The Savannah morning news., 1904-07-13
PEONAGE CASE
IS FAR REACHING
NEGRO FOREMAN is HELD
ON A CHARGE OF HOLDING IN IN
VOLUNTARY SERVITUDE-

State Standardized John f. FOy, as
Employer of Foreman Jackson, Is
Intcrcsted-Titus Mitchell, the Al
legged PeOn, Tells His StOry-Sent
to Chatngang for the Larceny OF
a Meal, He Says-Deputy Marshal
Wilson on for More Prisoners.
A peonage case, in which State Sena-
tor-elect John +. Foy and his father,
Mr.. E. E. Foy are interested, came to
light yesterday morning in the United
States Commissioners Court.
The prisoner is Henry jackson, col
ored, an employee, with the rank of
boss of some sort. in the Foy Manu-
featuring Company's sawmill at Egypt,
Ga. When he faced the commissioner
TO answer the charge of kidnapping"
and holding one Titus Mitchell in
Involuntary servitude," at the sugges-
ton of Senator-elect Foy he waived
a hearing.
The bond of the defendant was fixed
by Commissioner w. r. Hewlett at
$3.50 This was promptly furnished by
Jackson through Mr.. Foy. The two
alleged poems Titus Mitchell and Henry
Jones, both colored, were taken to the
county Jail and locked up to await
the action in the Jackson case.
To Make other Arrests.
Besides the two alleged poems who
were brought here, three more are
wanted, all to act as witnesses. Dep
uty United States Marshal j. Ben Will
son left last night for three other ne
groes, now doing service on the chain
gang. There had been a disposition TO
refuse to turn the negroes over to the
United States officers, the gang super
intendents claiming that they were
state prisoners and the government
could not act in their cases.
The indications are there will be
some rather interesting developments
before the cases finally terminate. All
of the United States officials in Sa-
vannah who were consulted on the
matter declined to discuss the case at
any length.
For Larceny of a Meal.
Titus Mitchell. when asked about the
case, told a straight -forwalN story of
the deal and claims he will easily be
able to substantiate it. Henry Jones,
though seen at an entirely different
time, told a story that corrObordted
that of Titus in nearly every detail.
jackson, according to the story of
the witnesses, came to Savannah for
the purpose of employing hands to
work in the sawmill of the FOy COM
pany. He offered the men 81 a day
and three meals Mitchell and Jones,
and three other negroes, accepted the
terms, and started for bingham coun-
ty.
How Trouble Occurred.
One meal was furnished them there
III !
their wages were to be 80 cents a day
and they were to furnish their own
meals. These terms were not salts
factory to the negroes and they both
started out for Savannah.
A few hours later they were arrest
ed and tried on a charge of larceny,
the thing stolen being the one meal
provided them, "of the value of 30
cents" They were adjudged guilty and
sentenced to pay a fine of $50, or serve
six months on the changing. The men
were then sent to the gang and later
sent over to Bulloch county, where they
were put to work on a railroad. The
name of the company building the
railroad could not be learned.
Refused Payment of Fine.
Titus Mitchell was more fortunate
than his fellows, in that he had a
brother in Savannah Moses Mitchell
posed. Titus communicated with Mo-
SEES and the latter at once hurried to
Dillingham; with the fine, it is said.
Here he was informed, according to
both his story and that of Titus and
Jones. that 1t was too late to pay the
fine, as it had not been forthcoming
on the day on which it was imposed.
All efforts to secure the release of Titus
failed, it is alleged, and Moses returned
to Savannah.
His next step was to go before United
States Attorney William r. Leaken
and lay the entire matter before him.
Mr.. Leaken acted at once and the
peonage charge was lodged against
Jackson. There are rumors that ha-
beas corpus proceedings, similar to
those in the Jamison case will be be-
gun against the bingham authorities.
Violating the state Laws.
Another interesting point which will
probably cause action to be brought in
the state courts is the fact that the
men were leased to a corporation to
work on a railroad. Under the law of
the state, misdemeanor convicts can
not be so leased.
Developments are expected with the
return of Marshal Wilson with the
other three men. all of whom are now
imprisoned on the changing on
charge similar to that against Mitchell
and ZONES