The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-11-18
MISERY IN TEXAS
CONVICT CAMPS
Investigation Has Brought Out
Some Very Unsavory Facts
MEN ARE CRUELTY BEATEN
Guards Are Described as Very Low
Glass of Men Who Fail to Keep
Correct Records and Who Use
the Lash With Freedom.

San Antonio Tex, November 17.-(Spe-
cial.)--Although the Texas penal system
must be- regarded as the primary cause
of the inhuman treatment meted out to
convicts. there is no doubt that the ra-
pacity of individuals added to their mis-
cry. An investigation now going on
among the penal camps on the cane farm
OF the Texas Sugar Land company indi-
Gates this very strongly. The quarters
provided by the corporation, most of
whom are st. Louis, Mo-, capitalists, have
been denounced as unfit to shelter pigs
There is the usual absence of all sani-
tation, bad and insufficient food and the
lash
The prisoners at one of the camps
showed scars on their backs which
newspaper man described as having I'M
pressed him as impossible of imitation
except with a fail made of barbed wire.
At another camp the buildings were in
such bad state of repair that the guard
refused to have the prisoners talk above
a whisper lest the noise made by an es-
Gaping prisoner should not be heard.
The committee investigating the sys-
tenn once in a while runs across the
tragic-comic AT one of the camps the
prisoners before bursting forth into glad
some melody for having on that day
escaped the lash, had to get the per-
mission of the sergeant or his deputy.
With this procured they would MARBLE
to their hearts content for the number
Of minutes specified. 4 thing equally
edlfying is the way in which the rec
ords of the camps are kept. Accuracy
seems to be a thing unknown and in
practically every instance the factors
were guessed at. Several records which
should have been kept as provided by
law were just blanks when the commit
tee inspected them. On the whole. the
picture uncovered by the investigation
is a very sad one. On the part of the
government nothing is shown but negli-
gence and a willingness to exploit to
the last dregs the unfortunates in the
prison camps. The guards have been
shown with rare exceptions to be the
kind of men one would hire for dol
lar per day. Ignorant for the greater
part, and in many cases vicious and
brutal, there seems to be but faint
line of demarkation between themselves
and those they are supposed to take
care of.
There is but one bright spot in all
this chaos of misery and maladminis-
tration, and that is the work of DR..
w. D. Morris. prison physician at
Sugarland. Unlike any other individual
connected with the system he seems
TO have done his work with thor
oughness an devotion which stand as
q shining example The camp in which
DIR. Morris was active is an especially
unhealthy one, and at one time pneu-
monia epidemic laid most of the pris-
oners low. By dint of hard work he
succeeded in saving the life Of every
one of them, although fearfully handi-
capped by the lack of necessaries.
The investigation committee was so
impressed with his efficiency and keen
sense of duty that it made specfai
mention of the fact and regretted tae
inability of the state to retain him in
its service. Unfortunately the pay was
80 small and the work so disagreeable
that DR.. Morris felt obliged to seek
other opportunities, and though he had
left the camp some time ago, nothing
but praise of him was heard. In view
of the fact that all the blame for ex-
listing conditions is now being placed
on those who have quit the service,
this is rather remarkable.
intimidation of the convicts seems
to have produced the result that only
the bravest among them venture wofus
of complaint against those now in au-
thority. With most of them the Of
fetal Just gone was the author of all
evil, and those in office are, If not
angels, then at least saints. How far
this Is being carried Is best shown by
the circumstance that the investigating
committee has to actually persuade
the jailers from wreaking vengeance
on the poor devil who is doing no
more than answering the questions of
the committeeman.
One of the jailers asked quite naiveiy
whether he was to desist Furnishing
convict even II he told lies about the
"a mn and those in auth GRITTY. The com
mittee realizing that what might ap-
near truth to the convict, would not
sppepar in the same light TO the 1ailer.
pronplv assured the man that such
was their desire
In the recent interview Governor
Campbell speaking for the government
said that the convict in the Texas pen
itentiary was being treated well
enough This Notwithstanding the fact
that many narrowing details had al
ready been disclosed.