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STORY OF JAKE MOORE, CONVICT WARDEN,
AND HOW HE “GOT” $40,000 IN REAL ESTATE
ON $ 140 A MONTH UNDER COMMISSION’S EYES
e Is Now Owner of the Fine
Farm That W. B. Hamby
Paid Taxes on in 1906.
HOME OF CHIEF CONVICT WARDEN JAKE MOORE
MOORE AND HAMBY
PARTNERS IN BUSINESS
Rules Committee Recom
mends It As Special
Order.
Representative Shaw
of Clay Introduces
Resolution.
Startling Disclosures Are Made in The
Georgian’s Investigation Into Work- .
ings of the Prison Commission
Staff, as Based on Gover-
nor’s Charges. S' y
| If a recommendation which the
• house committee on rules will make
! Monday morning Is adopted the con-
i vlct lease bill, Introduced by Mr.
Holder, of Jackson, will be taken up
; as a special and continuing order of
[business at 10:30 o'clock Tuesday
: morning.
The action of the committee In de
leting to make that recommendation
jwns taken upon suggestion of Repre
sentative Holder, author of the bill
;and chairman of the penitentiary
I committee, who appeared before the
.committee on rules Friday afternoon
and urged that the bill be taken up
Tuesday In the lower house.
' The measure was read a second
jtlmo Friday and In accordance with
Representative Shaw, of Clay, Intro-
duced In the house of representatives
Saturday morning a resolution calling
for an Investigation of the affairs of
the Georgia prison commission by a
Joint committee of live from the house
and senate.
Under the rules the measure went
over for one day and will, therefore,
come up for action when the house
meets on Monday.
The resolution recites that charges
have been made against the conduct of
affairs In the commission and that It
Is due the people of Georgia and the
members of the commission that said
charges be Investigated.
This Is the first definite action 1 In the
legislature following the disclosures
made public by the Investigation con*
ducted,by The Georgian.
'' The resolution of Mr. Shaw follows:
Whereas, the eyes of the people of
Georgia are turned on the prison com
mission on account of certain charges
which have been made, and
Whereas, this commission has the
handling and hire of the convicts of
this state, which represents, and should
represent, a good portion of the sinews
of this state; and,
Whereas, nothing less than an in
vestigation of this board of commis
sioners would seem fair to the com
mission or to Georgia's best Interest;
Therefore be It resolved by the house
of representatives, the senate concur
ring. That a committee of three from
the house and two from the senaU to
be appointed by the speaker of the
house and the president of the senate
to look Into the charges made and the
affairs of the commission.
Re It further resolved. That said com.
mlttee be required to make a report at
All the unsavory disclosures turned up during the ppdf week by Th?
Georgian's Investigation of the convict lease^ytKeai-dwridle Into Insignifi
cance beside the discoveries made coneprtung 'Chief Warden of the Pen-
tentlary Jake C. Moore and his relations with' convict brokers and lessees,
out of which relations that state/dmcial blooms now as a wealthy landlord,
planter, Investorand genera^apltallst, altho he entered the office "heavily
In debt” (tojtS^Yls rnt’JT'wordr.), and has never made a salary of more
than $14prf>er momEaurlng all his term.
\ IVsrden Moore’s modest little salary of $1,580 per year from the state,
paid to him since he was first appointed to the office of chief warden by
Chairman Joe Sid Turner of the prison commission, In 1898, when tho prison
commission was first organized, muet have boen subjocted to an economy
far beyond the capaoity of ony other elate official to imitato, since It has
to all outward appearances enabled him to pay off his debts, support his
family in good 'style'and accumulate real estate the full extent of which
it not yet definitely ascertained, but which appears In part on the 1908
tax books of Fulton, Floyd and Cobb counties as follows!
Two-story dwelling, 69 Houston-sL, Atlanta.
Two-story dwelling (new), 175 Forrest-eve., Atlanta.
Two-story dwelling (new), 179Forreet-ave., Atlanta.
Two-story dwelling (new), 181 Forrest-ave., Atlanta.
Plantation near Smyrna, Cobb county, with handsome residence, huge
barn, numerous outhouses and woven wire fenceei abundantly supplied with
live stock, wagons, buggies, etc.; 149 acres of rich land In d high state of
cultivation.
Real estate in Floyd county, assessed on city of Rome books at $950.
Other property In Floyd owned jointly with firms and corporations,
which does not appear in individual returns and the amount of which can
not therefore be ascertained definitely,
WORTH $40,000 IN REAL ESTATE.
The Atlanta lax assessors appraise his real estate In Atlanta at $15,500,
which Is about 60 per cent of Its market value, and this property, at a con
servative estimate, Je easily worth, therefore, 126,000, ,
The tax collector of Cobb county estimates the Smyrna farm worth
easily $10,000 In Its present state of cultivation.
