The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1907-11-05
tonnage CASES.
Department of Justice is Now at
Work On Them-Woman Lawyer
Interested.
The State.


The State.
Washington, Nov. 1.-The depart
melt Of justice proposes to prosecute
to the utmost all those under suspi-
cion of peonage in the south. Follow
ing the prosecutions Of those in Flor
ida last winter who held white meu
in bondage, making them work by
force against their will, preparations
are being made to prosecute certain
ones in Mississippi and other south
ern states who have been holding in
peonage either white la,borers or
black ones. A report made today to
the attorney general by Mrs. Mary
Grace Quackenboss, woman lawyer,
special attorney for the southern fed
eral district of New York, engaged to
visit certain localities in the south,
gives some interesting information
about a case soon to be tried in Mis-
sissippi.
A few weeks ago man by the
name of O. D. Crittenden Of Greel-
Vile, Miss. was arrested upon the
charge Of arresting an italian in
GreenviIe and taking him across the
river to an island, Sunny Side, in
Arkansas, there to- be held in peonage.
According to the report of Mrs.
QuackenbosS. there is whole island
full Of Italians at Sunny Side, who
are compelled to work under condi-
tioas and circumstances over which
they have no control and which are
not very greatly diSsimilar from those
which obtain in slave countries. The
It ,Iians. thousand of them, were
brought over 10 America several years
ago under The impression that they
were going to become settlers, and
free American citizens. It did not
work, though. as they found out that
when they wanted to throw up their
jcJs they could not so easily do it.
They were in debt for their passage
money from Itaix and were cJapelled
to work under such conditions that
they could n,t earn enough for the
support of ii cir families and at the
same time save money to dcfray tie
debt. Hence they aad to work on
and on with no hope Of evol paying
out. When rne attempted tc leave he
was promptly arrested and taken back
to. the plantation. Mrs. Quackeuboss
recites many facts in connection with
the management Of the plantation
and the Crittenden system Of mana9-
ing labor. During her visit to the
Sunny Side plantation she was order
ed off the premises by Crilreaden. who
claimed that she was intruding, and
had no right to be there. Critten-
den says that it was because Of this
that she preferred charges against
him which caused his arrest. It is
said at the department Of justice that
the arres was considered and practi-
eally agreed upon just after pre-
vious visit Of Mrs. Quackenboss to
Sunny Side and some time before she
was ordered off the place.
The preliminary hearing Of Critten-
den will take place some time in No.
vember and the trial will likely be
IN January.
Some other cases Of alleged peon-
age in the south were investigated by
this Mrs. Quackenboss, and it is intl-
mated hereabouts that she found some
things in one Of the Carolinas about
which sae made an elaborate report.
For some time reports have been
made to the department. Of justice OF
peo2age in North Carolina and this
special agent was sent down to in
vestigate What her report says will
likely be interesting, and most likely
it will be strongly combatted, as any
investigator Of such things sent down
from the north is likely to be, for
most natural and proper reasons.
Zach MeGhee.