The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1903-02-19
CONVICT CRUELTY
CASE CONSIDERED
North Carolina Sensation Receives a
Public Airing
BEFORE LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE
Some Startling Evidence Developed
At the Investigation Evidence In
Rebuttal.

cruelty to convicts from the North
Carolina Penitentiary in their removal
to Marion was begun Tuesday. The
staff correspondent Of the Charlotte
Observer gives a full account OF the
being given here:
Marion. n. c.. Special.-Mr. ]. l.. c.
Bird and others Of Marion submitted
evidence to the legislative committee
which tended to establish his charges
of cruelty to convicts on the recent re-
moval from Spruce Pine to Hillsboro
and Raleigh, via Marion. In rebuttal
Superintendent Mann made an excel.
lent showing so far as his own respon-
sibility is concerned He doubtless i'm
pressed the committee by his fairness
and by reading his orders to super
yisors. Superintendent LaShley also
endeavored TO shift any blame from his
shoulders. ne was alongside the men
on a portion of the march, but could
not observe all that was going on. but
thought everything was done right.
The committee consisted of Senators
H. n. Pharr, of Mecklenburg, and
Thos. D. Warren, of Jones county, and
Representatives George l.. Mortin, OF
New Hanover: T. w. Blount, OF Wash
ington, and w. C. Newland, OF Cald.
we'll. and after a hard days work all
the witnesses to be examined here
were heard. A further hearing will be
held on the return to Raleigh. At
torney Hudgins, of Marion. appeared
for Superintendent Mann, while Mr..
Bird acted as prosecutor. The latter
stated. that he brought charges at the
almost unanimous demand OF the COM
munity and he was not here when the
convicts passed through. AS a result
of Tuesdays hearing, it may be said
that the opinion will probably prevail
that the convicts did suffer hardship,
but the responsibility Of such suffer
ing has not yet been fixed.
MR.. SPARKS HEARD "RUMORS'
OF ILL TREATMENT.
Whitfield Sparks, Of Grassy Creek
township, Mitchell county, who lives
near the Spruce Pine convict camp,
"a miles from Marion, was the first
witness. When asked by Mr.. Bird II
he knew that the weaker men were
selected for removal the witness SAID
II was SO rumored, and on objection
by counsel for Superintendent Mann,
a controversy arose as to what llmlta-
tions should be put upon the evidence.
1t was stated that such was the gen.
eral talk, but the witness could not
substantiate it. The convicts were
started to Marion on the day after
sleet. The witness saw one sick man
helped into a wagon. The conVicts
crossed Tow river on the ice. The lat
ter was covered with water about flye
inches deep for some 20 feet. The
men were shackled together, two by
two, and had on ordinary convict
clothes The witness saw no unklnd
treatment Of convicts and some OF
them were not shackled.
w. D. Wiseman, OF Spruce Pine, IN
January, 1902. passed about 100 con-
victs en- route over the mountains IN
severe weather. Some Of them waded
Armstrong creek while there was ice IN
the still water. One convict lost MS
shoes. One man was carried over by
TRUSTEES, but the witness did not know
whether or not he was a guard. Ihe
witness advised the guards to camp
on the east side Of the mountain, as
the weather was colder on the other
side. They camped at Mica (Which IS
on the other side of the mountain).
The camp equipage for the return trip
to Marion was loaded on a sleety day.
The men crossed the river on the ice,
over which water was running. AT
dinner on the march the witness saw
coffee and bread distributed and heard
conyicts ask for meat. For 13 miles
from Marion the road was muddy and
sloppy. One sick man while lying down
in a wagon asked for water as the
creek was being crossed, and was
groaning. A guard told him to shut
his d-n mouth" that it would do him
no good to groan. A convict started
to get bucket of water and the guard
cursed and told him to take a cah. The
witness saw a few old shoes dropped
on the road. In crossing a small creek
some of the men had to wade in water
over shoe-mouth deep. The roads were
bad and the convicts marched in the
middle of the road, while the guards
generally walked on the bank. Some
gave out and were put in wagons. He
saw the sick convits taken of the
wagon, but none were dead. Five OF
six were i'll, two apparently bad or
On cross-examination by Superinten.
dent Mann's counsel the witness stated
that Armstrong creek was about knee
deep and there was no foot-log where
the convicts crossed. The witness was
not positive that any guard was taken
over on convicts' backs. Once and
while the convicts could avoid mud
holes. There is no other way 10
Marion" said the witness, so far as
| know, or l would have travelled 1t.
Asked about the convicts' shoes by
Chairman Warren, the witness SAID
some of them were in bad shape ana
in two instances he noticed they were
open and dripping mud" The convict
who was groanins seemed to De IN
serious condition. The witness saw one
man with one foot bare. This side OF
the mountain the mud was the worst
of the winter on the day the conVlcts
were moved. The mud came up 10 Ine
top of the shoes and sometimes hlgh-
er. and it was shoe-mouth ceep nearly