Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-01-30
CRUEL. TY IN
CAMPS ID
E:S|FTED
At ON('E:
County Board Will Hasten Probe
Of Conditions - Accused
Foreman Suspended. Z

Aroused by the fogging of 1879
convicts in two months in Fulton
County alone and the stories Of
inhnman and brutal treatment
told by 8 conivcts of the Adams
wills camp to the Fulton County
Grand Jury, r. Il. Dawson an
nounced Friday that the State
Prison Commission, of which he
is chairman, would make an i'm
mediate Investigation.
Beyond saying that the Prison
Commission intends making an inS
vestigation. Chairman Dawson de-
clined Friday to discuss the matter
for publication.
! Il do not think it would be proper
for me, as a member of the court
which will review this question to
express an opinion. one way or the
other now" lie said
The chairman stated that the fog
ging OF prisoners is matter legally
and technically In the discretion ~
the State Board, but more directly.
as matter of fact. in the discretion
of the local authorities in the various
counties
The law, 1t appears permits IN.
logging of prisoners in Georgia. as a
disciplinary measure, but, the theory
Of whipping is that 1t will be resorted
to only in extreme and aggravated
cases
Could Prohibit Lash.
The Prison Board might. in it's dis
erection, prohibit the whipping of
criminals for any purpose whatso-
ever, but, although that has been
suggested to the board it never has
been adopted as policy Of the same.
The board has, however. in specific
terms. prohibited the Jogging of
women convicts, although it's author
lty to whip them is as ample as in
the case of the men.
Chairman Dawson stated that hs
has called the board to meet him in
the Capitol on Monday next. when a
complete and searching Investigation
into the Fulton County situation. mast
and present, v i'll be entered upon,
Pending the outcome of the probe.
Captain Clyde A. Thomson. fore
man of the Adamsville camp. whose
shooting of Convict John III. Harris
is said to have come as a climax to
the brutalities practiced on the pris-
oners, was ordered suspended. Thorn
ason Friday defended the fioggings.
Tales Of suffering, comparable to
that endured by Russon conyicts in
the mines of Kara, will be scrutinized
by the members of the commission
to find If the details have any actual
basis in fact.
Grand Jury to Meet Again.
The Grand Jury will meet again on
Monday to consider the bill which
it returned Thursday against Thoma-
son, but neglected to sign.
Chairman Dawson would make no
comment on the fact that 1872 fog
gings had taken place In the Fulton
County camps in space of two
months until he had made his inves.
tigatlon of conditions in the camps.
THE investigation will be no super.
ficial affair" he said Friday to The
Georgian. Every member of the
Commission will take part in 1t. We
will visit every camp and take up
every charge that has been made
against the treatment of the convicts.
We will Inspect the food supplies and
get the stories of the prisoners and
OF the guards
Thinks Food Is All Right.
The members Of the Commission
aim to keep conversant with all that
is going on at the camps. should
say from my present knowledge that
there is very little in the stories OF
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