Viewing page 168 of 199

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

THE CRUELTIES OF REV. Mr. Fitz.
Opposite Newbern, on the south bank of the Trent river, there is a settlement composed exclusively of freedmen, and containing a population of about four thousand, whose condition is truly deplorable. These unfortunate people came within our lines and were located there during the war. They are living in small huts, built by themselves of lumbar manufactured by hand; these huts generally containing but a single room, each of which is occupied in most cases, by large families. The appearance of this settlement recently scourged with the small-pox, is well calculated to excite the deepest sympathy for the helpless condition of its inhabitants. The decrepit and helpless among them are supported by the Government of the United States, and the remainder precure an uncertain and scanty living from little jobs about Newbern- from fishing from small boats, huckstering, &c. The Rev. Mr. Fitz, formerly an army chaplain, presides over this colony as assistant superintendent of the Bureau of the Trent river settlement. This agent has exercised the most arbitrary and despotic power and practised revolting and unheard-of-cruelties on the helpless freedmen under his charge. The outrageous cruelity of this man was brought to our attention by a Generation of freedmen from the settlement, who called upon us and made statement in relation to his oppressions and outrages which we could scarcely credit. 
After hearing their statements we visited the settlement, convened the freedmen, investigating the charges against this man, and determined that he had been guilty of even greater wrongs and oppressions than had been complained of. In addition to the testimony of the freedmen, we took the statements of four intelligent ladies from the North, who are teaching school in the settlement. Among the many acts of cruelty committed by Superintendent Fitz, we found that he had in two instances suspended freemen with cords around their wrists, their feet not touching the floor, and kept them in this position, in one case four, in the other case six others; that he sentenced a freedman to an imprisonment of three months for a trivial offence, that of wrangling with his wife. He kept another man, who was arrested for debt, shut up in the black house-the prison-for months, while his wife and children, reduced to abject destitution, died with the small-pox, and took him from the prison under guard and compelled him to bury his last child in the cradle in which it died. On another occasion, when one of his guards reported to him that a colored woman had spoken disrespectfully of him, without even inquiring what the woman had said, he ordered her to be imprisoned until the next morning at nine o'clock when she should be brought before him to answer for the indignity. In one instance he imprisoned six children for ten days for playing in the streets on the Sabbath day. He imposed a fine of sixty dollars upon an aged freedman for having told another freedman the [[illegible]] was about to be arrested by Mr. Fitz. This [[illegible]] to pay the fine, was imprisoned [[illegible]] paid the same, with three [[illegible]]

FITZ'S' TAXES
The land upon which the huts in this settlement are built is owned by certain heirs in North Carolina and is held by the Freedmen's Bureau as abandoned properly. A tax, which Superintendent Fitz says goes to the support of the Bureau, is imposed upon the owner of each hut for ground rent. If the occupants fail to pay this tax promptly, they are either turned out into the streets or imprisoned, and in some instances huts have been torn down by order of the Superintendent for non-payment of the tax. All business transacted by these people is taxed for the same purpose. Five dollars per month is levied upon every little shop; two dollars on each fishing boat; five dollars on each horse and cart, &c. The failure to pay those taxes when due at once subjects the property taxed to confiscation. We were unable to ascertain what amount of money had been collected by Superintendent Fitz, or what disposition had been made of it. The imperfect manner in which the books were kept would have rendered a lengthy and detailed examination necessary to arrive at even an approximate idea of the amount of money collected. In answer to the question as to what justification there was for the oppressive burden he had imposed upon these people, Superintendent Fitz replied that Captain Seeley told him, "I must have a thousand dollars a month from that settlement." He also furnished us with a sworn statement,herewith forwarded, marked "E," in which he attempts to defend his conduct by stating that he acted in obedience to the orders of his superior officers in the Bureau.

CAPTAIN SEELEY SCREENING HIS SUBORDINATES
In an interview we had with Captain Seeley that officer evinced a desire to shield Superintendent Fitz by stating that a great deal of what was said against him resulted from prejudice; notwithstanding he had the sworn statement before him that the charges against Fitz were true. 

In that part of the report of the Commissioners which relates to the Trust River Village very severe  charges are made against Mr Fitz the Supt of that Colony. A short time previous to their visit complaints had been made concerning the management of affairs there and Maj Seeley requested an officer from without the district to make an impartial investigation I assigned for that purpose Lt Allison of the IRC who had just reported for duty and was an entire stranger to all the parties. With him was associated by consult of the Post Commanding Lt Upton Adjt of 28' Mich Regt. This board gave the case a patient hearing and had prepared his report. But before the proceedings had been acted upon or forwarded to me, they were decided by General Steedman and a portion of the record was published in the New York Herald of May 2nd. The simple fact that the matter was under investigation, with a view to correct the evils complained of is a sufficient defence of the Bureau.  A full report of the case is presented in the proceedings of the "Board of Investigation" already forwarded for your consideration.