The Snyder signal. (Snyder, Tex.) 1887-????, 1913-09-12
EIGHT CONWCTS
SMOTHER IN CELL
Twelve Nebroes Are Confined in Nine
Foot Room at Harlem and Foul
Air Proves Poisonous.
In ", ,aark cell at camp No.

ntiutAtu VI ihiNt plhhh'h NHiio ""N
roof, 9 feet s inches long, feet 1
inch wide and feet high To yentil-
ate this, there are four holes one inch
In diameter through the floor, ter
mlnatlng just above the ground; six
holes, also one inch in diameter, are
bored through the roof to carry off
the foul air
y. The negro convicts died because
N hey Nere poisoned by the foul air.
~ 'eoutI iher negroes were in the small
vi the same time, and all Of
:. \ese. III recover. Three of the four
ere in corners near the air holes,
l''and the fourth was very close to the
\ door and got breathing air from
cracks about It.
" A guard was on duty during the
night Just outside the bunk room,
,1here some twanty other negro con
yicts we're sleeping Eight of the ne
gioes we're placed in the cell Satur-
dsy at 2 o'clock and OF these six died.
Four others were placed In the cell.
making twelve altogethr, at 6 o'clock
Saturday evening and two Of these
are among the dead.
The guard on duty heard the men
calling for water about O'Clock Sat
urday night and took them bucket
10 replace the bucket which had been
exhausted. At that time the men APP
reared to be all rieht, though com
planning that the heat was Intense.
The next timf the cell was opened
vas at $3.50 o'clock Sunday morning
whem the guard then od duty heard
the negroes calling tndt ohe o. them
was dead,
r. II. Stewart was the picket
guard at the time. He opened the cell
and two Of the negroes walked out
declaring that one Of the others was
dead. Stewart made an investigation
and had two boys who had left the
cell remove the dead negro. He did
Q not stop to ascertain how many 9th
ers we're living but Immediately sum
moned Sergeant Wheeler, who Is In
charge as assistant manager ct Camp
No 2. and they found that eigh' ne
\ groes we're dead.
Calvin Blakley is the manager OF
the Harlem farm and was at once
notified. He summoned DR.. J. X. Lay
the camp physician, and told him TO
Get 10 the farm just as soon as he
copld. while Manager Blakley went
IN Richmond to make an official re-
mort 10 headquarters at Huntsville
He notified County Attorney T. d.
n Pearson. Sheriff Wooley and Justice
of the Peace Fem. all OF whom went
IN the farm and began an inyestiga-
ION.
The prison commissioners were de
ived I'm reaching the farm and Tor
at reason the inquest was not CON
lpded. further hearing being set for
n o'clock tomorrow morning at Rich
nond ,
County Attorney Pearson asked
II -oroner Fem TO hold Sergeant
vhoeler and Guards stewart and
,avpe and formal complaint was
fnade against them charging negli-
tl.ent homicide. They were admitted
- bond in 81 900 forthcsergeantand
5oo for each OF the guards pending
an terminating trial which was set
Cor sent 10 at Richmond. The bonds
we're made by Calvin Blakely and the
men were relieved Of duty.
Tho dead negroes are: Tom Reed
sent ND from Trinity county for TWO
wears for burglary His term would
have expired Dec. 3. 1914
Calvin jefferson. 10. sent up from
u.rris county for five years for rob
bery with firearms.
Wniah Campbell. is. sent up
from MSLellan county for TWO years
for bptglary.
10 Thompson. IS. from Travis
c%ln,v for burglary for two years
arlton Vance. IL from Grayson
cduntv for two years for burglary'
,fnes Berry. IS. sent up for three
rssr. from Kaufman county for vio-
,.,lnr the local option alw.
pn Timer rs. sent up from kaui
man county Tor two years for burg
larry. o.
pobert Carpenter. II. ? years ics
.-.o .beft. from Harrison county