Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-02-10
NUT|NY PLOT.
REPORT IS
PRObED
Pastors Demand Sweeping Re-
forms in Prison Camps-In-
yestigators Call Witnesses,

Thirteen convicts, selected because
at their supposed knowledge of brutal
treatment of prisoners in Fulton
County camps, will appear before the
Grand Jury Tuesday on the resump-
ton OF The investigation into the
practice of Jogging and beating of the
men by the guards in charge.
They will be taken for the most pa It
from the Miner, Oakland and Bell
wood camps. which up to this time
Ihave come very little under the scru-
Idny Of the grand jurors since they
began their probe of penal methods.
Some Of the prisoners are said to have
been feartully beaten for trivial Of
lenses Others have been summoned
|mereiv as having witnessed instances
Of cruel and inluman treatment of
their fellows in stripe.
Mutny Report Investigated.
4 earching inquiry will be made to
ascertain the basis of the statement
s, II Donaldson, new Superintend-
snt of Public Works. who declared TO
/ the Public Works Committee of the
ounty Commission that the convicts
were On the verge of a 1utiny.
Conditions in Fulton County convict
| Camrs were vigorously denounced
III Atlanta pulpits Sunday, and the
|nmercifIl fogging and torturing of
| men on the chaingangs likened to the
horrors of barbarous Russia, interest
in the agitation for reform centered
Monday morning in the probable &C
on Of the Grand Jury.
| References to conditions in the
camps and vigorous approval of the
movement for reform, were made by
Dr. A. r. Holderby, of the Moore Me-
ImorIal Church; DR. c. b. Wilmer, of
Is Luke's Church, and Philip Welt
/ ner secretary of the Georgia Prison
/ Reform Association, who spoke at
The Ponce DeLeon Avenue Baptist
/ Aur'0l sunday night.
/ Each Of the speakers denounced
be uhuman cruelties revealed by
lie testimony of convicts and guards.
Disgrace, Says DR.. Holderby.
Tie cruelty and barbarity prac-
Iced upon these poor. unfortunate
men, said DIR. Holderby, are a
0NsoJ and a disgrace to this or any
.ael country, savage or Christian.
4 Russia, with all of her barbar-
SA could be no worse. Were l a
| y9hEl" ] would rather take my
'AaAoeS IN Russia than in Fulton
county For every lash laid upon
We bare backs of these convicts the
'"uieu Of God is responsible. These
aen as guilty as they may be, had
af better go unpublished by the laws
we state than to be tortured and
'''ed as they are by lot of drunk
W and bloodthirsty guards"
FA4,p Weltner, who has been one
me leaders, in the fight for prison
| NNNidi eu III ms duuIcSS lHdl
present conditions at the camps are
~ worse than any mutiny that
@'sa. develop.
DON'T know whether there will
mutiny among the convicts,"
''1 Ar Weltner, land l do not want
"F"'a to think that | believe there
SONG to be one, but | know that
~. camps that are being investi-
A the Grand Jury have moth
W"ge than mutiny to fear, it
'"a DE blessing There are things
'rS"A.nI every day that are worse
"a" any mutiry could possibly be.
No Signs of Mutiny.
., VISITED one camp this afternoon,
~ Inund no rumors of mutiny
t4hs tIe convicts."
"eitner declared that the rule
n. Prison Commission. that the
?, 20 obey the rules and make
prds be allowed to wear
1lne without the stripes.
enforced hereafter in the
~ fulton County. This law.
|sss eherally understood, hitherto
9ei,.n seh ignored, and TRUSTEES and
,or-s5 oonVicts alike have been
~s' 10 wear stripes.