Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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VOL. XVI. NO. ?'? * . THE ANDERSON LABOR CONTRACTS. Thirteen Men Are To Be Indicted. " Free Laborers" Were Treated As Convicts. OVERSEERS AND GUARDS SHACKLED AND CRUEL LY BEAT THEM. [The special COmtnillee of the grand jury of Anderson County, appointed to investigate the labor contract* used by certain parties in that county, together with the abuses to negro laborers under them, recommended the indictment of thirteen men for cruel treatment of laborers ami convicts, und also the in dictment of Magistrate .1. .1. Gllnier for misappropriating court foes. The sum which it is charged that (iilmer appropriated is small, hardly more than Ufly dollars. His case is of small importance beside that Of the other tint teen nun who are indicted. The, Unding of the committee was as follows . 1 A special correspondent of The Stale writes as follows from Audcr>on in ad vance of the report to the grand jury : From time to time for the last year or two a word has been dropped here and there about the "cinch" that An dersons farmer had in labor, but no in vestigation has ever before been made and the matter did not obtain lodg ment in the public mind. Anderson is considered one of the most enlightened counties in the State and her negroes arc supposed to he as intelligent us any In the "up country"?much more ell lightened than those living in the lower holt of counties. When, therefore, a year or two ago during; the session of the Legislature, when some one asked Hon. Joshua Ashley how the fanners managed negroes in his county, ami he replied " Wo lick 'cm," his fellow law makers laughed, hut gave no weight to the remark. The lirbt time that the question of "slavery" in Anderson was brought to public attention in a serious manner was dining a debate in the Legislatur?; February 1st. A hill introduced by Representative .lohn V. Manks was un der ditcussion. It provided for sub mitting to the qualified electors of the State the question whether the juris diction of the local magistrates, now limited to imposing sentences of thirty days imprisonment, should ho inerens od to three moulhs at hard labor for the crime of violation of agricultural contracts. The measure was defended by several members. Representative Holts, of Georgetown, the only colored member in the House, made his Qrst speech of the session iu earnest op position to the bill. It was intended to amend the constitution so that ad ditional punishment could he inflicted on the negro and the negro would have no voice iu the matter. It was unjust and unneces-sary. It was at this point that J. G. W?l ling, of Fair Held, a largo farmer, took the lloor. He opposed the hill. No more laws were needed to enforce labor contracts. There was a gervo ques tion as to the right or wrong of these contracts. As made in some counties they were wrong. Continuing, Mr. W?lling said: "I have been told that in Anderson Counly the c\ il of the sys tem is so extensive and pronounced that men arc actually bought and sold on the streets of the court house town." Mr. Ashley sprang to bis foot ami made a wrathful rejoinder, exclaimed that the people of Anderson wcro as good people as there were anywhere in the world. Mr. R, 11. A. Robinson, of Anderson, declared thai Mr. W?l ling was telling what was not true and that he knew it. It seemed for a few moments as if the representatives would come to blows. However, they were pacillcd and Mr. W?lling said bo bad uot intended wounding the feel ings of representatives of Anderson, but a member of the Anderson delega tion was his intoi maul, and authority, and he believed his statement to be true. The vote on the resolution was 04 in its favor and 42 against, but it required 84 to pass such a measure providing for a constitutional amendment, so it failed. In making its presentment at the regular term of court three weeks ago tho grand jury of Anderson said: "Wohavo made special investigation of the labor contract system which prevails to a large extent iu this county and have found on record a number of contracts in which laborers have agreed to work uudcr uuards and be locked up at night, receiving practically the same treatment as convicts. 4,Our information is that these con tracts are not conUncd to those places where convicts are. worked and where stockades exist but have in eonic in stances been executed to land owners who do uot work convicts. To what extent the provisions of these cou tuielB have been enforced wc have been, so far, ui.ahle to aseortain. If strictly enforced they have led to a vio lation of the law which should at once be ended. To the end, therefore, that a full investigation should bo made and tho law vindicated, we have appointed a committee, consisting of H. A.Sulli van, J. B. Levcrelt, J. S. McFall, J. T. Millford and E, B. Hall, and ask that your honor give then) full po*cr to swear and examine witnesses, to com pel the production of such papers ns may bo nccessnry, with the piivilege of visiting without hiudinnce the Stock* ades in this county and of having ac cess to and confciring with all hiborors who are or uro suspected of being re Strained of their liberty under these contracts, which committee shall make a full investigation and report the same, together with the ovidoncc taken at the special session of tho couit which is or. deredto beheld on March 7 next." Later in the week tho trial of A. T. Nowcll, a farmer, for the murder of Will Hull, a negro laborer, impressed tho matter so forcibly upon tho judge's mind that he took vigorous action, and inado a charge to the grand jury that was an eloquent and almost pathetic address, and for which he has bcon commended in every quarter of the State. It developed during tho trial that Newell w. s a cotton planter aud wa one of the dozen private persons tc whom the Slate if) still leasing