The weekly true Democrat. (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1905-1912, 1908-03-06
LION COMMISSION
REGULAR MEETING
~ sstoFs RoPOFt and Reply 70 Same
from cOmmittee.

TIE Leon county Board of County
Commissioners were in regular monthly
session Tuesday, with the full Board
present. The only business of impor-
lance before them, except routine, were
the reports Of the State Convict Inspect
or, and one from q committee Of the
Commission, who did some investigat-
ing, and respectively, both reports
follow:
REPORTS VERBATIM:
Hon. N. B. Broward, Governor, State
of Florida.
Dear Sir:-I beg to herewith submit
my report on county convict camp of
ROdes', located at Woodville, Florida.
visited this camp on Feb. Is, 1908, and
found the following: found the bed
ding TO consist Of seven small wooden
hunks, with mattresses, blankets and
pillows, no pillow cases or sheets were
furnished at all. The blankets and
mattresses were in a filthy condition.
There were only seven hunks, and sew
enteen men (the day Of my visit and
understand at times they have more
prisoners. It was also reported to me
that at times they were compelled to
sleep four in one bunk. The floors of
dining room and sleeping cell were very
dirty and looked as if they had not been
scrubbed since built, and it looks as
though it has been some time since il
has been swept, judging from the
amount of loose sand on the floors.
find one white man in the camp who is
compelled to sleep with his bunk against
the closet, and he is compelled TO sleep
here, and this man reported that he had
70 sit up one night to keep from sleep
ing with a negro, and the man made !
this statement in the presence Of the
captain, who did not deny it. This |
man complains Of having to smell this
OdOr all night. The closet being only |
an ordinary tub set in the building. / !
found considerable bunch of hogs in |
i tockade, which were permitted to
IEkt he buildings in the day time.
az - the captain if those hogs stayed
mall the time, he replied no that they
ffe only allowed to stay in there in
day time TO pick up the scattering
seifaha. presume they are used for
ting purpose of cleaning up the quarters.
! examined the buckets in which they
had their supper, which consisted of a
small quantity Of rice, a small piece of
meat and two pieces Of corn bread,
which was very poorly cooked / was
also told by the prisoners that every
thing they got 70 eat was cooked in the
afternoon for the next day, 80 they on
" got one warm meal per day. / also
asked them If they ever got any coffee
to drink, the reply was no. and all
seemed very anxious to have coffee for
breakfast in the morning, which l or
dered the captain to give them, which
he said would be impossible to do for
they always take their breakfast to the
woods in bucket and eat out there,
they also take their dinner with them,
and only have a small half-gallon tin
bucket to carry their dinner and break
last in.
found confined in this camp a negro |
by the name of Verge Smallwood, who I
s serving a second sentence. Was first 5
sentenced for go days by John Craig, a
Justice Of the peace in the northern end y
If this county, and while serving this
irst sentence he got in a difficulty with A
mother prisoner, and in the fight with 4
he other prisoner hit him over the head 6
With syrup bottle, and the day he was y
discharged, after serving his first sen.
ence, Mr.. Rhodes had the deputy sher-
q and the justice of the peace present, q
his justice being Mr.. Page, of Wood, =
lille. Was resentenced for IL months. %
ut Mr.. Rhodes told the Justice that y
his was entirely too much and to give u
Inn months, and the Justice then re- "
uced his sentence to 6 months. The VI
egro claims that he insisted very hard -,
q being brought to Tallahassee to be ~
.led, Tor the purpose Of getting coun- =,
u (Mr. Hodges), but he was refused 3
le privilege Of coming to Tallahassee ."
, De tried, and OF course had no coun- -,
u. The negro has the appearance of su
eing q half idiot, and have every rea- ~ ~
N TO believe they are working a great ~
Justice on this negro. This negro nl
iys there Is not man in the camp to- -
y. who was there when he was first ~
ntenced, and all Of the rest of the -,
1soners now In camp say that when M ~
ey went there that this prisoner was ~
lt appears to me that they are 80
a.klng a life county prisoner out Of
Mr.. Rhodes has heretofore ALWAYS ig- t sIl
red all orders given by the Superb ~
~, as he has been ordered 70 e0uip ~
; sleeping cells according to the rules tn ,S
d regulations. All of these com. Sls
ANTS were made in the presence of J;t
. Captain, which he refused 10 con- uiS
ldict, but admitted was true. A.,
Yours truly, -,
CHAs. d. CLARK, "
Supervisor Of State Convicts. ~
the Hon. Board Of County Commits