Combining these holdings with the Floyd property, which Is said to be
Worth $2,000, It will be seen that "Captain" Moore, as he Is called In Cobb
county, where he now resides, Is worth In real estate alone nearly $40,000—
and 14$ county tax books are yet to be beard from on the subject of
"Captain" Moore’s real estate holdings—only three of the state's 146 coun
ty tax books having been scanned In this Investigation. .
What Is the total amount of the other parts of his fortune, such as
cash In bank, property owned Jointly and corporation holdings, probably
no one but "Captain” Moore himself can tell.
But even with this definitely ascertained total, that modest little salary
of $140 per has certainly worked wonders for the chief warden of the pen
itentiary—the overseer hired hy the state to guard the poor devils In convict
camps from cruelty and starvation by lessees and brokers.
In view of what the salary has apparently done for him. or what he has
dene for the salary. It would seem that the title of "captain” really belongs
to him. He Is a Captain of Industry, viewed In that light; and It would be
a motion passed by the house 300
'copies will be printed and placed on
the desks of the members Monday.
-.rda
Bibb County Good Roads
Association Petitions
the Commission.
FARM NEAR 8MYRNA, COBB COUNTY.
Thi* farm, with 149 highly cultivated acre*, was transferred two year* ago from Convict Lessee Hamby to
Convict Warden Moore, but no deed or transfer is recorded In Cobb county records.
The greatest evil in our state today is the convict lease system. Each
week two men*go down to their death in convict camps—some whipped to
death. It has gone on from year to year, and no one has had the courage to ex
pose and tight it.
The Georgian has determined to rid the state of this, the vilest disgrace
that has ever curled a people. If you love mankind, if you have boys of your
own, picture the degradation that is being perpetuated under the seal of the
great state of Georgia, and see if you can rest until you have demanded that
your people write your representatives in the legislature, and you preach on it
Sunday.
Another week may be too late. The legislature may act during the
coming week. Pass the word on and help us make people think and the end
will not be far off. No matter what may be your theme for tomoi’row, I be
lieve you will see the need of giving Georgia's convict lease evil p r e f e r e nee
over everything.
Strike while there is yet time. F. L. SEELY, Publisher.
MACON, Qa,, July 11.—Remlutlona
were adopted Friday night at a meet
ing held by citizen* of Bibb county In-
terexted In good road* to a*k the next
legislature for more state convict* and
a larger appropriation to Improve the
road* In thl* county.
Bibb I* now allowed forty-three fel
ony convict*, and theee, with the prls-
oner* »ent up from thl* county, are
keeping th* road* In fairly good condl.
tlon.
The meeting Friday night wa* large
ly attended and It I* belloved that In
a short time the various road* In Bibb
county will he improved, muklng them
the best In thl* part of the country.
Its. earliest convenience and not lataf
than July $5.
HOW $140 PER MONTH SALARY
GREW INTO $40,000 FORTUNE
The following I* a statement of the growth of the tax returns made In
three counties by Chief Warden of the Penitentiary Jake C. Moore, show
ing how these holding* have grown from $4,115 In 1898. the first year he
filled the office, to over $20,000 In 1908, when he resigned—during which
time his salary from the state wax never more than $140 per month:
Year. T*x Returns. Year. Tax Return*.
1898 $4,125 1904 $ 7,850
1899 3,790 1905 11,650
1900 $.846 1906 10,700
1901 7.750 1907 9.400
1902 8,080 1908 20 800
1903 6,880
Since the value of property Is returned at only about 60 per cent of It*
real value, It will be seen that Warden Moore In 1908 possesses about $40 -
000 In real estate In three counties.
It is worthy of note that the value of hi* holdings Increased about
$4,000 In 1905, the year after the present lease of 600 convicts was made to
W. B. Hamby and his partner. It Is said, on high authority, that Moore
wa* In the executive session of the commission at which the contracts
were awarded, and It Is known that Moore and Hamby were partners in
business after that and also that now owns a fine farm In Cobb county
formerly owned by Hamby, altho no record of a sale or transfer shows on
the Cobb county court records.
manifestly unfair for a friend to step up and ask him bluntly:
"Where did you get It, Jake?" •
But would It be unfair to ask that question bluntly on the assumption
that the modest little salary paid "Captain” Moore for guarding the poor
devils In convict camps against cruelty and starvation was supplemented
by other Incomes—not so modest—from convict lessees and brokers, who
might wish him to guard those poor devils less diligently, or to supply
more of those poor devils, the Income from whom has run up Into the mil
lions for lessees and brokers during “Captain" Moore's term of office?
ASK HIM, IF YOU PLEASE.
If it is not unfair to ask it on this assumption, then any .citizen who
meets Jake Moor* on th* street may etep right up and ask him bluntlyi
"WHERE DID YOU GET IT, JAKE?"