her sur plus convicts -those not employed i:i the hosiery factory within the walis ol the penitentiary, or on the big Slate farms; that Hull was not a convict, hut was a contract laborer; that a short time before he was killed lie had left Newell'? stockade, and gone back to his home to see his wife and children; (hat Newell obtained from Magistrate ?I. .1. Gllmer, of Anderson, a warrant for Ilu.l's arrest, und was deputized by Gilmer as his special constable to make the artest; that Newell captured 111111 at his home, took him hack to the Blockade and locked him up; that when Hull next attempted to escape ho was shot ami killed. The jury acquitted Mewe. his evidence being that Hull was advancing on him with a stone, and a knife, and he shot in self-defense. During the progress of the trial Judge Uenet leceived an anonymous Idler from a negro, who said he with held his name because if it was re vealed he would he killed. The judge declared he would make an exception to his rule and notice such a communi cation. He road tlie letter to the grand jury. The writer recited the case of Tom l'arks, a negro, w ho, he, alleged, was charged with no crime, except be ing absent from the blockade of his landlord, who was caught on the court house square in Anderson, and, with out warrant or trial, and in the pres ence of policemen and citizens, carried off to the stockade of "Quin!" Ham mond, one of the largest planters in the county; also the case of Robert Drown, another negro, who w as taken in the same manner to the stockade of .1. S. Fowler, another largo planter and in fluential citizen. The following is the report of the. special committee of the grand jury : The principal work of this committee has been the investigation of the stockades of the county and I he abuses of laborers under tyrannous contracts that have grown out of the fanning out of convicts and the working of free laborers with them. We have taken the testimony of more that fifty persons including that of the landlords, their overseers and guards, together with a large number of laborers and a few other citizens. In these Investi gating we have met with every cour tesy and generally we have found no di position to Obstruct our work upon the part of those whoso farms and stockades we visited. A most careful inquiry failed to reveal that any gen eral abuse of the laboring class exists in this county, so that our work soon narrowed down to those places where convicts were employed and to two other places where stockades existed and free laborers were employed. We visited the farms of .J. Helton Watson, A. T. Newell, P. Ii. Allen,,1. It. Miller, Elias Metice, W. Q. Hammond and J. S. Fowler. We are unable to lind an}' abuses at lie farm of J. H. Watson. He has a tockade und works free laborers, but to found no evidence that the free iborcrs were put in tho stockade or forked in line with the convicts, or sub ected to any illegal restraint or abuse, he same thing was true at the farm f L?. Ii. Allen. Wo found that ho had aken two contracts in which the nborers agreed to work under guard ,nd be lucked up nt night, hut Iiis own ividonce and that of all the laborers so ar as we could ascertain was that bese provisions had never been en brccd. A. T. Newell works State :onvicl8 and has a stockade, but he ms worked no free laborers along with he convicts until recently, when he ms taken two contracts of that sort. _)nc of thcp was the case of the unfor unato ner.o Will Hull who was killed >y W. S Newell a few weeks ago and Ivhose case is referred to above. .1. 11. Miller formerly worked con victs, but they were taken nway by the State and ho now oonploys only '* free" labor, if indeed wo may use the word freo to described those laborers who have signed hiscontrncts and subjected themselves to the conditions existing on his farm. He has a stockade which was originally built for his Stato con victs, and his contracts provide thai tho " frco " laborers will work under guard and will allow themselves to be locked up at night. Our hrst investigations at tins place were met by a statement from tho ne groes that they were satisfied with their treatment, but their manner in dicated coercion and subsequently we made iurthor investigations which convinced us that J. II. Miller and Iiis overseer, J. A. Kiuorson, had been guilty of whipping ncgioes, locking them up at night, of working them under guard ami putting shackles upon them. Among these unfortunates were John Harrison, Will Wright, Warren Sloan and Ligo Jonos. We found several of Mr. Miller's contracts 'eft blank as to time of service and amount to bo paid, though the contract') were duly signed and witnessed, lu tho caso of Warren Sloan he seoms to havo been arrested by J. U. Miller and another man, whose nnmo wo could not ascertain, near Central iu Pickens County; there is testimony that no , warrant was exhibited if any existed, i but ho was handcuffed and taken to j Miller's stockade and kept there until this investigation began. Since <>ur lirst visit to this Blockade lie was turned loose and allowed to go home lu our judgment the said .1. It. Miller and J, A. Kmerson should bo present ed by the grand jury for the olfcno.es above mentioned, ami we so recom mend. In many respects the most remark able case coming under our notice was that of Elias McOee who has never employed State convicts, but who built a stockade and prepared to it eat his laborers as convicts. His COU-j tracts provide that the laborers shall be worked uudcr guard and locked up at night, ami there was abundant evi dence lo show that he had locked Up ill the stockade, worked under guard, and whipped his laborers. Among them who suffered n part or all of these abuses are Wesley Norman, Handy Karle, Vance Smith, Ueo. Tilley, Jo! U Clinktcales Clarence Halliard, KvillB Webb, Louis Alexander, Morris Jor dan. Some of these negroes had been arrested, and signed contracts