The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1907-02-14

| by an individual. would have been sold
at least the number not desired for
work. Here is exen,plified the rankest
Iof the penny wise and pound foolish
alicy
\ In alluting to the mules kept under
hnvas our purpose is as contarct to
the convict locked i'll box-like con-
trivance on wheels. a prison so-called,
which is discredit to the parish OF
Caddo and should not be tolerated i'll
any country boasting its civilization and
Christianity
There are two of these boxes on
wheels. one visible at the camp, while
the other is at rest-bogged several miles
away from the camp. In the box or jail
OF wheels inspected there are two tiers
of hunks with space of two and half
feet between the hunks, which consists
of planks nailed as floor. In this box
are housed without discrimination the
convicts. white or black. Had the camp
been advised of this intended visit.
everything would have been in apple
pie order. but we caught the outht
dead to rights and mapping. The
conditions of this box, particularly its
sanitary feature provided for the night,
when the prisoners are locked in. Is IN
descrbable. at least the words which
would describe it are not fit for publi-
cation. Before we reached this box the
stencil was unbearable. A view of ITS
interior was a startling revelation. Inn
cotton blankets lay scattered about the
bunk which was foul with odors often
sive. 1t is i'll such contrivance that
human beings are kept. criminals If you
WILL but no sef-respecting man and no
boy would permit his dog to sleep in
such quarters There was filth III album
dance and the creepers are many. Re-
ferring to this condition, Superintendent
McCutcheil stated that it was the best it
could do. that once week on Sunday. #
the weather be fair, this box is cleaned
and the blankets are fulnlgated and
aired. In unpleasant weather the prison.
ers are mealed between showers in the
open. and if the weather be too rough
| they are given their rations Ill the box on
wheels. In extreme cold weather the
box is heated with charcoal in tin
bucket or pan. regardless of the effects
| Vi the fumes. which may aspl1yxiate the
prisoners. This contrivance for the keep
| ing of the prisoners is discredit, as
| iamnable as could be conceived 1t Is
inhun1an and should be abolished
There have been as many as thirty
two people. white and black, packed like
sardines in this box In the camp we
found fifteen convicts There had.beel
eigteen. two white men, fakirs and pick
| pockets. arrested during the Fair. being
.eleased Tuesday. and a negro yester'
day morning.
| There is feature of this investiga
| ton which is as striking as 1t is anaz
ling. With all the skill of the newspaper
man plying his queries mgenuousiy,
was impossible to extract from the pris
loners the chastisement inflicted for vio
llation of the rules. 1t was developed
THAT whenever a rule was broken, th'
lculprit. white or black, is stripped
thrown across box or barrel, and upol
Ibis back is administered, generally b
1.-The foreman, fogging, the limit beinl
from ten to twenty lashes with bridl
Irein. 1t is conceded that discipline mus
ibe maintained, but the policy of thu
f1ogging may be questioned as It IS III
human and inadvisable. There shoul
be some other system of punishment be
| sides this flogging, particularly when ap
lplied to white men, who may not b
equal in their strength and capacity to
| work as negroes From time to tim
There have been references to the cruz
treatment of prisoners by whipping an
whose bodies, after release. bore til
marks of the chastisement inflicted.
would seem as if the prisoners reticene
IS due to some influence which, If silen
lis apparently powerful. at least suffieien
{ Ily so to keep the prisoners silent as
! what happens in the camp. 1t may
{ | said in this connection that the wllippir
If prisoners is not as frequent as III tt
J. oast. and that the prisoners enjoy
4 greater latitude of liberty without Il
q result of infractions wich has made tn
d camp odious in the past.
! When the con dition Of the box {
:, wheels and the unmercifui whipping al
y Knockout administered III the past
Iguards who delighted in their cruel al
+ lcowardly advantage over the detensele
is fprisoner. it is no wonder that prisone
n with experience of this convict car
4, when called to be sentenced for sor
,e minor offense have pleaded tearfu
is with the judge of the district court to
ST sentenced to the pen instead of the co
Ivict camp.
y AN ALLEGED CASE OF CRUELT I
al In this camp there is white m
is named Gus Rogers, with a fractnr
ID skull The allegation is that he "
IS struck over the head with a pistol
ne Jacobs. the foreman. The fracture
= 4 t..- ,.r,da