Newspaper Page Text
THE BAINBRIDGE POSY-SEARCH LIGHT
PROFESSION AT
* directory “
c. W. WIMBERLEY, JR.
attorney-at-law
Practice in All Courts
Office Hamil Building
BAINBRIDGE,
GEORGIA
JOHN R. WILSON
attorney-at-law
H. C. Harrison, Associate
Practice in all courts, except
criminal
Offices: O’Neal Building
BAINBRIDGE, GEORGIA
J. M. FLOYD
Attorney and Counsellor At Law
Buys, Sells and Rents Houses
Office under old Ftvrdhnm Hotel
BAINBRIDGE, GEORGIA
OR. P. M. LEWIS
Practice Limited to the Diseases
of the Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat
Glasses Fitted
Phones: Office 3, Residence 216
BAINBRIDGE, GEORGIA
PRISON FARM IS A STATE
DISGRACEJ50ARD IS TOLD
Many Sensations Develop in Legislative Investigation—Probe To
Be Continued— Testimony Discloses Abe Powers Was Care
lessly Guarded—Claims Of Cruelty Made—Fulton Officials
Objected to Handcuffing Prisoner.
F. E. STRICKLAND
Farm and City Loans at 51-2
Per Cent.
Office in Court House
BAINBRIDGE, GEORGIA
R. H. HERRON
VETERINARIAN
Phone 124
BAINBRIDGE, GEORGIA
Office Phone 295 Res. Phone 64
L. W. WILLIS
Physician and Surgeon
Office Corner Broughton and Clark
Streets
BAINBRIDGE, GEORGIA
REGULAR MEETING
DECATUR LODGE NO 32
K. OF P.
First and Third Tuesday of
Each Month
BAINBRIDGE, GEORGIA
J. C. HALE
ATTORNEY-AT-LAW
Office in Hamil Building
Practice in All Courts
BAINBRIDGE, GEORGIA
JOHN C. CHASON
ATTORNEY-AT-LAW
Practice in All Courts
BAINBRIDGE, GEORGIA
M. E. O’NEAL
ATTORNEY-AT-LAW
Practice in All Courts
Office: O’Neal Building
BAINBRIDGE, GEORGIA
DAVID M. ABRAMS
ATTORNEY-AT-LAW
\
Office at
donalsonville, ga.
erle m. donalson
ATTORNEY-AT-LAW
Office three doors from corner of
Water and West streets, fronting
City Park
BAINBRIDGE, GEORGIA
W. M. HARRELL
ATTORNEY-AT-LAW
Office: O’Neal Building
BAINBRIDGE, GEORGIA
DR. WILLIAM R. HOWELL
CHIROPRACTOR
Specializing in disorders of the
Stomach, Liver, and NERVES
O'Neal Building, Upstairs
BAINBRIDGE, GEORGIA
H. G. BELL
ATTORNEY-AT-LAW
Offices in Chason Building
Opposite Court House
I BAINBRIDGE,
GEORGIA
Milledgeville, July 23.—Sensation
after sensation developed here today
in the legislative investigation of
State institutions, when conditions in
the prison farm’s white ward were de
clared to be a “disgrace to the State,”
and testimony revealed that Abe Pow
ers, celebrated bunco artist, was
brought to Milledgeville by a Fulton
county deputy sheriff, Who denied
Powers was a member of the gam
bling syndicate, and within ten days
after his arrival Powers was made a
trusty practically without guard.
So serious were the developments
of the far-reaching probe, that Chair
man A. J. Perryman, of Talbot, of the
House Penitentiary Qommittee an
nounced that he would continue the
work of the body next week, while
Warden J. E. Smith asserted, while
being cross-examined, that he would
discharge immediately a deputy who
was found guilty of neglect of duty
in allowing unsanitary conditions in
the prison.
Charges of cruelty and persecution
were made by farm inmates. One
prisoner declared deliberately that
Powers had been allowed to escape,
and alleged that the Prison Commis
sion and penitentiary officials were
guilty of “political frame-ups” in the
interest of promoting . pardons and
paroles. Sweat boxes, barely large
enough to hold a person and equipped
with chains, were found in the female
department.
Protested Indignity to Powers.
Not only was Powers recommended
to Warden Smith as a “fine fellcw
and worthy of absolute trust,” but
three Fulton county officials appeared
before Secretary Yancey of the Prison
Commission and made similar state
ments with the request that one of
their deputies be allowed to carry the
convict to Milledgeville because they
objected to him being “humiliated by
being handcuffed.” In asking that
Powers be sent to the State farm, the
county commissioners presented a
statement from the jail physician to
the effect that he was suffering from
heart disease.
This information was given the
hospital, where he had been confined
for several days.
"Did you not find that Powers was
a bunco man before he escaped?”
asked Mr. Perryman.
“I did,” was the reply.
