Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-08-09
OF BRUTAL
CONVICT FURNISHING
SECUTED by BOARD

1LUUlED 6l bUAhD
The state prison commission has
received no complaints OF inhuman
being used in the vari-
Gus convict camps, or at the prison
farm at Milledgeville, according TO,
Judge T. E. Patterson, of the COM
mission, who on Tuesday declared
that statements made by Represen-
tative Bennett, Of Dodge county, be-
fore the house committee on consti-
tutional amendments Monday night
were based on erroneous informa-
ton.
1.-THE prison commission does not
desire the restoration of the lash
as means Of punishment for con.
victs in Georgia." Judge Patterson
said. cit is true that there has been
some difficulty in handling convicts
since Governor Hardwick abolished
the lash by executive order, but tho
was to be expected. However, we
believe that conditions will adjust
themselves IN d few months and the
administration Of convict camps will
be smoothed out considerably.
Same Trouble With Women
eve had the same trouble when
we stopped the whipping of women.
Some of the female convicts became
recalcitrant, burt the situation work
ed itself out.
"The present system has not had
time for q thorough trial"
Judge Patterson's statement was
the result of charges made by Rep
rseentative Bennett that prisoners
were being tortured instead of
being whipped. Mr.. Bennett spos-
sored bill to permit the restoration
of the lash, but the measure was adj
versely reported by the committee.
voting 8 to 4.
Mr.. Bennett said the convicts in
the state became unruly after Gov
ernor Hafdwick abolished the lash
by executive order last March.
"Trouble lies ahead unless we pass
this BILL he said. "There is but one
way to handle ccnvicts and that is
to put the lash on EN-"
The Dodge county representative
told of various forms of cruelty
which he said convict bosses are re-
sorting to
May Result in Probe
His accusations were so grave that
several members of the committee
expressed the belief that an investi-
gaticn should be ordered.
1T know some counties" Mr.. Ben
nett continued, where convicts are
being suspended by their thumbs for
hours, or bound to trees with heavy
chains, or placed in torture boxes, or
forced to sit on nails, Other methods
like these are being used, all because
Governor Hardwick took away the
lash. We ought to put the lash
back. The convicts would be better,
off"
MI. Bennett said he had discussed
his bill thoroughly with Governor
Walker, and that the governor told
him he would not veto 1t II II
passed both houses.
Il don't think the governor VIII
take the initiative and sign an eXecu-
tive order restoring the Iash'
though" he added.
Trouble Forecast ~
Representative Cumming OF
Richmond, speaking for the bill,
said "bad things are going to hap
pen in the prison camps unless we
allow the use Of the LASH" He
said the convicts are holding back,
waiting to see what the legislature
does, and that a storm will break
soon after we adjourn"
Representative Covington, OF
Colquitt, led the fight against the
bill. He expressed surprise that
any of his colleagues wanted to
write into the constitution a Sec
ton allowing human beings to be
logged"
1--WE don't want to SO pack to
the dark ages" he said. "There is
no place for a law like this i'll the
constitution of a free state: It is
stated here that the wardens can
not handle the prisoners without
being permitted to whip them.
Would Fire Wardens
IT say something is wrong if
they can't, and the remedy is to
fire Immediately all wardens who
admit they can't discipline the
convicts without the whip. Then
we viii have better day in Geor-
gia."
Representative Aubrey, of Bar
tow. Joined Representative Coving-
ton in motion to report the bill
unfavorably.
It was stated at the capitol Tues
day that Governor Walker would
be asked to order an investigation
into the charges made by Repre-
sentative Bennett, in which he cited
the use Of various forms of bru-
tality in the prison camps.