The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1914-07-25

ceivcd instructions to treat the con.
victs with as much consideration as
possible, to summon medical aid al
once when they were in need of it and
to give all the best attention during
sickness.
He referred to the Will Howard
case. saying that Howard was q
malingerer. always feigning sickness
when he was not sick. He referred
to Willie Green, who had been given
attention when he was threatened with
pneumonia. saying that he had been
given every attention. Two hours
were given the convicts for dinner
during the very warm weather. Re-
Gently Cobb had feigned sickness
when there was nothing the matter
with him.
Z. r. Barksdale. driver of the road
machine. had seen prisoners punish.
ed, but not too severely. He had seen
q number of gangs and had worked
on the State farm. and the Sumter
county gang was better than most of
them. The prisoners were we'll cared
for. their food was of greater variety
and their sleeping quarters we're bet
tsc.
DR.. w. 8. Burgess, county physi-
clan. stated that the food was good,
changes in clothing 90 that the con-
victs would not sleep in their wet
clothing he had made were adopt.
ed. thus lessening the danger of pneu-
monia. and the men were generally in
good physical condition. There had
been considerable. sickness recently
which he thought was occasioned by
the change from the sahdhills of
Stateburg to the lowlands of Shiloh.
Negroes with contagious diseases had
been isolated and were being given the
latest and best treatment for the dis
ease and the camp was kept in a san
itary condition. He referred to the
many fatalities from pneumonia and
the two cases which had proved ia
tai recently. He had felt q feeling of
distrust OF him for q while back,
which recently seemed to have been
overcome.
Mr.. j. r. Sumter stated that he
mad been clerk to the county board
for several years and that he had un-
der instructions from Mr.. Pitts al!
ways given prompt and efficient at
tention 10 the treatment Of the con-
victs at all times.
Mr.. w. 9. Burkett told Of having
been told Of the trouble with Isham
Cobb at the time it occurred. when the
negroes were working on q road near
his place. and he had told Holland
that, II he did not conquer the ne
gro then. he might as well give up his
Job.
Mr. p. NJ. Pitts stated that he had
been, Ave and a half years supervisor
OF Sumter county and in that time
he had always endeAvored to have
proper food. clothing. sanitary pro-
visions and careful treatment of the
convicts. He had heard the COM
plants OF the two negroes, Hicks. who
had shown him where he had been
beaten, and Cobb, and told them that
he did not consider the punishment
too severe. He was always willing to
hear the complaintC Of the men on
the gang. He told Of the departure
OF Mr.. Brunson from the gang and his
placing Mr.. Holland in charge in his
place. Mr.. Brunson had asked that
Cobb be made trusty the morning
he had left. while Cobb had made
the same request a little later. Mr.
Pitts had refused the request at the
time from Cobb. who had Immediate
ly become sullen. Mr.. Pitts stated that
he had always found Mr.. Holland q
man Of GOODNESS and firmness of char
acter an we'll as a man OF good judg-
ment
e. T. Minis. another member of the
Board. stated that as soon as
ne had seen the article in the paper
he had visited the gang and. while Mr..
Holland was away, had talked to
members Of the gang, who stated
that when Mr.. Holland first came on
the gang he had been somewhat
rough. but that everything was going
on smoothly at the present time. He
thought that Mr.. Holland was making
q good overseer. At,that time when
he had told OF the articles in the pa
per. Mr.. Holland had at once asked
him to make an investigation Of the
condition Of the men. but he had not
deemed 1t necessary.
Mr.. Mellette. upon being recalled to
tho stand. stated that he had left the
gang on June 18th and the letters to
Hicks had been written afterwards.