after being put under arrest. John Clinks cales was accused by Elias McCiec ol stealing coin, was brought to Anderson band-CUffed, aud after l:e had sisrued a contract, hut without any trial, was turned over to W. Q? Hammond who earned him to the latter's stockade. We think the (hand .fury should make presentment agaiust Elias McQeo and we SO recommend. W. Q. Hammond runs a large farm in this county and employs a consider able number both of Stale convicts and "free" laborers. His contracts provide that the '-free" laborers shall be worked under guard and locked up at night and they suffer illegal im prisonment and more, for the evidence shows that a number of these unfot tu nnies have been woikcd under guard and gun, have been locked up at night and on Sundays, and havo been shock ed and whipped. Among those who suffered theso things at the hands of I Mr. Hammond and his overseers, Wm. Uailey, James Marlin ami?-Day, are the following: Isham Ahcrcrom bto, l'ink Hogers, .lames Clinton, .lohn Hewey, Tom Harks, CliaiiCy Johnson and John Cliukscalos. Several of these were in jail at the time of our examination. They had been indicted last fall for gambling, had been with out trial until this investigation began, when he surrendered them hack to the sheriff. Tho ucgru, Tom Parks, whose case was culled lo the atleutiou of the grand jury by the presiding judge wj.s released almost immediately thereafter. He was taken forcibly and without trial, under one of the harsh contracts above referred to, and con Ii n id in the Stockade, worked with tho convicts, and suffered the othet abuses above mentioned until this investigation was begun. We learn that perhaps a score of other laborers held under similar conti acts have left this farm during the past few weeks. One of them, i'ink Hogers, states that he was given a whipping of fifty liu-hes by Win. Bailey at the stockade. We think that the facts disclosed demand that W. Q. Hammond, .lames Martin, vs m. Bailey and-Day should be presented by the grand jury for tho violation of law above men tioned and we so recommend. .1. S. Fowler, who lirst used the con tract providing for "free" laborers to be treated as convicts, worked under guard, locked up, etc., employs a con siderable nuiuber of convicts and also of the so called "free" laborers. He has two stockades one of which is under tho supervision of .lames Cook and which was formerly managed by Willis McOee*, the other is under the charge of hevi Thomas. At these farms the convict * and "free" laborers have been worked together under a guard who carried a gun, they have been locked up at night, and some of them whipped. There was no evi dence of any of them having been shackled. Some of them hud been ac cused of trivial offenses and were put under contract to work out debts or lo repay money advanced for them. James Fvins, Bavlis Arter, Alon/.o Lark, Frank Bowlan, John Bell, Robert Brown, Foster Butler, Dan Hill, Willis Harper, Joe Whittield, Jim Rice, John Gilliam, Turner Walker, Andrew Dobbs, Dock Frecley and Dray toil Wheeler arc some of the negroes who have been eon lined in j Mr. Fowler's stockades. Willis Mc-1 Gee, James Cook, Levi Thomas, George Thomas and Mike Bobbins should have presentment made against them by the grand jury for whipping different ones of these negroes. Willis McGcc was especially cruel. It was testified that he had given lb; negro Baylis Arter 100 lashes on one occasion, and that he whipped Robert Brown most soverely and cruelly and on one occasion shot five times at Dray ton Whcoler, one of the bullets passing through Wheeler's hat. The testimony goes to show that George Thomas shot at Dock Freeley and lliat ho was also ready at the whipping?. Androw Dobbs was found tobe suffer ing from rheumatism, which ho says was brought on by being compelled to stand almost waist deep in mud and water in cold wonthcr, ditching. He was arrested by A. M. Bailey, who Iiiih been acting as a sort of constable for . J. S. Fowler, but was no vor tried. J. , A. Uice is a negro of rather weak mind, who was captured in Georgia by Flins McGcu and charged with having escaped from ,F. S. Fowler's stockade in this county. Upon being brought here it was found that he was not the mnn bo was suspected of being, but ncNorlbeless after being kept for pcv eral days in tho stockade ho entered into one of these 1-ihor contracts and has been in the stockade for several months, though unwillingly there. A number of "free" laborers have loft Mr. Fowler's farm since these investi gations wero Hrst begun, but some un willing ones wrc still in the stockades when wo visited them. Wo found no evidence to connect J Mr. Fowler in any way with tho whip ping of tbcsu laborers, but ho was a party to ?heso contracts which pro vided for tho illegal imprisonment and working under guard of tho laborers and is responsible for those, provisions being enforced and that presentment should bo made against him tbcrofor. We submit herewith tho momorauda of testimony which wo have taken [which will show to the court nut! Bolio itor more fully the facts which wi have reported nnd will enable them tt get the names of the witnesses to provi such facts. It is proper that we. should add that much of the abUSO has already been corrected as a result of this in vestigation and that some of the par ties have been to us with the assurance that they woutd immediately correct the evils existing on their farms to which we have called attention. Owiug to the widespread influence and effect that follows any public dis cussion of the question of tarm labor in this State ami the result that may follow a presentment such as wo pio> ' pose it is proper that we. should in closing this report enter into abrief discusTou of the influences that have brought about the. evils reported and make - iggestions us to the remedies therefor. We have heard rumors that Hu? investigation has alteady created