The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1902-06-25
y.C0yyICT ATTACKS
STATE PRISON SYSTEM.
,,,u TELLS or NARROWING THINGS
q, s.w WHILE IN CONFINEMENT.
xauy CrueIties Are Perpetrated
:, prisoners. Convicts Are Whipped
"a Music and Made to Sing.

for Is years for killing Preston
o., a,t. in 1896 in Savannah, has given
~, interview which contains some
ano criticisms of the convict lease
.om If the state. His statement, II
40 indicates that there might be
me- chance for reform in this con-
ection.
o,ro;, has alwas contended that he
,otb;ng for which he should have
,fered, and in his statement telling
bis experiences at the drnerem
ure in which he has been employed
/ lie SAYS:
n1tI were to relate my observations
tho Georgia penitentiary, | would
II onouph to fill book. Now, that l
~ tootloose and free, | do not care to
ke advantage of it, and besides the
Georgia peaitentiary is almost TOO dis
nstpg a place to talk about. do
: Of want to score anyone, but as have
feeling for my fellow-man, for the
benefit of those who are now suffering
L Georgia prison bells and the hope
& hat it NAV 60 some good, | will re-
Ehte some facts about the penitentiary,
khieh is a disgrace to civilization anc
81 blot upon the state. The lease sys-
sem is rotten and damnable specula-
iop 1t is weritabe slavery-worse
han any slavery that existed before
be war, especially inasmuch as 1t
hakes slaves OF white men.
Every convict caap is a carouncle
E n the state, and if the public knew OF
he way they are conducted it would
eause general Indignation. Much OF
HE convict system has for years been
handled by Two men, ADD has been
handed down by them to others. 1t is
bot alone the unfortunate prisoners
tho suffer. Many of them have fami-
les suffering through their imprison'
bent
0'Neil gives a description of how
sOnYicts are whipped that is narrowing
b many instances. OF this he says:
when entered the penitentiary
soon discovered that two-thirds of
&he whole thing was bluff.
II tried TO get along without any
FOube, but whenever they directed
|Rny of the bluff toward ne they found
man. was always willing to submit
70 law, but never to bluff. / was often
made angry and sorry, too, at seeing
pig, able-bodied prisoners remove
#heir clothing to let whipping boss
administer punishment which was dis
fusting AID humiliating and must have
feen excruciating torture. 1t made
Pc angry to see a prisoner submit and
p each stroke of the lash cry out:
%LOsdy." and Yes. sir, captain as it
approving of the ignominious punish
Nent which lessees and foremen de-
Vlght in having inflicted and barbarOus
whipping bosses take pleasure in in
Elctlng. / haYe often wondered how
fuch men could look in. the faces OF
sheir wives and daughters and sisters.
hope the days of the lash are not
panY, and that human kindness will
PaKe the place Of such barbarlty. 1t
i wonder that it does not often re-
fult Ia bloodshed. / would have suf-
'ered death rather than submit to such
PumlllatiOn. | have read considerable
II regard to reform of the penitenti-
Fry system and noticed that only one
person has spoken against the lash
% the whipping bosses, and that
Fas Mrs. w. H. FELTON,. Noble wo-
pan Too much cannot be said in her
praise. would rather hear the rustic
\ woman's skirts coming to my as
'lstance than the noise of regiment
h troopers.
In all their cruelty they claim they
pre- backed by the state. This treat
nent OF prisoners does not reform
lnem; on the contrary, it makes the
ppepfaVed man sink deeper into deDrav-
ivy Inc thief more dishonest, and the
'esperate more desperate: in fact, those
II charge of the penitentiary give no
'Aought 10 reformation, but Gully to
'peculation."
Regarding the convict guards O'Neil
''yS IN many cases they are more de-
prsVed than the prisoners themselves.
pc charges them with brutality and
'fuelty. He says:
mere is greater percenta ge of
'0praVlty among convict guards than
'mong convicts. Let a woman sink to
'ue depths OF depravity and she may
'e found in the lowest dives. Let de-
''aVlty bar some men from society
'uu tneY fetch up at a convict camp
'1ouIoerlng a gun and considering
uemselves state officials. lima inc
aal class of state officials on a salary
y 80 per month.
l am aYerse to criticising men