrs to
be treated as convicts, worked under
guard, locked up, etc., employs con-
siderable number of convicts and also
OF the so-called "frec" laborers. He
has two stockadcs one of which is
under the supervision of James Cook
and which was formerly managed by
Willis McGce; the other is under the
charge OF Levi Thomas. At these
farms the convicts and "freen laborcrs
have been worked together under a
guard who carried gun, they have
been locked up at night, and somo of
them whipped. There was no evil
dcnce of any of them having been
shackled. Some of them had been ac-
cuscd of trivial offenses and were pu:
under contract to work out debts or to
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