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"Wanted" Persons records

 Collection
Identifier: 1970-0399M

Scope and Contents

Broadsides, post cards, and letters concerning primarily persons who had escaped from west Georgia convict work camps. The items are addressed to the Chief of Police in Selma, Alabama, and contain physical descriptions and criminal histories of the persons.

Dates

  • 1886-1891 and n.d.

Biographical / Historical

In 1866, the Georgia legislature approved a series of laws that allowed counties to hire out convicts and authorized the Governor to lease state prisoners to individuals or corporations, as long as the lease relieved the State of further expense. Lessees agreed to feed, clothe, and house convicts during the period of the lease. Later, in 1871, the Legislature required lessees contracting for convict labor to pay no less than $25 per capita per year.

On September 19, 1908, after increasing pressure to abolish the convict lease system, the Georgia General Assembly passed legislation to prohibit future convict leasing to private parties in the State of Georgia. The last lease expired the following March. With limited facilities for housing prisoners, the state sent most convicts to the counties work on chain gangs.

Extent

1 folders

Language of Materials

English

Title
"Wanted" Persons records
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Repository Details

Part of the Georgia Archives Manuscript Collections Repository

Contact:
5800 Jonesboro Rd
Morrow GA 30260 United States