Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-10-18
ROES
N CHARGE
0F WHITE
CONV|CTS
Blacksmith Who Built "HoIe"
Tells Of the Torture Chamber
Hawthorne Described,

Negro bosses over white convicts
3. ua Of the sensational charges
made against Warden William H.
over Of the Federal prison. by B. B.
r. D. who for nine and one-half years
Wa employed as foreman Of the
blacksmith shop there. He declares
THAT tenth Of the abuse of con-
s at the prison has never been
r..I and that the charges of Julian
H.wraornc and DR. Morton, whose
ARA gnment Of the prison administra-
tn .reated a sensation following
their discharge from the penitentiary
tl--, 5a~- ago, are true in every par
.urular
Confinement in the hole is com
m1n" he said. Il built the two cells
.n the basement which are thus
named, and was often called upon
to rtvet the chains on the prisoners
confined there They were chained
10 the door hanging by their hands.
Sometimes they were kept this way
for "a hours. 1t was not uncommon
for them TO be chained up this way
all day have the chains loosened at
night and have a blanket hand
cd them in which they could roll up
and sleep on the hard floor. There
were no cots in the cells when l left
2taere two years ago.
Prisoners confined there were given
nothing but bread and water. Some
tines they We're given two slices Of
bread day, but as a rule they were
allowed but one, with one glass of
water ] have known of men to be
kept there for two weeks and come
out SO pallid and weak they could
hardly walk. and almost blind from
confinement in the darkness.
Says Convicts Are Starved.
The charges of starving the pris-
o0erS are absolutely true. l had 40
men in my squad and they were hun
cry all the time They would take
NE scraps from my lunch and raven
o1s.y eat them. The lack of food
made rogues of them. When the
guards. backs were turned ] have
seen them ravenously eating pieces of
iae nam and eggs and other food
winch he cooks had stolen from the
a.'hens of the warden and officers.
'7@T begged me to bring them food,
ana my lunch basket contained more
IMAM I could have eaten.
A peculiar system is that some of
Ne work. demands that a number of
..- 'ohF'rts continue at work during
ITO noon hour for lunch. They are
compelled to wait, and it was the
usual thing for the men who worked
'''so the noon hour to get a bet
~. meal than those who ate at the
--ttaE time. The men in my squad
-S7a fo be allowed to work during
MS tine in order that they might
''.a.n the better food.
There We're many forms Of punish
'.-at and if the men employed at the
'..--Fh',ary are assured that they
WI. NOT lose their positions they will
'v'ea' a state of conditions that will
'.'e everyone to shudder."
"T Rich took exception to the de-
.-''- 'f Warden Meyer made by
'''.nas C.. Bran, who recently was
Haraled.
Bran Gagged by Parole.
'l.. hram is under parole and can
'. afford to talk, for he is still
.a.n the Jurisdiction of the officers
me Penitentiary." said Rich. Then,
vas Vas not in a position to really OBJ
So. mat the ConviCts were being
sea as he was a cook. He was
t."nty, and the food cooked by
vas appetizing. The objection
a... The small amount served to
convict
a-...-. r" is a negro engineer at the
now at a wage of 500 per
continued on Page 3, Column /.