The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1912-02-08
A SENSATIONAL RE- 0aT
Cumberland County Grand
Jury Reports Awful Goa
dition

Clothing Wet and DiFty--lpad
Dirty. stock Unprotected and
Poorly Frsi-Superintrnsicn 49,
serely Criticized.
The report Of the grand jury for
the January term OF Cumberland
County Superior Court causN acme
thing of a sensation because OF the
miserable conditions found NJ the
convict camps and also on account OF
the severe criticism OF the Superin-
tendent. This paper gives below the
report OF the grand jury referring to
this condition of affairs rs published
in the Fayetteville Index:
"A committee OF three. appointed
10 investigate conditions at the coun-
ty convict camp. reported that they
found the eonvicts eating out OF
doors In the rain. and that the food
looked very dirty. that collards amd
vegetables of all kinds were dumped
on the ground in a pile partly COW
cred with a tent cloth. and that sew
eral hogs and chickens were eating
what they wanted of H. The clothes
OF the conyicts were found lying on
the ground. and had been exposed
TO the weather for over a week The
committee then Investigated the
ages, and found everything dirty and
black, and one could hardly tell the
color OF the blankets. Some OF the
inmates complained that their feet
were frozen from the cold. The
clothes we're so filthy they were right
slick: the cells were very offensive.
The place where the stock was
CHARTERED was next investigated.
They were under an old gin house.
and appeared TO be In very danger
Gus condition. The place vas so low
that the mules could not hold their
heads up. All the mules were cx-
posed TO the cold weather aud were
suffering. All the feed vas about
three hundred yards from the camp.
and could have been taken By any
body desiring 20 take IL: che mules
also could have easily beea stolen.
The feed troughs were so construct
food. Part Of them were half filled
with dung and corn together. while
the feed had wasted out through the
cracks In the Others. Some OF the
mules were attempting 90 eat out of
the dung pile on the ground The
harness was down IA the dirt. and so
exposed that any body could have
In good condition The ssperinten-
dent was not at the camp. and had
been abseut about EIGHT days. We
found that the superintendent spent
a good deal Of time hunfIng bErss
Some 81 or s5 worth OF the coenfy.s
hay vas used for the bed OF the
superiniendentfs horse We found
that there had been twelve escapes
IN the past eleven months. Al the
tiFne Of the last escape. the night
guards tent vas within nfty feet OF
the cage
We urge that the justices of the
peace aud mayors required 10 take
good and sufficient bonds in eases
bound over 10 superior court, as We
find IN many cases OF serious nature
they accept bonds and bonds OF only
SIS 10 $50.
We find that IN many eases where
defendants are ordered committed 70
jail 10 await grand jury in caves OF
felonr. the committing magistrates
have custom OF sending the prisoH-
ers 10 the county roads thirty days
Tor Fagrancy. instead OF committing
them 10 Jail. and as q result many
OF the worst kind OF criminals es-
cape and thus escape justice and run
at large Ia the county IS constant
menace 10 the peace and safety or
the community.
IT. L. GIBSON.
Foreman Grand Jury.