a widespread iu'.erest und that the con ditions have been discussed with some feeling but we have as far as possible avoided reading anything published or said iu Ibis respect in older that we might pursue our investigations with out any influence or bias from any quartor. The question of farm labor in tliis Slate is a very diillcult one and Hie present laws regulating the same me tnsulllcient. The negroes whom we found con (Joed in the stockudc were composed largely of a das? of shiftless debtors who are subject to indictment for petty offense, and who could not he success fully worked under ordinary contracts. They ate men who have no properly, and men who evade their debts unless compelled to pay them. Against them the process of a civil cotut is worth less; that of the criminal court under existing laws is inadequate. Some thing should be done by the legislature to grade the punishment of this class according to the offence. Ilut the worst trouble has not been in the de feet of the provisions of the law so much as its" enforcement. It has come to be a settled policy in this county that indictment for violation of con tract and for disposing id' properly under lien should In: compromised, and not tried. We are convinced that this is wrong in principle and danger ous iu practice. Whatever injustice may he done an individual by disposing of property on which he has lien, or by the violation of a contract by one. of his employes, and whatever force might be given to the effect of penal statutes to induce payment of debts or fulfillment ol con tracts that never has been the true in tent and purpose of the penal statutes. They are onactcd to pievent public wrong, and when a prosecution has once been instituted and the powor of the criminal court invoked, tho ques tion of private recompense should dis appear, and the public iuterest alone, should bo considered. While this may lesull iu occasional hardships, it is the only sale polic3-. Abuses will other wise grow up until the criminal CG nts are degraded into machines for private gain, and often for extortion and op picssion. in our judgment ilshtuld lie a crime to compromise any case after indictment found with a view of private gain. Nor can we condemn too severely that other fruitful source?in fact, the origin of the abuses herein reported? the leasing out of convicts to work on private farms. Evils already detailed are too eluqueiit to necessitate a dis cussion to prove this. Such a system should not be tolerated after its results have been exposed as iu ibis county. We have heard it Intimated that our investigations and exposures would distuib tho labor conditions to such an extent as to create trouble in this Stale We do not believe that it is true, but if it were ve would not hesi tate to declare tho evil:' we lind and to demand that they should be abolished. The duty of this body is plain: We must stop the violations of law that now exist, and it others begin on the part of the laborers themselves, then we will unite with the law-abiding citizens of the county iu punishing and terminating these ovils. The result of our investigations! show that the system of working laborers under guard nnd confining them in blockades does not exist in this county further than we l ave reported. I'roDably not as many as twenty men, either as principal or agent, either di rectly or indirectly, have been engaged in this abuse. On the other hand, the number of laborers and Honors who have violated the law will double thai number many times. We therefore reiterate that the in fluence of this grand jury, and we do not hesitate lo say of the court also, will not ho extended, to enable any man to avoid a just contract, and that we have found that most of the labor contracts of the county are legal and just. If violations of just contracts begin as a result of the investigations wo have made, we suggest that Wal? rants bo sworn out and prompt punish ment given. We have not undertaken to assume tho responsibility of prose cuting the laborers who have violated their contracts, because tho position and Influence of the landlord makes them fully ablo to do that without as sistance from us. This special report has been brought about because of the Oppression and abuse of tnon who were too poor, too friendless, too ignorant und often too degraded to net for themselves, but who arc neveilbeless entitled to the full protection of lite law, and who because of their weak ness have a peculiar claim lo our pro tection. All of which is respectfully sub mitted* THIJ ANDERSON GRAND JURY Judge Benet Complimenta Their Work "Very Highly?Negroes Are I Demoralised. Staff Correspondence of The Htate. ANDERSON. March 7.?This is not to he a sensational story after the man ner of the Philadelphia North \meri con. It will give, only the baro facts about tho labor contract abuses, the stockade sla/ory system which had aroused the interest and the indigna tion of a county, ft State and oven a nation. Those facts aro all contained in tho strong presentment of tho ad inirablo grand jury. That paper is si - thorough, its statements uro so definite i and its wording ho clear that so lar as ) tho facts are concerned nothing more ; can he said. The presentment tells I the whole story, and no hasty Investi gation of an outsider can add anything valuable or reliable. There are minors of all sorts, but rumors are largely false. This morning the special term of the court of general sessions called by Judge W. <'. Beuel to receive the re port of the grand jury began at 10 o'clock. The jury was not ready, and it was noon before the presentment was read. The court room was packed, The main door was occupied by while people, ami the little nailery was crowded with negroes. Interest was most intense, lor not a word of the paper's contents had been divulged. The f01 Oman, Mr. K. A. Sullivan, banded up the paper, which was read. When the reading