The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1913-03-05

WAS SEVERITY BEATEN
Because Negro Convict Spoke to Gov
ernor on Streets, It Is Alleged He
Was Cruelty Beaten, Tortured
With Electric Current and His Per-
son Bears Evidence Of Rough
Handling.
Charges Of cruel punishment OF a
convict at the penitentiary were sent
to the Senate Wednesday night by
Governor Blease in the following
message:
II transmit to you herewith let
ter received by me on the morning Of
February rs, 1913.
February %. 1s13.-His Excel
lency, Governor Blease, Columbia, S..
C.-Honorable Sir: Simeon Ellis,
(colored, prisoner,) I understand
was talking to you yesterday (Satur-
day. on the street. He was working
on the city street detail, and as yon
passed asked his guard, Corporal
Boykin, to speak to you,. and Boyk;n
refused him the permission to do so,
and he spoke to you anyhow.
To-day LIE was brought up be-
ftre Capt. Sondley by l,t.::in and
was sentenced to the st >cks, and Ellis
Says he was struck As or 50 lashes =
he cannot say the exact number, ani
his back now shows the result from
his head down to his hips.
"tI am telling you this as a mat
ter Of information, which think you
will be glad to know at this time, as
am very well posted as to what
your politics are regarding such
things regarding the, State peniten-
tiary. Therefore, do not hesitate
to send you this information, as I
know that you will not give the
source Of your information.
"'Yours respectfully,
(Signed) Monday Morning"
The letter continues:
Ellis was taken to the black
smith shop and pair Of very short
shackles put on him, and he then told
the captain and Dr. Jennings that he
was going to tell you the first chance
that he had been whipped for talking
to you. Then he was taken to the
shops again to have the chain leng-
thened, and while this was being
done he had a fit. He Is subject to
such spells. The chains were cut of
him and he was taken to the hos
pital, where he now is. I understand
he is IN a serious condition.
"'Later: To still punish this poor,
ignorant, defenceless negro. DR.. Jen-
nings applied strong electric bat
terry to him and tortured him for
more than half hour. His screams
and cries and piteous appeals for
could be heard all over the
penitentiary grounds.
upon receipt Of this letter, Col. :
Aull, my private secretary, request
ed Capt. OF the Guard Sondley, at the
Penitentiary, to bring this prisoner
to my Office at 5 o'clock p. m. He
was brought In his prison garb,
closely shackled, with chain around
both legs. AS to his physical condi-
ton, leave the description Of that
for Representatives c. c. Wyche,
and Fortner, who were
present and saw the negro's back
and hips.
"This is but another instance,
which came to my ears only by acci-
dent, and which I am giving to you
Tor the purpose of showing that am
doing what can to relieve suffering
humanity, and that I am only heed
ng the demands Of humanity upon
ne.
"After finding that the negro had
,een in the penitentiary for 13 years
'or killing another negro, and feeling
'ure that If I returned him to the
as prisoner he would
gain be whipped, shackled and pos
IDLY killed, I granted him a parole
Turing his good behavior.
"In taking this course I am salts
led that l am not only needing the
demands Of humanity, but that am
.pholding the letter and spirit Of the
which provides In Sec
ion IS Of Article /, Nor cruel and
unusual punishment inflicted, and
corporal punishment shall not be in
icted.'
"The letter which I have trans
aitted to you says that when this ne
70 was tortured with "a strong cleo
ric battery for more than half
our, his screams and cries and pit
Gus appeals for mercy could be
card all over the penitentiary
rounds; they reached my ears; they
ave now reached yours. The de-
land upon me was not for mercy,
ut for justice, and I believe that
1stice was secured from me, so far
5 in my power lay to give it. What
i'll you do?"
The message was referred to the
>mmittee on penal and charitable ir-
itutions, which will hold an imme-
ate investigation and report to the
resent session.