“After making the discovery that
Thompson had misrepresented the
prisoner to you and had these com
plimentary letters in your possession,
did you not, with your fourteen years
experience as warden, grow suspicious
of Powers?” questioned the chairman.
“I had as much confidence in him
ns any trusty I had on the farm, be
cause I had to have somebody to do
his work as waterboy. He had been
here as trusty and seemed to be get
ting along all right,” Smith replied.
Policy Proved Failure.
In reply to a question that it was
unusual to make a prisoner a trusty
so eavly after arriving, Smith replied
that it was not, and that in most cases
the application of confidence was not
betrayed. Mr. Perryman asked him
if his policy had not proven a failure
in this instance, and he replied in the
affirmative.
That no instructions ever had been
given him relative to Powers other
than he was to be assigned to duties
of a waterboy as a trusty, was the
statement of Deputy Molderfield, who
had charge cf the squad from which
the gambler escaped.
“All that I was told about Powers
was that he was a trusty. In this ca
pacity it was not my duty to guard
him. All I had to do was to see that
he discharged his work. He went
about the farm without being under
guard and was not known as a ‘gun
man,’ like the others over whom I
stood guard every day,” said Molder
field.
On further cross examination by
Chairman Perryman, Molderfield
stated that the bunco expert was left
in the field in the company of another
trusty on the day he escaped, and the
first information he received of his
disappearance came from this asso
ciate about forty-five minutes later.
One of the most dramatic incidents
of the investigation came when Dr.
committee by Judge R. E. Davidson |J. W. McNaughton, famous through-
chairman of the Prison Commission,' out the country for his work since
who further acknowledged that at being confined at the farm, was sum-
the time the gambler made his escape moned. Garbed in the regulation hon-
not a member of this body knew that or uniform of the prison, the physician
he was confined at the farm, Chair- entered the room, and during his tes-
man Perryman was cross-examining! timony made a profound impression
him, and brought out the assertion on the committee,
from the judge that if he had known | “It is my duty to examine prac-
Powers was at the penitentiary, tically all of the inmates of the farm”
knowing that he was a member of the replied Dr. McNaughton to a question
bunco gang, he would have had him of Chairman Perryman. “When Pow-
removed. i ers came to prison, I gave him an
Objected to Powers’ Presence. ; oral examination and he made no com ■
“We didn’t want any of the syn- plaint of heart trouble. During his
dicate at our farm,” said Judge Da- entire stay here, the only medical at-
vidson. “Secretary Yancey had him tention he received from me was for
sent there as a result of the recom- slight stomach trouble,
mendations of Fulton officials who “He was a very energetic and ac-
praised him to the skies.” j tive prisoner, although he had a
“It was not until I read of the es-' slightly palid complexion and did not
cape in newspapers, that I knew there give the appearance of a strong man,”
was such a person as Powers. When he continued.
I had investigated the case the best Following the physician’s testimony
I could, I returned to Atlanta with Warden Smith again was called to
the letters you now have in your pos- the stand to answer questions of the
session. i committeemen on conditions found in
"I gave these to Judge Rainey, and the white male quarters of the peni-
other members of the commission,” tentiary. A surprise came, when he
continued Chairman Davidson, “and admitted that these conditions were
he read both of them. Judge T. E. unpardonable and a disgrace to the
Patterson was out of the city at the State.”
time, but when he returned, I pre-j Thinks Conditions Disgrace,
sented them to him. I “What do you think of these insects
“He said that since the investiga- being found on all the beds in this
tion had been made we would just ward, Mr. Smith?” asked Mr. Perry-
keep the letters, giving them to me man. “Don’t you believe that the
to lock up. I don’t know whether he conditions is a shame and disgrace
read them. I wanted to make them on the State and unpardonable?”
public but Judge Rainey objected.” j “I do,” he replied. “There’s no ex-
When Warden Smith was summon- case for such a condition existing, and
ed, he took the witness stand, where I will remedy them immediately.”
he remained for over an hour answer- j “What do you intend to do with
ing questions shot at him by Chair-1 Deputy Cowan who is in charge of
man Perryman Representative Knight .this department, and who has been in
of Berrien, Carl Guess, of DeKalb, 'your employ for twelve months?”
Senator Bob Campbell, of Covington,
and other members.
"Powers was brought to the farm
by Deputy Thompson, of Sheriff Low-
rey’s office,” stated Smith. “I was
down by the road superintending some
work when he approached. He told
me that he had a prisoner for me, and
brought him himself because he did
not wish to see him humiliated by be
ing handcuffed.
“Both were brought to this office
and the usual questions asked. Dur
ing this procedure, one of my depu
ties asked Thompson if Powers was
not the man of bunco fame and he
promptly replied that he was not.
“Upon this recommendation cou
pled with the communications from
cx-Congrcssman William Schley How
ard and Deputy Bazemore, of Fulton
county, I made him a trusty a short
while after he was released from the
“I shall discharge him at once,”
said the warden.