was completed, it was time for dinner recess. On re convening, Judge Beuel addiessed the grand jury : "Mr. Foreman and Gentlemen of the Jury: Your picseuttnenl affords me profound satisfaction. You have done your duty, not only ably and fear* lessly, hui I airly. I am struck with the Btalomcnt thai you have refrained from reading tho newspapers, some of which have published sensational stories, and that you have refrained from seeing or heating any comments that would prejudice you in your in vestigation. It will surprise you, thete fme, to know how luueh excitement there has been all over the .state and the Country. Sensational newspapers at the North have forgotten that the investigation was ordered und was being conducted. They conveyed the idea that the newspapers had discov ered tho scandal through their own efforts. " Your work ami tho work of the con it is not referred to in these arti cles. It docs say that 'happily some local efforts an' being made,' but the read? r would infer that these efforts are ?lue to the newspapers. Little is found in these accounts beyond what waa taken from the records of the court, and that little is false. 'Those UCWspupcrs would rather be sensational than just. " In ordering this investigation this court was only doing its plain duty, quietly, unostentatiously, but earnest ly. It is peculiarly the work of this court, but the court will ?lo Us duty, and tloes not propose to be interfered with by political busybodies in or out of Congress. When the charge was made three weeks ago tho court had no idea of loing more than showing you grand jurors your duly, and it hod no doubt you would perform it. It had no thought nor expectation that the charge of the court would be heard beyond the four walls of this court loom. ?? inrougti tue journalistic enter* prise of your local paper, The Daily Mai1, actuated by the purest and most praise worthy motives, llio charge was published, it was done not after the manner of what is called, in newspaper slang, 'yellow journalism,1 hut simply thai the good people of Anderson County might see that the iniquitous system would he thoroughly looked into and put an end to; lot the encourage ment of the law-abiding and a terror lo evil doers ; that it might he seen and known of all people of this county, while and black, that the strong arm of the law would be stretched out lo protect the humblest negro against op pression and wrong. >l Other newspapers throughout the Mate acted in the same way, not as sunsaUou-mongors, but as good citizens and champions of a righteous cause. There were no llaming headlines, no startling scareheads. Hut the publica tion was accompanied with strong wouls of condemnation of the inhu man treatment Ol tho negro, and with equally stiong words of commendation ol the charge of the court. " It was to be expected that news papers in other Stales would take no lice of a mutter of so much public in terest nor bad we any desire to hide this 11 r_rly thing from the eyes of our sisler States. Newspapers were only doing their duly in giving il the utmost publicity and in condemning it in scath ing terms. " It gives me pleasure to say that, with few exceptions, the great journals in all parts of the country did their duly in this regard; but some news papers, and notably one, went far be yond the ptoper limits of journalistic criticism. 1 refer especially to The North Ameiican, a Philadelphia news paper. " It seems that that paper scat a StllfC reporter to this County, and while we have no desire to discourage the sending of speeial correspondents fr< m Philadelphia to Anderson County for the purpose of finding out the exact truth, let them toll the truth; let them treat a serious Bubject like this with all fairness and candor. Facts when distorted are moro mischievous than falsehoods. I do not say that the special correspondent of The North American deliberately wrote what was not true, but I do saj that bis account was greatly exaggerated, far too highly colored, essentially misleading and grossly unjust. ?' it is foolish to talk of ihc necessity of interfering by Congress find Fed eral courts. They Ignore tho fuel that the court and Ibe grand jury have brought the mailer into public atten tion and were busy investigating it. We are able to deal with lliis matter without any outside help. We do not I wish to wash our dirty linen in the Federal laundry. There is no politics in Ibis matter, no party issue, not even a race issue, not even indirectly. It is purely and simply the righting ol a giievous wrong. We protest against tho ver3 idea of < ids dc interference It ia untrue, as this paper states, thai the tot timony of negroes is not believed in our courts." Judge Hem ! nleo mentioned that tbia matter had been called to the at tention of tho Governor, who bad forwarded to tho solicitor a letter re ceived by him, The judgo said thai bo bad not heard of tho matter until tho trial of the Newell case, and wa astonished beyond measure, by the dis. i closures therein. I Turning to the audieuco, ho said - that ho wanted to adviso tho negroci > not to bolicve rumors which wero goinj uboul as to tho invalidity of all lab > contracts. Ho said tho court will en force all lawful conliacts, and Iba ncgl'OOS should not make the ini-t ik? of believing the investigation incani that all coutracts were void. Taking up tho presentment, Judge lionet lead the names mentioned and said that some of them at least had been prosecuted for raise imprison: llient, wl ilo others were liable in dam ages civilly as well as for criminal pro* sedition. The solicitor, ho said, will do his duty, and it will be left to tho ' petit jurors to do theiis. tiood work had already !