The sergeant in charge of the above camps will please admit Mrs. E. R. Wheaton and Mrs. —— and allow them to hold religious service at the camp with the convicts.
W. A. Neal.
STATE OF FLORIDA.
Executive Department, Tallahassee, April 21, 1894.
Messrs. West Bros., West Farm, Fla.
Gentlemen: This will be presented by Mrs. Elizabeth Rider Wheaton, prison evangelist, who is visiting the convict camps of the state. Any courtesies and kindness extended to her will be duly appreciated and reciprocated by,
Yours very respectfully,
D. Lang, Private Secretary.
STATE OF GEORGIA.
Penitentiary Department, Atlanta, Ga., March 21, 1896.
To the Captains in Charge of Convict Camps in Georgia:
I desire that each of you extend to Mrs. Wheaton and Mrs. —— any courtesies possible during their stay with you, that they may have an opportunity to talk with the prisoners. Any kindness shown them will be appreciated by this office.
Jake C. Moore, Assistant Keeper Penitentiary.
Executive Department, Governor's Office, Jackson, Miss.
Mr. J. J. Evans, Jr., Penitentiary.
Dear Sir: Mrs. Elizabeth Wheaton, who is interested in reform work, desires to talk to the convicts. Any courtesy shown her will be highly appreciated.
Very truly yours,
J. J. Coman, Governor's Sec.
A STOCKADE.
Many inquire of me what a stockade or prison camp is. I will here explain. A man, or party of men, lease or hire from the state the labor of a certain number of prisoners for a certain length of time. They are "doing time," as the prisoners say, for the state. Both men and women are thus leased out. Their labor is used in clearing up land, working in cotton and sugar cane fields, in mines, in turpentine camps, in building railroads, on brick-yards, in phosphate works or in any place where a company can work together. Their food consists mostly of swine's flesh and corn bread made with meal, water and salt.
The stockades are large rough wooden buildings, erected by the lessee, in which the prisoners are confined at night. The men are generally chained by one ankle to a heavy chain which reaches through the center of the building from one end to the other, being securely fastened to strong posts. They usually sleep on the floor in the same clothing worn through the day—which is generally very scant and poor; but sometimes they may have a bunk and a rough dirty blanket. The stockade is guarded by men with loaded guns, and besides this every camp is abundantly supplied with great, strong bloodhounds. And woe to the unfortunate criminal that must be tracked and caught by them!