FOR GOVERNOR HOKE SMITH FILED WITH THE PRISON COM
MISSION LAST DECEMBER OR JANUARY CHARGES TO THE EF
FECT THAT JAKE MOORE. CHIE ' WARDEN OF THE PENITENTIA
RY, HAP BEEN PAID MONEY BY LESSEES OR BROKERS.
AND JAKE -MOORE ADMITTED THE CHARGES. AND WAS AL
LOWED TO RESIGN HIS OFFICE ON THAT ADMISSION.
HE RESIGNED HIS $1.6S0 OFFICE WITH THE STATE, BUT HELD
ON TO THE $40,001) REAL ESTATE, THE CASH IN BANK, THE PROP
ERTY OWNED JOINTLY AND THE CORPORATION HOI.DING3 AC
CUMULATED BY HIM DURING HIS TERM OF OFFICE.
ENDOWED WITH THESE WORLDLY GOODE, HE RETIRED TO
HIS COBB COUNTY FARM. WHERE HE HAS BEEN LIVING FOR THE
PAST TWO YEARS; HIS COBB COUNTY FARM WHICH IN 1905 AND
190C HAD BEEN RETURNED TO THE TAX COLLECTOR OF COBH
COUNTY AS THE PROPERTY OF W. B. HAMBY. WHO HOLDS 500
CONVICTS UNDER LEASE FROM THE STATE—THE LARGEST
NUMBER AWARDED TO ANY LESSEE UNDER THE PRESENT SYS
TEM; THE COBB COUNTY FARM, IT MAY BE REPEATED, WHICH IN
1905 AND 130$ HAD BEEN RETURNED TO THE TAX COLLECTOR AS
THE PROPERTY OF W. B. HAMBY. BUT WHICH IN 1907 WAS RE
TURNED AS THE PROPERTY OF MOORE & POLLOCK (POLLOCK IS
MOORE'S SON-IN-LAW) AND IN 1903 AS THE PROPERTY OF JAKE
C. MOORE. WITH NEVER A DEED OR TRANSFER RECORDED ON
THE COUNTY CLERK'S BOOK TO SHOW THAT JAKE MOORE PAID
ANYTHING FOR IT.
"WHAT DID YOU GET IT FORT - /
WITH THIS INFORMATION AT HAND. THE SAME CITIZEN WHO
. _ Continued on Pago Thre*.
Louis D. Yancey, son of Captain
Goodin© Yancey, secretary of the prison
commission, has for* some time been
employed at a lucrative salary by Dr.
W. B. Hamby aa bookkeeper of the
Calhoun Brick Company. This Is ac
cording to the city directory for 1908.
This fict Is of Interest to the public
In v*ev the disclosure?! made on this
page of the Intimate business nnd per-
i reunion?* that have existed be-1
tween State Warden Jake Moore and
Dr. Hamby.
Dr. Hamby Is president of the Cal- i
houn Prick company nnd Is the largest
individual lessee of Georgia state con- i
vlcts.
Dr. J. \V, Lee, pastor of the Trinity
Methodist church, will deliver a sermon
Sunday morning on the subject of the
convict lease system now In vogue In
Georgia.
Dr. Lee had planned and announced
another subject fer his sermon, but
after reading the article In The Geor J
glan Friday of ernoon, showing the
'' ‘ FORREST-AVE. HOUSES OF JAKE MOORE.
. Landlord Moore built these etylieh dwelling* in 1907, oeteneibli
*140 per month eelsry. They are said by tsx siseseer* to be worth $1!
I’boto hy Edward*
DWELLING AT 69 HOU8TON-8T.
Owned by Jaka Moore, who worksd for tho state as chief w.-rdon of
penitentiary at a salary of $140 per month, but accumulated $40,009
worth of property.
er In the Southern ministry, and hi*
sermon on the convict lease system
will, without doubt, be heard by a large |
and Intensely Interested congregation.'
THE WEATHER.
Fair tonight and Sunday. Tem
peratures for Saturday: 7 a. ro.,
72 degrees; 10 a. m.. 81 degreea; 12
noon, 88 degreea; 2 p. m„ 85 de
greea.
The Atlanta Georgian
./> '
YyA
AND NEWS
SPOT COTTON.
Atlanta, steady; 11*4. Liverpool, dull and
easier; «.2*. New Orleans, steady; lie.
New York, quiet; 11.20. Savannah, du\
Vf%. Augusta, easy; 11%. Galveston,
steady; lie. Moidfe. dull; lie. Wil
mington, quiet; Uc. Charleston, qt.; lie.
VOL. VI. NO. 292.
ATLANTA, GA., SATURDAY, JULY 11,1908.
PRTPF. In Atlanta..TWO CENTS.
*■ On Trains..FIVE CENTS.