>ei ll done, and the evil is almost stamped out; public sentiment is practically solid against the system, in which only a lew men have partici pated. Judge BoilCt declared that the pre sentment brought pitiful details. " it told ol illegal ariesis and imprison* incut, of cruel whipping, of prolonged imprisonment Without even the farce of a trial, of kidnapping negroes from ?other counties, and even from Georgia, of fear to give testimony, refusal to testify, and, most pitiful of all, of j oor negroes professing to being sati-lied and contented." I His honor warned Ihc jurors ihal thoy must not divulgo any of the testi mouy, which lie turned over lo the clerk of court and ordered him not to make il public. Tho presentment lie turned ever to the solicitor for his help and guidance ill preparing the cases. He then referred to the jury's re ntal ks as to the convict teasing sys tem, and said he was clad the jurors concurred with him. Tho Legislature had already taken steps lo stop this system. 14 There is no likelihood thai this stockade slavery, with its shackh s, whippings and armed guards will ever ho seen again in this or any other county." In closing, .lodge lionet said : u 1 tlu.uk you, gentlemen, mosl sin cerely for the excellent work you have done. South Carolina thanks you. Anderson County especially will thank you for having relieved her of tili? shameful burden and freed her good name from the stigma that a few of her misguided citizens placed Oil it. Vour county has cause lo he proud of her grand jury. You certainly have imply justified ihc confidente I re posed mi you when I ordered you to make this investigation.'1 Ai the conclusion of his honor's re marks the jury was dismissed, and the mint proceeded with other business, l'hc crowd tiled out of the CO ill room ind the men gathered in groups on the drools to discuss the affair. It is undeniable that the revelations if the last few weeks have created a serious situation in Anderson C ounty. It is also true that there are two sides ) the question which the situation ircsenls. As shown so clearly by tho >rosentment, there has been injustice ind cruelty practiced upon igm rant, if ml innocent, negroes. Tho practical mslnvcmeut, the cruel whipping, the llcgal imprisonment of ncgiocs docs ml meet Will) undeserved deleilce from my quarter. Those who excuse the ?ontractors do so by saying that the lystein has been carried too far. Thoy irescul the oilier side, which is th; t tome negroes as laborers cannot he out l olled except by a show of force ind power; that some negroes wore Oken from jail under promise to work iccordiug to the now famous contract ; hat they were in many cases well rented and contented better oil than hey would have been under other cir ?umslances. Today I heard good men, as good as there aie anywhere, express (Iiis view. They deprecate abuses nnd agree that cruelty and illegality must no stopped, hut they say thai the men who started the system intended no harm, and Would have done. none. They point <?ut that "dud" Fowler, "Press" Allen and " ljutnt " Hammond, the three largest farmers concerned, are all good citizens, reliable business men, lacking in cruelty or inhumane in stincts. You could search Anderson Counlyovcr and not lind another three men more influential than Fowler. Hammond ami Allen. Knowing this fact, one can realize the bravery, the devotion to duty which prompted a jury of eighteen men lo make 6UCll a presentment as was handed in. it Is a courageous paper, and the grand jury is deserving of all honor for it. It is only fair to state that the presentment was written byCapt. il. II. Wntkms, of the law Ihm of Boilham & Wat kins. The facts were gathered by a committee of jurors consisting of Foreman IK A. Sullivan, .1. IK Keverett (foimerly representa tivc), ,J. K. McFall, J. T. Milford ano E, I), Hall. Foreman Sullivan is n substantial farmer of the " Fork suction," and of the eighteen there arc fourteen fanners, men who know tin conditions with which they were deal ing. The effect of the paper will he to abolish the system. There can be no doubt about that. It has been aban doned already by some of the farmers who practiced it, and it will go out of existence altogether very soon. Solici tor Hoggs has the papers and the evi dence, and what he will do no om knows, for Julo Hoggs is essentially conservative. He will say nothing except Unit the matter will not be brought up again in court until the June term. The I'Ohas been another, an unintOU tional, effect of the agitation* The negroes have conceived that bee iU?e Jtulgo lionet declared these stockade contracts lllegn), all labor contracts are void. The lestlll has been a more or less general demorali/alion of negro labor in this county. Many ncgroo have loll farms where they were bound to work und :r legal and just contracts Anyone who understands the nogro h Character will readily sie bow be \vi uhl get this illogical impression. Judge llenut tried to make the distinction plain today in his charge, but the trouble is not easy to correct. I n a short while, however, tho excitement will subside and the negroes can be brought back to their legitimate work. Hut at present the negroes aio badly domorali/.cd, and for Una reason many regret that the mutter has been given such wido publicity. I have said that a casual obscrvei could not add to tho grand jury'l l thorough report, but a c;iso In polnl ; was accidentally Drought to my at ten r lion loiluv. A relative with whom - Uhiccl a| ologi/.cd for 111?.