Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1908-08-08
THEN THE GUARD RESIGNED

Witness stated that Mr.. Reeves, a
guard. told Jake Moore TO his face
that he saw the Negro whipped and
carried TO the hospital and that
Reeves resigned because there was
no investigation.
In answer 20 the question II he
has seen any whiskey at camp or any
of the guards or officials drunk. wit
ness stated that there was always
plenty OF whiskey at the camp and
that Captain Casey and the guards
were drunk on several occasions. ana
this caused much or these hard times
Mr.. Workman stated that the work
was too severe and that the convicts
were frequently whipped when they
fell down exhausted. 1T was as
common 20 hear a Negro holler down
there" said Mr.. Workman. "as it is
TO hear a pig holler in the country. 20
He stated that he never saw any
members OF the prison commission in
the camp. but that several commit
tees from either the grand jury or
the legislature came 20 camp. Capt.
Casey always met them with buggy
and took them around and they there
10y never learned anything. He stated
that on one occasion when Captain
Casey heard or the coming OF the com
mittee he had witness take q gang
of Negroes and clean mp the hunks
and when the committee got there
the hunks and walls were still wet
with the scrubbing. Captain Casey
entertained the committee elsewhere
while the hunks were drying.
pFDDINC WASHED ONCE A YEAR
In regard TO the food and bedding
and clothes, the witness stated that
the meals were fair. but that the
clothing was not up 60 the standard.
and that the bedding was washed
but once year. Then &c was taken
20 the Chattahoochee river and dipp
cd and wrung out.
AS TO the amount OF work the
men had 10 do. Mr.. Wortham stated
that &c was more than any man could
do. and that in the brick clamps
there was not one man in one hum
drod who could stand a. over an hour.
Jack Casey was afraid 90 go In there
for fear the heat would discharge
his revolver" said Mr.. Workman.
He said that while there were d.
vine services conducted on Sunday,
there was always gang Of men work
ing on Sunday, and that they received
81 for the days work. but that no
money was given them. That they
were allowed 90 trade it out In the
commissary, where they only got half
value.
In regard 10 swapping cOnvicts, he
stated that he had seen something OF
that kind. Men came there and took
away some OF the cOnvicts and left
others In their places.
ARTHUR MOORE TESTIFIES.
Arthur w. Moore OF EOS Jones
Street testified that he and his faith
er had worked at the Chattahoochee
Brick Company. He was employed
as an engineer on the dummy. He
left the company fifteen months ago
voluntarily, after eight years service.
lie and Captain Casey had frequent
IL had spats. He is now fireman
on the Southern Railway. His faith
er. s. W. Moore is loading foreman
at the camp.
Witness said he has seen eight men
whipped in one day, and estimated
that the average was FIVE or more a
day. He said he had seen men fall
fainting from overwork and heat,
and that they were whipped when
they failed. Those hauling brick
were forced 10 move in a run to han
die the required number daily. The
men worked from before sunrise un-
til after sunset, and were not treated
humanely.
He spoke of one man having been
given thirty lashes because he had
not kept the steam in the boiler up
10 the proper gauge. He said Cap
tain Casey cursed the men all the
time. and called them the vilest OF
names.
AT THE NIGHT SESSION.
At the night session of the COM
mittee, J. S. Cochran, brother OF J.
A. Cochran, who had testified lin
the afternoon, was put on the stand
He told of cruelties at the Durham
Coal and Coke Company mines.
Here, he said, convicts were work
ed long hours, some being forced 10
work in water up to their knees and
sometimes up to their waist. Acct
dents in the mine were frequent.
He was a younger man than his
brother and rather prepossessing in
looks. Both men were composed on
the stand and had every appearance
of sincerity. They told their story
without break or falter.
The younger Cochran had been ser
fenced for four years, four months
and nine days for whitecapping. Re
lating his experiences at the coal
mine, he stated that Captain Mitchell
had ordered men chained up, strip
ped naked and logged with strops
weighing from three to five pounds.
This. and most of the punishments
at the mines we're for slight viola
tions of the labor regulations. The
men were given certain specified
tasks" and IL they did not perform
this amount OF work each day they
were logged. He recalled seeing