The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1902-10-15

the material, nor would that i'm pres
sion be dispelled by sight or sound or
aught save the appearance Of the per-
sonnel garbed in the zebra striped
penal uniform.
The greatly pTeponderating portion
OF these condemned toilers are ne.
groes, Of course; the small\ white con-
tingent being composed of mechanics
detailed specially; as all the labor Of
every kind and character is performed
by convicts only. These are unen-
numbered by chain or shackles, and
move with the same freedom Of limb
as, but with greater alacrity perhaps,
than their more fortunate fellow men
OF tho outside world. Their demeanor
is much the same as that on any ether
well conducted plantation and, though
their onerous toll is proftless to them
and with not prospect of betterment
or ray Of hope this side of their time
limit or sentence, yet there is SEEM
ingly a cheerful resignation to
their fate. This is one of the
results of strict, bat just and humane,
treatment meted out by the mana
gers, and the consequence ie there
have been but very few attempts at
escape. and from one Of these farms
no escape or attempt made in many
months. Yet, save where the gangs
may be working en- masse, there is
neither guard nor shackle, and mum.
Der OF TRUSTEES, who must needs do odd
chores and perform various errauds,
are often ous of range and reach Of
surveillance.
One of these TRUSTEES is somewhat
unique case. It is that of "Uncle
Bob, F" as he is famiiiarly known at the
farm. He has also been styled "The
Edgefeld Exterminator' by the news
papers. Bob Jones (white) was SO un-
Fortunate as to have killed three men,
father and two sons, named PRESLEY,
several years ago. He stood six trials
in,his home county Of Edgefield with
ont conviction, and only after change
of venue to Lexington County was he
at last convicted and sentenced to
twenty one years at hard labor, after
having undergone six years imprison-
ment in the county Jail. He is on the
downward grade of life, has served
eleven years Of his sentence, docile,
useful prisoner. Uncle Bob's blue
eyes and mild, cordial manner would
give fat denial to the harsh term sex.
terminator." He is in charge Of some
Of the animals on the farm, among
them the kennel of blood. hounds, and
they are all attached to him and mani
fest love for him and he for them.
The most timid might look into Uncle
Bob's face and trust him implicitly;
only they might not decide it safe
perhaps to trespass upon his lands,
sfter repeated protests, and defiansly
plough up his growing crops, after the
lines had been established, which was
the gravamen Of the offence in this
instance.
The crops on these farms are vari-
GUS, diversified and rotated. Only two
hundred acres Of the twelve hundred on
each farm are devoted to cotton, which
feet Of itself should be pointed les.
son to those farmers who sacrifice
their provision crops to the cotton
Molooh. Corn, oats, wheat, rye, cane,
potatoes, pumpkins, broad expanses
Of forage crops and even trucking are
all engaged in and successfully pro-
duced and carried out to the end of
their several purposes; the surplus,
which is often considerable, being
shipped to the Penitentiary.
These crops this season are graft
flying sight to my farm lover. The
tiith and general cultivation are wor-
thy Of attention; the growth luxuriant
and heavily ladened with the fruits Of
their several kind.
The yield Of cotton is estimated at
two hundred bales to each farm, "a
bale to each acre.) There are six
hundred acres Of corn ON each place,
the yield estimated at ten thousand
bushels. There are gathered and
threshed 5000 bushels of oats and
1900 bushels Of wheat. There will
also be 1900 gallons of syrup and
1000 bushels of potatoes made to each
farm. On one farm these crops have
been estimated at even higher figures
15, 1000 bushels corn being the estimate.
by experienced farmers.
A drive over the neat iabyrinthine
ways through the miles Of acreage on
the river swamp discovered grand