- absence of hi i i i hullor. She paid that he, n youn?: i uvgro, had hoeu carried off n short i I wink' ago lo work Oil OI1C "f 111'1 Block* i ado farms, lhs lather had signed n . contract binding himself and Bovornl i sous to servitude on tin- plantation ol a certain fanner named in the pro?! nt incut, nnd not long ago ibis boy and Iiis brotltC i s were taken from their lowil jolis ami carried t<> the farm, wh< rc Ihoy are now at work. Naturally, Ihc lady ihinks the Byslem Is truita abominable. This is only an instnUCO. While the system has never been known, as Judge lieut i says, to tho courts officially until recently, it has Nein known to the citizens of Anderson for a long tune, nnd the vast majority of tin in. even those friendly to the moil concerned, are glad that it i< now abolished. For it must bo abolished since the force of law and public opinion arc against it. How it ever originated isamysti ry, A prominent lawyer said today that some time ago ho told OltO of the labor contractors that his contracts were not worth a CCIlt; that no court would up hold them. Vet the contracts were continued. Tonight Ihc town is quite descried. The largo crowd here iodav has dis persed aud the mailer is virtually ended No <iio doubts that the proven illegality and muni Test injustice of the stockade system will bo snllfcionl to cause its abandonment. And no ono is sorry. .1 \s. a. Uoyt, i it. ORDERS WARRANTS ISSUED. Speculation as to Results - Mr. J, S Fowler on Contract System. Staff Correspondence of The Slate. Anokuson, March s.?!?, is the (pilot after the Btortn today in tliis hustling little oily. The crowds which t'iroiigo i the town square and packed the c uirt hoUSU yesterday are cone. They CUU10 while and black, to hear what the grand jury would say about the. stock nh slavery system. The grand jury told the s ory in all its essential parts The public was not astonished, for it lias been generally known that the labor Bys tem of this county has boctl vicious The tacts have been known to the good citizens and the had citl/.OUB Some have condemned it, while others have con doned it: hut there came a crisis which exposed the business, and the result Inn been its abolition. The man who first publicly en led at tention to the abuses was Mr D. ii Ihis sell, editor of The Daily Mail. Today i called on Mr. Itussoll and asked him il he thought a slop had now been put t the system He said that he did think so : that the agitation and the court S in vcstigatlon had forced the men Involved to give ii]) their system and he did nol bolieve it would be resumed. Another gentleman who was present said he would not bo at all surprised t< see the system resumed: thai theme:, who had practiced it are reckless and bold, and dq not cure for couscq icncos It was his opinion that as soon as public interest died down liic abUSOS Would crop up again. Judge Lionet at least, hns no inlontioi of le ling the matter drop. Today h< took the last step possible for him to take in bringing tho guilty n o i lo jus lico. IIo signed an order requiriug the prOSOntmont to he served on &uvcn magistrates in whoso jurisdiction tin men named 1 ivt*. and ordering them to issue warrants for the ''slave holders' Magistrate H. H. Sloan is ordered to issue a warrant charging J. It. Miller and J, A. Emmcrson with assault aud batten and false Imprisonment. Magistrate .1 11 Morgan is ordored to Issue warrauh Against Ellas McOeo for assault and bat tery of a high and aggravated nature am false imprisonment. The same act! >n h to be taken in regard to W. <} Ham 1 mom!, William Bailey, Wlllia McGro .lames Cook, Lon Thomas, Gcor^i Thomas, Mlko Hobbins indJ.S Fowloi All of these are to be b??un i over for lip poarauco at the next term of court. In the case, of Magistrate Gilmor, an ordoi was given requiring him to show cuuti at the next term ol court why lie i houh not he indicted for misappropriation ol funds. Gilmor would luiVO been indict ed forthwith, hut thO other matter pro Booted by tho grand jury caused a post ponemont. The evidence which the grand jury gathered was turned over lo Bolieltoi liOggS. What il contains no one know 8 What Mr. Hoggs intends to do may bi considered as forecasted in tho latest m der by the judge A great many hnv< professed to believe that the mallei WOUld never again bo aired in c mr: Thoy say thai If the solicitor shoilh bring Indictments Against the men name., the lawyers would tignt oil the trial ol the cases. Some of them have alroadj engaged attorneys to represent then. and as thoy have plenty of money, then is no doubt of their ability to ontc; thc matter to the last. Ono gentleman, while expressing hi> satisfaction at the report of tho irran jury declared that what would do mor? tot Hit: cause of law and order in All I son County would be luoconvictl >n <.f . man like Hammond or Ko.vlor, promin ent, wealthy and inllttcnlial, win is pre sented for illegal practices. This It an other lest to which the oood citizen of And rson must ho put The grand jury has done its duty, now will the petit juries do theirs".' As for the negroes, as state) Ititiiv dispatch of last night, they are badly de morali/cd all over the county, li is n >\< almost impossible for tho men who havi been conducting the Btockado system ti get any laborers at all. The uogroes having had their attention directed t< their rights, are uuwilling to place them solves under any form of Coutra t W il those men, whose farming operations an therefore seriously crippled this year, al least. Then, too, negroes under legs contracts have misapprehended tho sc >j> of the court's orders and have und I stood thai all labor contracts are void This has Caused endless rouble and c >n fusion, which only lime can remedy Il is not only the county which h i been affected by the slcckade Bystctn, I have heard of several instances when nogro boys employed as hotoo Borvaul in town have been taken away lo work on these stockade fauns undoi a C"i. iraCt by which a negro would bind him self and children not on'y to labor for h farmer, but to be subject to his ordi r to be Imprisoned at night, lo be Hogged for infractions of rules and to ho lliie for certain oltoncCS. Negroes in jail foi petty OffonSOS have boon bailed out b\ farmers, on signing these contracts. I is said also that families have not 0113 been held in this way, but that the mem hers have been separate.I, the COntrac for a father being sold to one farmo and that for the mother or son to an other. It is this feature of the businci which