“What about the insane negroes in
the colored ward? Haven’t you some
place where they may be separated
from the other inmates?” asked the
chairman.
“The men are chained at night but
allowed to be free and mix with the
other prisoners during the day” he
replied. “I would have them placed
elsewhere if there were any other
buildings provided.”
Describing instances of where some
of the prisoners with veneral diseases
were being allowed to associate and
live with other inmates, Representa
tive! Knight asked the warden if Be
was not of the opinion that thi- con
dition .«h<»ulcl not exist.
“I have no other building in which I
to place them,” Smith rqpliod. “I t
agree with you and think some P ro *
vision should he made. We have spe
cial eating and sleeping places for
these prisoners, and this is the best
we can do."
Penitentiary committees of the past
have been classed as “sight-seeing”
bodies, but Chairman Perryman and
his members worked until early in the
morning until almost 7 o’clock to
night, when they were forced to aban
don their investigation to return to
Atlanta. The chairman stated that
further examination of affairs at the
prison will be continued.
The other committees also spent a
busy day. The report on the State
Sanitarium for the insane will be very
favorable with recommendations that
extensions and improvements be made
to the buildings, according to state
ments of the members. While no
official announcement was made, it
was understood tonight that unfavor
able criticisms were being voiced con
cerning the Georgia Training* School
for Boys. The nature of the charges
could not be learned.
CITATION—Administration
Georgia, Decatur County.
To Ah Whom it May Concern:
L. G. Papy having in proper form
applied to me for Permanent Letters
of Administration on the estate of
Mrs. Ida Yarington, late of said coun
ty, this is to cite all and singular the
creditors and nex tof kin of Mrs. Ida
Yarington to be and appear at my
office within the time allowed by law,
and show cause, if any they can, why
permanent administration should not
be granted to L. G. Papy on Mrs. Ida
Yarington estate.
Witness my hand and official sig
nature, this 7th day of Julv, 1921.
T. B. MAXWELL, Ordinary.
Notice
i The owners of real estate in the
City of Bainbridge are hereby noti
fied thnt a meeting of the Council will
be held in the council chamber at 8
o’clock p.m., Monday, August 1st,
1921, for the purpose of hearing any
complaints that said owners may have
to make against such assessments as
have been made for taxes for the year
1921, and to act upon such complaints.
M. E. NUSSBAUM,
Mayor.
J. A. REID,
Clerk.
That good Orange Crush fin
ishes up the picnic dinner or the
meal in the woods. Don’t forget
it.
PRESSING
Engagement
111 Press Your Ciothis^
111 Do It Right,
And Keep the Buttois
Sewed on Tight.
John A. Godfrey
PHONE 28J.
NOTICE PLEASURE SEEKERS
Low Round Trip Week End and Sixteen Day Rates to
Lanark-on-the-Gulf
GEORGIA, FLORIDA & ALABAMA RAILWAY
Fishing » Bathing — Boating
CALL ON YOUR AGENT OR
C. L. SENTER, Traffic Manager, Bainbridge, Ga.
LANARK INIL OPEN YEAR ROUND, JJB1RD ’ *■»««.
S 1
You’ll get somewhere
with a pipe and P. A.!
Start fresh all nver atrain at the 1
.>py red
bags, tidy red tine,
handsome pound
and half pound tin
humidors and in the
pound crystal glass
humidor with
sponge moistenet
top.
. Copyright 1021
by R. J. Reynolds
Tobacco Co.
Winston'Sologgu
Start fresh all over again at the beginning! Get n
pipe!—and forget every smoke experience you ever had
that spilled the beans! For a jimmy pipe, packed
brimful with Prince Albert, will trim any degree of
smokejoy you ever registered! It’s a revelation!
Put a pin in here! Prince Albert can’t bite yoor
tongue or parch your throat. Both are cut out by ©or
exclusive patented process. So, just pass up any old
idea you may have stored away that you can’t smoke a
pipe! We tell you that you can—and just have the
of your life on every fire-up—if you play Prince Albert
for packing! •
What P. A. hands you in a pipe it will duplicate in n
home-made cigarette! Gee—but you’ll have a lot of
fun rolling ’em with Prince Albert; and, it’s a cinch
because P. A. is crimp cut and stays put!
Fringe Albert
the national joy smoke
V
Lanark Special Restored
Special Train Leaves G. F. & A. Ry., Depot Every
Sunday 6:30 A. M.
AIL LANARK 9:35 A. M
AR CARABELLE 9:45 A. M
LV. CARABELLE 5:50 P. M.
LV. LANARK 6:00 P. M.
AR. BAINBRIDGE 9:05 P. M.
LOW ROUND TRIP RATES.
COI.OIiKl) COACH FOR CARKABELLE