The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1904-03-15
THE COUNTY CHAIN GANG.
Statements From Mr.. B. E. Kc0n In De
fense of HIS Brother And Attacking
Testimony Taken In Investiga-
ton on Wednesday.

& lii\!iiDSi VI tiiS Wy l'o'INN III ~
is 4 brother oi the late MIR. Ben.
N. Noon, against whom as guard
OF the chain gang several OF the
+. charges OF cruelty to convictS were
made in the testimony taken by
Referee +. II. Dominick on last
Wednesday. Mr.. Butler I. Noon
was himself guard on. the county
chain gang for four years, up until
December, lyo2, having preceded
his brother as guard. From the
knowledge ri the workings or the
earg gained during his four Years
service as guard. and in defense OF
his brother. he desires and requests
space to make few statements in
reference to the testimony taken at
the investigation on Wednesday.
His statements are as follows:
The members of the gang, are
as low characters as there are on
earth. but during the time | was
with the gang as guard they were
treated as kindly as it is possible to
treat this class of :nen. They were
whipped only in order to make them
work and only enough to make
them work. They were given to-
bacco, which was purely kind
ness on the part of the authorities.
They were also provided with
warm and heavy clothes in the WIN
ter. | never saw man come off
the gang who deserved pension
and l am only sorry that there are
not more of the criminal and worth
less negroes on the gang and sub
ject to the lash.
THE testimony of Mr.. Albert
Schroeder in the investigation on last
"Wednesday Ibelieve to have been
inspired largely BY spite. During
the summer of 1902 there was a
log in the ground at the creek below
Mr.. Sciroders house for a lord.
which had been put in several years
before. Mr.. Schroeder claimed that
the log caused the water to back
up and did damage to his land. He
entered suit against the county,
coming to the supervisor with
tears in his eyes. | took the gang
to the place and cut ditch about
three hundred Yards long and eight
or ten feet wide. though in my
judgment the log was doing no
harm whatever. | also took out
the log. After the ditch was dug
Mr.. Schroeder came to the super
visor and offered tc compromise for
$50. telling the supervisor that |
had said he was entitled to the
damages. had told Schroeder no
such thing. Supervisor Schun-
pert was overruled BY the board and
Schroeder was given $50 damages.
Every since that time Schroeder has
had it in for Supervisor Sch11mpert.
while was near Mr.. Schro-
ders house Schroeder repeatedly
told me that he wanted a place on
the gang. saying that the negroes
ought to be whipped even more
than | was having them whipped
and made to work.
Il am satisfied that my brother,
Mr.. Ben NJ. koon. did not whip the
negroes like Mr.. Schroeder says was
the case. My brother would fire.
quently come in on Saturday nights
and talk to me about the workings
OF the gang, and if ANYTHING | be-
lieve he was too easy on the he
groes. | desire to state that | be-
lieve Mr.. Schroeder slipped up in
this part OF his testimony.
Il am satisfied in my belief that
any charges OF cruelty in the treat
ment OF the gang brought against
my brother are not trlic. and II ny
brother was living they would be
proved false.