has given the name " slavery " t it. It is this, also, which has give Northern sensational shoots the Chane * to exaggerate. There is strong Ront I mont hero against tho papers which hav - bo grossly enlarged on this matter, an ?V ' H <? [in: Dcst results in fruit, vegetable or grain, tho fertilizer used must contain enod^ii Potash. Kor panic tilar ( see our pamphlets, Wc senil tin-m |Vei . <!i:kman k vi l \v| irks, especially against Hi,- l>li||R lolphin North American, whoso stall correspondent took pictures ol Blockades ami blood hounds that 1: iv.: hover in mi seen by their allogod owners. Any mm who would exaggerate tiii-; matter is wasting his energy. The facts are BOItSAtioiial t nough, Nearly every siui itioii liA9 Its humor. HIS ph ase, and this ono is 1) >t an excep tion. Hero's a story vouched for by a prominent oitl/.oii: Down in Corner towush'pa'ev uiglitsago the darkies were ho'ding a mooting of somo kind and were very much stirred up over tho labor contract business, a* all of them have heeii One fervent brother was holding forth on the iniquities practiced >U his race and the teiriblo treatment iccorded the blacks by the whites. Ap proaching hii dim i\, h-' said: ''lirodreu, I 'so long boon erdookin' fur a Moses ivhiu'tui lo id us pbdf Uiggot a out 'er dU* lore bondage wVh boon libbin' under, funk Uaud, biedren, tu h coino, he's some, in de piisson ui Jo Igo lb to t I " ?lust what s n of ii Moses the brainy Scotchman will make tor nie Iguoraut icgtocs is not the ,| Btioil now at issue, i is certalu, however, th a Ju Igo lionet las made some right hearty enemies up Ills Svty by his bold charges a- well as lavtUR gained some, ai l nt admirers iinong i?ei; met - Theru uro those who icettso him of j laying t<, ihc galleries vhilc olllers lind onlye ?mniendntioii for dS fearless utterance- . The original) r ,ud plotiee1' of the so-called alavory is ilr .1. s Fowler Mr. Fowler is a man if positive chaiact-M an I aggri?si VO lein lorainor.t, wli > ha nude a gooi.1 deal of noiiey in several line-, of husiiies lie utis a large sale -t |! :. , w igon and ear iago business in town aiid lie and his sillily own extensive faims on which bout i?i negroes are employed. Mr. Fowler was :. ked to give bis view if tho question and rcajily consented, lo said Ilia th.- system itself la not at aull, hut that it has boon abused. As or himself, he had no Idea ii was illo ;d, nor had he kllOWll that he was doing nylhiog wrong, llo ?> ii ; il grew out i the ract that negroes would apply to ihn lo nay their lines or go their bond o get them out pi jail, As a condition if doing so I.: would require them to ign a contract t > work (hit the money dvancod, and as llicy were criminals, CgroCS wlio could uol ho trusted, he irould further n quire th it thoy consent [> bo confined at night and watched by ay. lie had no bloodhounds nor hackles on his farms, lull its in; had eon lets hired from the B'.a'.e pen leilliary e would put the riogn ' ?? he had gotten rom jail to w ok wi ii the convicts, 'lie S in ? guard sllilic d "or lioll' o iriv ots ml jin birds, Me , : the negroes rcie kindly treated, well led and seem d contented; thai many of then I'd* iiained on his farms, ?flei they had orved out their time, and some who arc forking for him now have boon with dm since he starte,! the syste.i'lt. As to the ignorance of 111 ol da on the uhject, Mr Fowler said that tin; ?>ni lima had certainly known it for a long line, That he woul ! .; > t , '.In- i iii, give >ond or pay the line- p| hegl 11 ? and get hem out and thai tin- rborilV, the clerk iiid the magistrate.- who dolivorc.d tlie irlsouers or Who examined tho papers vere fully a vare ill tho system. Thoy rid said they B;lw nothing wrong With t. Air. Fowler went on to say thai .since ho court had ordered a stop put to the lystem that lie and the others had at. mco turned loose lill the nogrooa held inder these contracts an 1 that, they iave no Idea ol doing anything that would ho illegal, llo said th-it it pros ?Clllioii, however, were riiad'i against Idmjjo would contest th-; mallet mos', fully and endeavor t > establish Iiis ilgh's lie said ho had noVer given or ders to shackle il igor sh lot negroes, but lie did think it Was a mietimoa hotted t i whip a negro i ir Btea in { or s unothlog like that than t> prosoctltO hiilt, He said employers often ?top negroes as Iho !>e -i way to maun t'.icm. Mr Fowler related two instances, llo said that there wne live nogrooa in j iii for .stealing cotton. They s en; for liilll and asked h" n to gel them but t n biill. [to told thorn he thought they would try to OSuapO and if ho went on their bond they would htivo t ? Ugroo to bo oat in with tho convio's. They agreed, anying they di I not want to day in j id. Tlie last negro with whom he Had made such a contract ?'. a , in j iii ponding the.payment uj *8?i, Mr. Fowler, in response Id the nogro'h request, paid this amount and the nogro slgnotFa oon tract to work on hi. far a a! '?'> par month fir ii mdnHis, Counting the amount ded into ! f <t clothing, tho uogr > would sp^nd about ii year on the farm and do *.")*) w irtu of w ?rk for*S'l, slaving the negro $!11. This la the d? lee 111 hi iof. >H'< Fowlor talked frooly i\ii 1 at s nnc length, hut 1 have endeavored to give only the j substance of his remarks its fairly and Accurately as p isslb ? I JAs. A liov ; , 11*. ? Hoheit s. Cook, who died a fo\V d.i>s ag i at Frankfort, lud , was an eccentric with immoroiH fads. When bo marrl -d a bocoiuI 'im..- several yens ig.? he and hi- bfi ?? io I in antonup lal agroomcitt under which liO was ibargod with all o > iking, It ?u lukoeplng, SOWing and men bag all I Sh I with hoard and lodging They Incorp iratod us" It dien s. Cool; ac. ," is u d Stock vnd declared hvidi na ol lovlo 1 assess ments as was uocesaat v e loli year. -1 il GASTORIA Tor Infants am1 Children. rh8 Kind You ilavo Always Bought Bears tho Signatiuo of