Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-05-26
Laws Practically Ignored in
Alabama.
ONE MAN INDICTED
ILLITERATE NEGROES SENT TO
CRUEL sERvITUDE.
Certain Magistrates in Collision With
Persons Who Seek Laborers-Ar-
rests Made on Flimsy Charges.

Chief Wilkie of the secret service is ex-
pecting information of a number OF ino1ce-
ments by the federal grand jury at Mont
gomery Ala, of persons who are charged
with holding in practical slavery illiterate
colored men of the state. How long the
practice of holding unfortunate negroes IN
this condition has been going on Is not
known, even in Alabama. Some time ago
the scheme was unearthed and the state
authorities began work upon it with the
idea of exterminating the practice If pos
sible The federal authorities through the
Department of Justice, were appealed to
about a month ago, and the department re-
quested Chief Wilkie to detail one of his
agents to make an investigation. Chief
Wilkie sent Captain Dickey to Alabama,
and the secret service officer has been at
work more than month on the case. one
man named Robert NJ. Franklin has already
been indicted for keeping a negro in serV1-
tude for at least year.
Other indictments are looked for. 1t Is
the expectation that the federal govern
ment through the Department of Justice,
will pursue the persons guilty of the prac-
uce vigorously until 1t is broken up.
Arrested on Flimsy Charges.
Information in the hands of Chief Wilkie
tends to show that regular system has
been practiced for a long time between GER
tain magistrates and persons who want
negro laborers. 1t is said that the plan is
to bring a poor negro before a magistrate
on a fiimsy charge. He is convicted and
having no money to pay a fine, the white
man offers to advance him the money pro-
vided the negro will make labor contract
with him for a length of time sufficient to
reimburse him for the money and trouble
En6 hos 10, to lyDar fHA nf oil
He is thereupon taken away and begins
what is frequently a long term of cruel
servitude. being frequently whipped for
failure to perform work to the satisfaction
of his employer
In many instances the illiterate negroes
were required to sign contracts. the con-
tents of which they did not know to work
for the company a period OF one year
without recompenSe, except board and
clothes. In the course of time, when the
negro began to object to his confinement.
he would be soundly whipped. In one in
stance a negro who ran away from the
men who had him in charge was later fined
for breaking his contract and sent back
to the same company. Whipping was fire.
quent. and the camps where the men work.
ed were surrounded with guards. Dogs
were used to chase those who ran away.
The Law.
The federal authorities in Alabama have
been proceeding under sections 552j and
5526 of the Revised Statutes. The former
section. which became a law June %, 1874.
provides heavy fine and punishment for
kidnapping and holding in involuntary serv-
itude' person or holding person las
slave" The latter section, which became
law March %. 1867. provides punishment
for persons holding others in a condition
of peonage. the language being. who
holds, arrests or returns to condition of
peonase." The federal authorities are pro-
ceeding under both sections. and it is be-
lieved here that the prosecutions can be
successfully carried out.
The effect of the interference of the
United States has been to carry alarm into
the camps of the Shareholders.
The punishment provided by the statute
for this crime is a fine of not less than
1000 nor more than 5000, or imprison-
ment of not less than one year nor more
than five. -
An agent of the secret service who Is now
on the ground will make a thorough inves-
tigation of the whole alleged SYSTEM and
turn over to the United States attorney for
that district all information he may obtain
with view to the prosecution of offenders