The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1913-12-23
OCALA, FLORIDA TUESDAY. DECEMBER 23 1913

Ia bor,'and il means what it says.
They are to be fed, so says the law,
clothed, sheltered, given medical at
tention when sick, sent TO the hospit
al when too i'll to work. Competent
trustworthy inspectors and physic-
ians are employed by the state to
make regular visits of inspection to
the camps. Their duties are rigid,
they must inspect and examine and
dig in and find out. They examine
the men separately and no one
! knows what the convict tells the in
spector Not only the local doctor
for the camp cares for the mems
health, but the states physicians
visit the camp at intervals. The in
spectors are changed from one dis
trict to another so that if perchance,
one man is overlooking his duty,
the other will see it, and vice versa.
Punishment is Prescribed
/ The law says when a convict who
is in good physical condition and
| a bic to work, will not work, or
! otherwise violates discipline, he
/ shall be whipped by the captain of
! the camp, and it is a fact that more
! of them are whipped for other vio-
! lations than for failure to do their
work. Most negro prisoners, espe-
! cially in the turpentine camps, are
! good workers; they work willingly
and often make their tasks and over
time, for which they are paid. They
work in squads frequently and vie
with one another to see who will do
the most and best work. AS rule,
| they look down on a shirker, or man
who is ''soldiering' on them, for he
! brings more or less discredit on the
good ones and makes their lot hard
er. \ loafers fellow prisoners are
usually the first to complain to the
! "cap'n" that so AMI so is Laying
down on them
Good Treatment is Good Business
Mr.. Hall has to pay q good sum OF
money each year for every prisoner
he leases. This pay is going on all
the time. IN addition he has to
clothe. feed. doctor. guard, house
and transport the men, so that theil
annual cost is great. Laying aside
humanity or law, would this man DC
his maximum days work for Mr.
Hall if he were beaten till he was in
capacitated for work; if he were i'll
fed or clothed, if he could not sIeer
at night or if he were sick? He mus
be kept up to prime physical condi
tion or his labor will not be profita
BE to the lessee.
Mr.. Halls instructions to his cap
best of care, whip them only when i
is absolutely necessary and exac
honest work from them.
t Convict Camps are Not kindcrgar
tens
The average person and many o
, the newspapers seem to forget tha
: the state penitentiary is plac,
| where criminals are sent to serv,
sentences at hard labor-to be pun
t ished for breaking the law. The.
? are company Of the worst human
t beings on the face of the earth-th
: dregs of humanity, both white an
t black. They are thieves, forgers
4 burglars, rapists and murierers
Y There are hundred or more o
them in each camp, many OF then
), serving life sentences. They az
hardened and desperate. Do yo
think they can be handled as a Sun
! day school class or a Kindergarten
Do you think a state penitentiar
J. can handle and punish and wOr
: these criminals and never have t
: beat one? When one stops 10 thin
t OF it he will see that it cannot b
done and unless discipline is main
tained, the prisoners would soon re
/ fuse to obey any OF the laws ar
e would run the camp themselves.
d PowelI's Hand is Hereby Called
t As to Mr.. PoweIl's liberal offer t
; rut up one thousand dollars to il
i vesigate the convict camps OF tn
state, Mr.. Hall authorizes us to te
: him to deposit his money in an
/ bank he may choose and that he. Nj
4 Concluded on Seventh Page)