Texas Gulag: The Chain Gang Years 1875-1925

by Gary Brown

For fifty years prison inmates in Texas were leased out to railroads, coal mines, farm plantations, and sawmill crews with terrible incidences of brutality, cruelty, injury, and death to the prisoners.
They were forced to produce daily work quotas of seven tons of coal, three hundred pounds of cotton, or one and one-half cords of wood. They were fed spoiled hog meat and slept on mattresses filled with bugs and filthy from sweat, blood, and dirt. They were punished by brutal whippings with an instrument known as the "bat" and by various other methods. Self-mutilation by cutting off fingers, hands, and feet and even self-blinding were commonplace to avoid working in these lease camps.
It was a period in which the state prison system was shrouded in secrecy. Former prisoners had only one option available to try to inform the public about the brutality and corruption. They could write their personal memoirs. And an amazing number of them did―dating back to the 1870s. Herein are some of their stories.

284 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2002

About the author

Gary Brown spent twenty-three years in Texas prisons as a teacher and counselor. He resides in Friendswood, Texas.

Reviews

[Mike Baker · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disappointed with this book. The stories are very repetitive. Clearly the prison system of the time 1875-1925 was very abusive, especially if the inmate was leased out to exploit their physical labor or punished with “the bat” and the book certainly makes that point. But, I just didn’t connect with the inmate stories. Oh well… the book is an easy read.

[Esteban Stipnieks · Rating 3 out of 5]

Informative a bit dry but highly informative the side of Texas history you do not get....in your classroom.

[Scott Ericksen · Rating 3 out of 5]

An intersecting view of the Texas prison system (from multiple convicts) when incarceration was punishment, and prisoner reform was unheard of. A worthwhile read for the history student.