The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-06-22

whipped. He says the quantity of the
| food was good bute the quality bad
Presumably he cautioned the warden
for furnishing bad cabbage and whipped
the convicts because they would not
eat bad cabbage three times a dav.
But worst of ALL | gather from the
above statement that Mr.. Greer WIS.,
tied the convicts in their cells after
they had been whipped. Why would h.,
fnflict this additional punishment? our
constitution says that cruel and un-
usual punishment shall not be inflict
ed. Had Mr.. Greer seen this constitu-
tional provision when he visited these
men? IL not to inflict additional pun
ishment by his visit to these men, why
did this Beau Brummel after hayin Q
these men whipped, interview them pri-
vately in their cells? Certainly not To
give them trial. for the punishment
had already been inflicted
Under the old sea custom 1t was
said that pirate was first hanged AMI
then tried. 1t Is to be hoped that this
state official, who claims to know so
much about the convict lease system.
would not undertake to re-establish
this custom in this enlightened age. |
ask these questions especially in view
OF the fact that Mr.. Greer in his in
terview spoke of the conduct of a man
who was distinctly gentlemanly in
clined in his nature 1t was easy TO
read between the lines that Mr.. Greer
in using this language had reference to
himself. l wonder If he stood by and
saw those 80 convicts whipped. If so.
how did 1t affect his 'distinctively gen
tlemanly qualities? Were they white
men, whose only offense was a failure
to work the roads. or white boys whose
only offense was riding train or beg
ging bread. that he had whipped for
not eating bad cabbage three times n
day? If so. were they whipped as a
white convict is frequently whipped IN
mines by being laid prone upon his
face with one negro on his feet and
another on his head to hold him in
position while a strap weighing from
eight to twelve pounds, in the hands
OF strong man, Is being laid upon
his back with nothing between his
flesh and the strap except the thin
convict garb which he wears? If Mr..
Greer saw this whipping I wonder If
the tears streamed as profusely from
his eyes as they did when being ex-
amined in the convict probe when he
was looking through those tears for
reappointment to the office which he
now hold.
Death Rate in Mines
why did not Mr.. Greer tell us what
the death rate resulting from advisory
accidents was in this Belle Ellen mine
uurlng the year l9l22 or course he
knew. There were four fatal accidents
In that mine during that year. The
mine produced 124.693 tons of coal. A
life loss for every 31,167 tons pro-
duced. The normal death rate is one
life for every 100000 tons of coal pro-
duced. Did this excessive death rate
result from the reckless indifference
of the convicts to consequences brought
about by having been fed on bad cab
bage three times a day and whipped
30 in bunch by order of the inspector?
POSSIBLY they did not want to live and
would rather die than live under those
conditions.
"Mr Greer should have Informed us,
100, having full knowledge on the SUBJ
1ect, as to the death rate of convicts in
Lucille mines, where three convicts were
killed in 1912 and five for the half year
1913. That mine only produced 12s,2 20 tons
OF coal in 1872 and presumab bly, half that
amount for the half year 1913. In 1912 a
life was lost for every ~, $50 tons of coal
produced, and If a similar amount OF coal
is being produced in 1913. as in 1912, then
life was lost for every 1880 tons in