Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-02-10
FLOGGER Of
CONV|CTS IS
CHILLED
Camp Boss, Accused Of Extreme
Brutality, Declares Lash Is
Necessary to Rule Men.

With developments indicating that
the probe of the convict camps of
rultvn County may be concluded
Tuesday, Captain Oscar Jones, the
JACK man" of the Bellwood camp.
appeared before the Grand Jury Tues
day afternoon and defended the prac-
tice of whipping convicts to make
them work and obey the rules.
i've had to whip some OF the con-
victs at Bellwood," said Jones. TITS
the only way we can get some of
them to work. Many Of the men are
so obstinate and savage that whip
ping is the only thing that will do
them any good. I've never gone be-
yond the limit, however, and I've new
err been brutal"
Jones was closely questioned by the
Grand Jury, and was ordered to brins
to the jury room the strap with which
he fogsths- eenyicts. The instrument
! of torture used at Bellwood Is SINH
lar to that used at the other camps
about five feet long and from two
to four inches Wide. The strap was
closely examined by the members of
the Grand Jury.
Thirteen Convicts Testify.
In addition to Captain Jones, thir-
teen conviots from the Bellwood,
Miner, Oakland and Roseland camps
were brought before the Grand Jury
to be questioned during the day.
Three negroes from the Roseland
| camp. whose warden. Captain A. M.
Luck, already has been suspended,
testified to virtually the same things
that other eonvicts have told, and
corroborated their tales OF cruelty and
brutality.
Two negro eonvicts, Davis John
son and Robert Hudson. appeared be-
fore the Grand Jury and told of the
brutal treatment that was inflicted
upon them. Hudson said he was re-
leased from the Miner camp, over
which Captain Charlie Collier rules,
last December. He told the Grand
Jury that owing to the beatings he
received his ability to work has been
lessened and his sight has been i'm
paired He showed the Grand Jury
scars and welts on his body, where
he says Captain Collier struck him
with the whip.
Johnson was released from the
Bellwood camp last May and showed
the members of the Grand Jury scars
that he said were the result Of
whipping he received more than a
year ago. He said his health had
been impaired by the beatings Cap
tain Jones had given him.
To Tell Of Harris Shooting.
Frank Dorsey, a white man, who
was released from the Adamsvilie
camp last Saturday morning, volun-
tarily appeared before the Grand Jury
to give his testimony, and proba bly,
will tell his s., DRY some time during
the afternoon He says he saw the
shooting of Convict arrls and declares
that conditions at the camp are terri
BILE
1.-THE English language has not
enough words to describe the things
convicts have to undergo" he said.
One Of the men from the Roselsnd
camp Peter Henderson, told the
Grand Jury that Captain Luck
whipped him for writing to the Prison
Commission and protesting against
the brutal treatment lie says he was
whipped several times, always after
he made - complaint.
Cherokee Thornton, negro convict
from Camp Miner, showed the Grand
Jury scars and great welts which ne
said Captain Collier inflicted with ne
whip
In some cases the charges of cruel
and unusual punishment at the
hands of the guards and convict
bosses were even more sweeping and
sensational in nature than those
which were told OF the Weiauca and
Continued on Page 2, COLUMN I.