The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-01-27
A BIG FAKE STORY
OF BRU TAI DEEDS
No lnhuman Treatment of
COrvicts as Told.
NOT A SINGLE DEATH
Siberian Horror" Story of Treatment Of Con-
Victs in North Carolina Printed in Atlanta
Constitution FIatIy Denied by States
Prison Authorities.

Prison Authorities.
The Atlanta Constitution of Sunday,
beneath big and bold headlines, publishes
telegram dated Raleigh, which the
glaring headlines say, reveals a state of
affairs in North Carolina amongst the
State convicts equalling the horrors of
Siberia.
The Constitution has been imposed upon
for the reports of inhumanity and cruelty
to convicts. and the details of the story
are fatty contradicted by the authorities
of the States Prison here
Here is what the special from Raleigh
to the Constitution says:
What appears to have been a truly
Siberian scene of convict cruelty occurred
near this place yesterday when 100 con-
yicts were marched % miles across
rough country over heavy frozen roads
during the intensely bitter weather
the march resulting in the death of two
Of the prisoners.
"The march of the convicts was made
from Mitchell county, where a railroad
is in the course of construction by $50 OF
the States convicts, to Marion, a dis
tance of % miles.
During the time that the prisoners
have been at work on the railroad the
weather has been bleak and frightfully
cold, and it seems that the convicts had
been submitted to great hardships, 50
when the line of march was taken up to
Marion the men were already badly ex-
hausted.
while en- route to Marion the men
suffered greatly. The roads across the
country are rough and broken, and the
prisoners We're poorly protected from ire
hardships of a march. 1t is stated that
as they nlodded across rough frozen
81 ound in not a few places the bloody
imprint of their feet was left on the hard
clods.
When the prisoners reached Marion
they were greatly fatigued ard could
hardly drag one foot after the other as
they marched into the town. One of the
men died while they were on the way,
end anothr died while they were in the
city For some reason the train which
was to carry them from Marion to the
penitentiary was delayed fifteen hours.
"It is a pitiful and intensely human
sight to see the convicts as they tried
to relieve each other of their sufrerings.
There is considerable criticism here upon
the aCIlOn OF Lne IUl dlloW-
ing the suffering among the men.
9TH work on the railroad with con-
victs will not be taken up again till the
cold weather breaks"
The above is the wild story which has
started on it's rounds. Knowing that Col.
F. A. Olds, of this city, was the Raleigh
, correspondent of the Etlanta Constitu-
tion, he was asked concerning the tele-
gram In response to inquiries he said
that he had not sent the telegram printed
in the Constitution.
Col Olds kindly furnished a copy or
the telegram he did send. This, he said,
was upon authority which he regarded as
entirely reliable.
! This telegram is dated Raleigh, n. G.
January "a, 1903, and addressed to Con
stitution, Atlanta. Ga, reads:
Owing to extremely severe weather
the $50 State convicts who have been
building a railway in Mitchell county
have been taken from that work. There
was considerable sickness and some
deaths. One hundred and eighty of the
convicts were marched to Marion yes
terday, % mil -, over heavy roads, ana
We're greatly 1,,tigued. One died on the
day Another died on the train atter
arrival at Marion. where for some rea-
son the train was kept waiting fifteen
hours"
With a desire of getting at the real
facts in the matter, and feeling that a
gross injustice had been done the human
ity of the people in control of the convict
force, an interview was sought with ,Su-
perintendent Mann. of the State Prison.
He was out of the city, but an interview
was held with Mr.. p NJ. Arlington, Chief
Clerk of the prison. The substance of the
telegram was hold him and he was asked
concerning it.
Not a word of truth in the charges
said he.
Explain the natter" was asked him.
''There have been 161 eonvicts at work
on the Carolina Company's railroad TO
extend from Marion to johnson City Ten
nessee The season in Mitchell county
was such that the force could no longer
be worked there during the winter. rms
being so superintendent Mann went TO
have the convicts brought away. He
went to Spruce Pine, in Mitchell county
and made arrangements to move the force
to Marion to take the train. 1t is ~ or
20 miles from Spruce Pine to Marion and
the convict force left Spruce Pine early
on the morning of the 2fst OF this month,
reaching Marion at night This was not
a hard days journey The men were
given dinner on the road and had not col
fee. There were wagons and mules along.
and any who were feeble had the use OF
the wagons No one died on the march.
"At Marion the force was put on poard
the train. There was delay on the roao.
but not without cause. There was
wreck at Connolly Springs, which mas
Continued on Fifth Pagel