Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-06-19
PRISON
SYSTEM IS
ATTACKED
SIMON 0'NIELL TELLS SOME
VERY NARROWING THINGS HE
SAW WHILE IN GEORGIA PEN
ITENTIARY.

Simon o'Neill, the ex-savannah police
man who was sent to the penitentiary
with Maurice Sullivan for Is years for
killing Preston Brooks on the corner of
Oglethorpe avenue and East Broad street
in 1896 in Savannah, has given out an In
terview in Savannah which contains some
severe criticisms OF the convict lease sys-
TEN of the state. His statement, If true,
indicates that there might be some chance
for reform in this connection.
O'Neill has always contended that he
did nothing for which he should have
suffered and in his statement telling of
his experiences at the different camps in
which he has been employed he says:
If were to relate my observations OF
the Georgia penitentiary, I would tell
enough to fill book. Now, that I am
footloose and free do not care to take
advantage of it and. besides, the Georgia
penitentiary is almost too disgusting q
place to talk about. do not want to score
any one, but, as have a feeling for my
fellow-man, for the benefit of those YAo
are now suffering in Georgia prison hells
and the hope that 1t may do some good,
I will relate some facts about the peniten-
tiary, which is disgrace to civilization
and blot upon the state. The lease sys-
tenn is a rotten and damnable speculation.
1t is a veritable slavery-worse than any
slavery that existed before the war, es-
pecially inasmuch as it makes slaves OF
white men.
Every convict camp is a carbuncle on
the state and, If the public knew Of the
way they are conducted, 1t would cause
general indignation. Much of the convict
system has for years been handled by two
men and has been handed down by them
to others. 1t is not alone the unfortunate
prisoners who suffer. Many of them have
families suffering through their imprison-
ment."
O'Neill gives description Of how con-
yicts are whipped that is narrowing in
many instances. OF this he says:
when 1 entered the penitentiary /
soon discovered that two-thirds of the
whole thing was bluff.
IT tried to get along without any trou-
BILE, but whenever they directed any OF
the bluff toward me they always found a
man. 1 was always willing to submit
to law. but never to bluff. 1 was often
made angry and sorry, too, at seeing
big, able-bodied prisoners remove their
clothing to let a whipping boss admin
lister punishment which was disgusting
and humiliating and must have been ex-
cruciating torture. 1t made me angry to
see a prisoner submit and, at each stroke
of the lash to cry out: 'Lordy!' and Yes,
sir, captainP as If approving of the igno-
minious punishment which lessees and
foremen delight in having inflicted and
barbarous whipping bosses take pleasure
in infiicting. / have often. wondered how
such men could look in the faces of their
wives and daughters. and sisters. I hope
the days of the lash are not many, and
that human kindness will take the place
of such barbarity. 1t is a wonder that
1t does not often result in bloodshed. /
would have" suffered death rather than
submit to such humiliation. I have read
considerable in regard to a reform of the
penitentiary system and noticed that only
one person has spoken against the lash
and the whipping bosses, and that was
Mrs. w. H. FELTON,. Noble womanl Too
much cannot be said in her praise. 1
would rather hear the rustic of a wom-
ans skirts coming to my assistance than
the noise of regiment of troopers.
'In all their cruelty they claim they
are backed by the state. This treatment
of prisoners does not reform them; on
the contrary, it makes the depraved man