The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-07-31
CONNECTS CHARGE
TERRIBLE CRUELTY
Georgia Witnesses Tell of
Many Deaths Caused
by BeatingS.
BRUTAL WARDENS
READY WITH LASH
Doctor Tells of Being Shot for Pun
iShment-Graft Revealed in
Official Quarters.

ATLANTA Ga, July 31.-The Fielder
committee which is investigating the
convict lease system of the State, ad-
journed at 1905 o'clock last night until
late this afternoon.
During the session testimony was in
troduced which showed that practically
every warden in the State has been
Feceiving extra pay from leases.
The prison committee has known OF
this since last November. testified J.
III Pagan. who said he attended a con-
ference OF lessee5, at which all three
members Of the commission We're pres
ent. He stated that the matter was
under discussion. but that the com
SnissiOners had expressed no opinion.
Charged As Broker"
DR.. W. B. Handy, it was testified.
was so influential with the prison COM
nitee that he has been able to guaran-
tee in advance to furnish competent
state warden in making contracts to
deliver ConVicts. 1t was sworn that
Dr. Eamby, through his brokerage
he pal1 the State Sg25 each q pear TO
one party for $500 a month nearly
three times what they cost him, thus
making profit OF S405 year on each
man.
1t was testified that when lessees had
trouble with the convicts, DR.. J. r.
Brock, who is a member Of the investi-
eating committee, and who has held the
position Of camp physician at a lessee's
plant in his Senatorial district. advised
the lessee to see Jake Moore II has
been said that former Chief Warden
Moore could give advice as to means
sor getting the most work out Of men.
Advantage of Few.
Aac 10 hot
From his experience the State convict
system has been operated for the ad-
vantage Of a few lessees and TO the
disadvantage Of the many lcssees
A J. Howard, OF Jokin, Miller county,
employed at the camp Of the Flowers
LUmber Company for six years as
arden, testified that the company paid
him SIS a month extra for pulling dry
lumber out Of a kiln. He said he had
Ofte-. whipped men, but never whipped
one to death. He had heard that two
years ago a man had been wrapped in
blankets and smothered TO death, but
said he knew nothing about the Incl
dent
Separation of Sexes.
William williams, employed at the
State farm. testified to the separation
of the sexes at the farm He swore
that the women and men were kept
separate. but testified that children had
been born there
J. c Edwards, chairman Of the eX-
Rcutive committee which visited the
camp of the ChattahoOche Brick COn-
pany, told Of conditions. He said men
were forced TO go on {. trOt; that many
worked in kilns where the heat was so
intense II did not seem possible for men
TO exist long in it. One man had been
on a trot for fifteen years and witness
did not see how he had stood it. Beds
he said, were dirty; mess hall althE
NJ. O. Maxwell, warden at a coal mine
camp, said there were ten men now in
hospital at his place. five or six of
whom had injured themselves by stick
ing picks in their feet and limbs. Two
or three men had recently been killed
by falling slate. He said COnVicts were
frequently injured in this way.
Whipped Forty Men.
So far as TIE commission knew from
reports, Maxwell testified, the men had
not received anything to eat in eighteen
months. He said he whipped right
smart usually for idleness. His rec
iorcs show thirty TO forty whippings a
month. There were thirty men at the
camp. He admitted whipping forty new
men at one time to break them in"
Asked If men could spare the time from
digging TO properly prop the works in
order TO prot ect their lives and still
complete their required tasks witness
answered simply: The men have to
work
A. J. Iyey. deputy warden at the
Lookout Mountain Camp (MaxweIl's
posO which is owned by Col. J. W.
English, IT., was questioned as &c whip
ping. He swore he did not have u whip
men st the Palmer brick plant, the men
beiTg good workers, but when lie and
his convlcts were transferred 10 the
Lookout Mountain mines he was forced
TO do a good deal Of whipping in order
TO get the specified tasks completed.
Re admitted that he could not have
as direct supervision of the men as at,
other camps and that he was forced TO
rely on the word of the mine bosses az
70 the failure Of the men to complete
specified tasks.
Tells Of Cruelties.
A former convict, now a practicing
physician. testified at the night session
as TO cruelty at the farm He saw
man given 20 Iashes one Sunday morn
ing. The convict died a month later
from dropsy. Witness said he was q
ph Musician, and knew when men were
sick. One mans temperature was lGgJ5.
but he was whipped just the same.
The camp physician had ordered the
man TO stay in doors. but the warden
whipped him anyway. he said
This witness spoke or being worked
IN rain sleet. or snow, and made to
sleep in wet clothes. He swore that
Captain Slater, the warden. was a
drinking man said he had been over
powered and whipped; whipping infict-
ed a pernlanent injury; had had to have
a delicate operation performed.
He spoke Of an instance when he re-
sisted whipping and Captain Slater
shot him IN the ankle, breaking the
bone. he said while at Chattahoocbee
brick camp. ne saw a negro whipped
and that the negro died from the whip
ping
Col. James W. English. jr., president
of the ChattahoOchee Brick Company
the Lookout Mountain Coal and Coke
Company. and other concerns which
employ large numbers Of conyicts in
their work and DR.. W. =. Handy. head
of the big convict brokerage firm of
Handy & Toomer, were present. await
rused until this afternoon