The Washington times., 1904-03-20


"A the peonage cases in the coun-
I 4 ties of Georgia, which are to
come up in the United States
circuit courts at Atlanta and elsewhere
in few weeks, reveals a state Of at
fairs so horrid and iniquitous as to be a
disgrace to the State whose motto is
Wisdom, Justice and Moderation"
Facts developed prove unquestionably
that many Of the less intelligent and
poorer class Of blacks in Georgia are far
worse of under the peonage system
than they were in slavery days Charges
Of Imprisonment without right OF law.
OF fearful beatings, Of forced work for
years for which no money was paid. OF
compelling the submission Of young col
Ored women to Overseers, and Of the alb
ductiOn of whole families who were
compelled TO labor without pay a large
portion Of their lives, are freely made,
and II is the assertion Of the United
States district attorney that he can
prove nearly all Of these accusations
when the cases he has in hand come
10 trial.
Perhaps the most outrageous case is
set for trial at Athens next month, the
accused. r. /. Pitrman. a wealthy plan
ter. being now under a heavy bond The
main witnesses against him, six negroes
whom he held in servitude. are being
safely cared for in the Atlanta jail,
where they are held at the instance Of
the district attorney.
Somewhere in the neighborhood Of
eight years ago a young negro named
Alfred Griffith. who lived in Madison
county, was called upon 70 pay a fine OF
S100 which had been imposed on one Of
his sons. who had gone into the adjoin-
ing county OF OglethOrpe and disturbed
public worship. Griffith either pleaded
guilty or was convicted, and saw that IL
the fine and costs We're not paid he
would have TO go TO the chain gang for
twelve months.
The boys father went to Lucius Pitt
man and agreed that If he would pay
the fine he would take his wife and thir-
teen children to Pittman's farm and
work for him until the debt was Hqui-
dated
The fine was settled and Griffith and
his family began their work. About a
year after moving to the farm Pittman
and Griffith had difficulty and the
negro had six bullets pumped into him,
producing death.
The coroner's jury rendered a verdict
of justifable homicide, and Pittman
was never placed under arrest nor did
the grand jury investigate. No one
seems 20 know why the killing occurred. /
Before the negro was cold in the
ground Pittman made the dead mans
widow take the five youngest children
and get of his farm.
Il Is positively stated that he even
FASTENED her going by giving her sew
eral vigorous kicks and otherwise NAL
treating her With an eye TO business.
he Ca = Nr ~H--
dren who were capable Of doing excel
lent work and thus pay what their
daddy owed.
The chfldren-ignorant and powerless
made the best OF the matter and
worked faithfully. A year later the
eldest. a boy about grown, ran away
and died somewhere in Alabama This
left Pittnan with seven fairly good
field hands" but about FIVE years later
the next eldest boy disappeared, drop
ped out OF sight, and his mother nor
anyone else has ever seen or heard Of
him.
The negroes say the boss did not
make any effort to find out where he
was. and they suggested all kinds Of
ugly stories as 10 the disappearing act
OF the hkeliest negro in the bunch.
This left six, three girls and three bows.
and the eldest Of these, a girl about
seventeen, IS ready 20 testify that she
was forced to yield to one OF Pittman's
overseers. When she became so i'll she
could not work in the field she was
cruelty beaten and whipped and taken
70 Athens 50 that her mother could
care for her. She gave premature birth
20 dead child. The girl did not go
back 70 Pittman's. although ordered to
return as soon as she was able 70 work. /
she went TO Atlanta, and is living !
there under an assumed name. fearing
that she VIII yet be taken back 20 the
scenes Of so much misery.
Pitman saw his flock getting away
from him and the debt being not vet |
satisfied. as he asserted, he went over "a
Athens. distance Of about twelve |
miles and made the widow Griffith give
up her eldest child. a girl about eight
years old whom he carria5 e. g.
farm and put 10 work '-i0