The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-07-26
Georgia Legislature Turns
 Things Upside Down
SENSATIONS ARE SPRUNG
Revelations Before the Committee of Investigation Are Startling and Wholesale Indictments Are
 Expected.

Atlanta, July 25.-(special.) .)-The con- vict lessee system in Georgia will be abol- ished after 1911. Convicts will be leased direct, eliminating the middle men," or convict brokers, who have grown wealthy from this traffic, until that time. From now on conviets are to be kept in sani- tary quarters, fed with wholesome, clean food. All this Is provided for in a bill favorably reported from the committee to the Georgia house of representatives, and which is sure to be placed oa the statute books.
 This Is the continuation of an investiga- ton of the convict camps of Georgia which has been in progress for the past week, and has disclosed the most horrible practices and unspeakable conditions in those quarters.
 According to sworn testimony before the investigation committee, prisoners have been whipped to death one prisoner shot down and left where he fell for a week, after which time a dog appeared with a human arm in his teeth he had torn from the dead convict's body One prisoner was whipped so severely that he died from it's effects because he let some hot coffee spill on hog belonging to foreman of a camp Convicts were dis charged from prison hospitals when hard ly able to walk away and beaten cruelty because they could not work. Nespotis1n existed in all branches of the prison sys- tenn and lessees obtained .ichoice con- victs--that Is, those more ahle perform rh-by bribing wardens and osher pris-
 
 All Georgia Aghast.
 All Georgia has stood aghast at the ter rible revelations brought out by this in- vestigation, and wholesale indictments are soon expected.
 The Holder bill was reported favorably from the committee on penitentares, and 1t will no doubt pass the house and speed fly become a law.
 The bill provides, briefly speaking, for the abolition of convict brokers making the lessees deal directly with the state, and holds them directly responsible for the sanitary condition of the prisoners, of their quarters and their treatment of those entrusted to them It also provides for the abolishment of the entire system of lea sing convicts after the year 1911.
 It was brought out during the investga- tion that convicts have also been leased from Florida and used in this state, be- Ing SuDJecleu to the same III treatment and awful conditions as the Georgia con- victs have suffered
 The weeks results of the nvestiga- ton into the prison commissions admin istration of the convict lease system may be summed up as follows, the charges being based on sworn testimony:
 Colored porter of prison commission ac- cused by his wife of furnishing James w. English, Jr., with copy of bids of do fnt. cto fafc tote
 Report Suppressed.
 Legislative committees report of in- human treatment of conviets at Chatta- hoochee Brick company suppressed by chairman of pententiary committee, but turns up before the Fielder special in vestigation committee in carbon copy. retained by Senator Stapleton, who made the inspection
 Chief Warden Jake Moore in partner ship with Chief Lessee w. B. Hamby, ostensiby in real estate business.
 Son of Secretary Yancey of prison com mission In partnership with I. l.. Hamby, working convicts and now working for Chief Lessee w. B. Hamby.
 Two wardens of the state Casey and Goode, beat men to death. the one be- cause his victim was too sick to work and the other because his victim spilled hot coffee on a hog belonging to the warden.
 Chief Warden Jake Moore took money from lessees for sending them ''choice'' convicts.
 Convict camps scenes of red-handed murder besides their wretched condition from filth, cruelties and starvation and not a member of the prisoner committee inspecting them. as required by law. Convicts overworked to make money for lessces. Superintendent Coombes. relative Of Chairman Turner of prison commission guilty of sending squads of crippled con victs off the farm to grade lots and raise crops for private individuals in direct vlo- lation of law. Prison commission knew of these viola tions of law. Son of Secretary Yancey of the prison commission in convict leasing business with the Hambys. Wardens guilty of falsifying reports on diet. whippngs and other vital sub ] jects.
 Lessees bribing wardens and wardens taking bribes. 3 Other minor irregularities too num-