Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-02-08

"a benefactor of the prisoners bought a con-
signment of them sufficient for the prison
population, to be eaten on the Fourth of July,
1913. The contract was for the best melons
obtainable; and Georgia is famous for good
melons. A day two before the Fourth the
benefactor called at the prison, and asked to
see the melons, which had been delivered some
time before. Examination showed them to be
or an inferior grade, such as farmers used for
cattle and poultry. 1t was too late, however
to get a fresh supply, and the benefactor had
the modification of seeing the kindly meant
gift dishonored 1t Is pertinent here, that
there is said to be an individual IN Atlanta not
officially connected with the penitentiary, who
is commissioned to make all purchases for the
prison-food, tobacco and other supplies. He
buys the stuff and hands In his bills; but the
bills he pays not submitted. II is con-
ce1Yable that there may be discrepancy be-
tween the two amounts and 1t might be inter
esting to learn whether he alone benefits by it.
Guards walk up and down the aisles between
the tables during meals to keep order, and
also to attend to complaints or requests from
prisoners. There is also the man In the win
dow with the loaded magazine rifle, ready TO
settle any complaints that become too insistent
The common protest is against the badness
Of a specific piece of food, or against some
example of dirt The former seldom get re-
lief; In the latter case, the dish OF cup is
sometimes changed.
prisoner at my table called the guards
attention to quid Of tobacco which had got
into his soup. The guard, who of
humorous turn, replied, smiling "Well YOU
use tobacco, don't your" and passed on This
was the same guard who assaulted and dubbed
a prisoner whom he was taking downstairs
as described in a previous chapter On an
other occasion, a prisoner complained that
there was a beetle In his hash. An examina-
ton made; but whether the beetle was
alive and got away, or whether the prisoner
himself had bugs" as the slang is, at any
rate the examiners reported no beetle The
fflr IL
tiles, who ordered the complainant to the dark
hole
Another day, following some months Of con,
slant deterioration In the food and diminu-
ton in the quantity OF 1t, dinner of hash and
bread was served, and both bread and hash
were sour. The air of the room was full of
the sour smell; the captain came down the
aisle near mine, and a prisoner had the bold
ness to stop him and hold up his plate. Its
sour, Captainl" said he The Captain looked
the man in the eye and replied sternly, ct is
not souri," But, Captain" II say II is not
souri," the other repeated with a threatening
look 1t was either submit, or the hole-the
man sat down.
But few minutes later some one Kissed
Before he could be identified Kisses came from
every part of the room. 1t was a critical juno
ture. The Captain ordered the band to play
and play 1t did at the top Of Its compass; but
the Kissing audible and continued
through the playing. Presently the men got
up and began to march out; 1t was then that
a group of guards from the smoking room be-
low came running up the stairs armed with
clubs and revolvers and tried to get through
the barred door at the stair head but were
checked by the Captain, who was a wise tacti.
clan. The men went to their cells, and there
began to howl and screech like crazy nnenag-
erie and kept it up for hours Twenty or 20
Of the supposed ringeaders we're sent to the
dark holes; but the revolt was not checked
until the Warden personally promised reforms
and gave his word that no further punish
ments should be inhicted-fair promises made
TO be broken.
The dining room windows were protected