The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1903-02-19
CONVICT CRUELTY
CASE CONSIDERED
North Carolina Sensation Receives a
Public Airing
BEFORE LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE
Some Sterling Evidence Developed
Al the Investigation Evidence In
RebuttaI.

The investigation OF the matter OF
cruelty to conyicts from the North
Carolina Penltentiary in their removal
20 Marion was begun Tuesday. The
staff correspondent Of the Charlotte
Observer gives full account Of the
proceedings, the most salient features
being given here:
Marion, n. c., Special.--Mr. j. l.. G.
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-
moyal from Spruce Pine to Hillsboro
and Raleigh, via Marion. In rebuttal
Superintendent Mann made an excel.
lent showing SO far as his own respon-
sbility is concerned. He doubtless i'm
pressed the committee by his fairness
and by reading his orders to super
visors. superintendent Lashley also
TndeayOrcd to shift any blame from his
shoulders. !tc 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
II. ". Pharr, Of Mecklcnburg. and
ThOs. -. Warren, OF Jones county, and
Representatives George l.. Mortin, of
New Hanover; r. w. Blount, of Wash
ington. and w. G.. Newland. of Cald.
we'll and after hard days work all
the Witnesses to be examined here
were heard. a further hearing will be
held on the return to Raleigh. At
torncy HUdgins, of Marion. appeared
Cor superintendent Mann, while Mr..
Bir& acted rs 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 COnyicts did suffer hardship,
but the responsibility of such suffer
ing has not yet been fixed.
MIR. SPARKS HEARD "RUMORS"
or I'LL TREATMENT.
Whitfield Sparks, of Grassy Creek
township, Mitchell county, who lives
near the Spruce Pine convict camp,
~ miles from Marion. was the first
witness. When asked by Mr.. Bird IL
he knew that the weaker men were
selected for removal the witness said
It. was so rumOred. and on objection
10y counsel for Superintendent Mann.
a controversy arose as to what limita-
tions should be put upon the evidence.
II was stated that such was the gen
eral talk, but the witness could not
Substantiatc il. The Convicts were
started to Marion on the day after II
sloFt The witness saw ore sick man
helped into q wagon. The cOnvictS
crossed Tow river on the ice. The lat
ter was covered with water about five
inches deep for some 90 feet. The
men were shackled together, two by
two. and had ON ordinary convict
clothes. The witness saw no unkinu
treatment of Convicts and some of
them were not shacklCd.
W. ~. WisCman, of Spruce Pine, in
January. 1902. passed about 100 con-
victs on route over the mountains in
severe weather. Some of them waded
Armstrong creek while there was ice in
the still water. One convict lost his
shoes One man was carried over by
TRUSTEES, but the witness did not know
whether or not he was a guard. The
witness advised the guards to camp
on the east side OF the mountain. as
the weather was colder on the other
side. They campad 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
COnviCtS 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
groanlng. A guard told him to shut
his d--n mouth" that it would do him
IN 4 ipf
to get bucket of water and the guard
cursed and told him to take can. The
witness saw q few old shoes dropped
on the road. In crossing q 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 andSwere put in wagons. He
saw the sick Convits taken off the
wagon, but none were dead. Five OIL
six were i'll, two apparently bad of.
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 mut
holes There Is no other way K
Marion" said the witness, so far a:
know, or I would have travelled It.
Asked about the convicts' shoes b!
Chairman Warren, the witness salt
some Of them were in bad shape anC
in two instances he noticed they. wer'
open and dripping mud The sconvic
who was groanirs seemed to be II
serious condition. The witness saw on
man with one foot bare. This side o
the mountain the mud was the wors
of the winter on the day the convict
were moved. The mud came up to th'
top OF the shoes and sometimes high
er, and it was shoe-mouth deep nearl
all the way.
GUARDS CURSED THE CONVICTS
A. ID. Wiseman, of Spruce Pine, ties
titled that he drove team along VIII
the convicts on the march to Marion
Three miles or more an hour wer
made. Some places the mud was I
inches deep and the average wa
about shoe-mouth deep. Two convict
seemed to be very sick and showe
-