AS I SEE IT
By Monte Dedman
It is not a pleasant task for
the officers to take a man to prison.
Especially so, when the man is
being taken for the balance of his
natural life.
To write the last chapter in the
freedom of Charlie Stokes is not an
easy task. \
We sat in the County Jail at
Columbus awaiting preparation of
three prisoners to be taken to the
State Prison: “Smokey” Joe Stall
ings for 42 years; Adolphus Little
john for 7 to 10 years, and Stokes
for his life.
The mihutes we waited seemed
to mean little to us—but so great
to the men. They reminded us of
caged animals nervously awaiting
the transposition to different cages.
The silence was almost unbear
able, only the tinkling of the keys
to the cells, and the audible sound
of low voices of relatives who came
to bid good bye, could be heard.
Sheriff W. D. Hines, Jailor Jojm
W. Conner, and Custodian Otis
Dalton prepared the men for de
parture for Central Prison in
Raleigh.
Sheriff Hines seated Stallings
and Littlejohn in the front seat
with him, and' John Conner, on
the right in the back seat; Charlie
Stokes in the middle and placed us
on the left of the “lifer”.
Tenseness enveloped the whole
procedure, and even those who were
filling the orders of the State. Mr.
Dalton, the custodian, who went to
the car to se us off, showed an
uneasiness of nervousness.
We left at 8:40 a. m. for the trip.
v During the journey, very little
conversation was heal'd, especially
from the prisoners. They never
started, a conversation, except for
Stokes, who remarked after view
ing, a large field, “Corn down this
way seems to be in good condition.”
- We talked to Stokes at every
chance. We asked -him if he had
any word which he would like to
send back by us; whether he had
anything he wished to tell us “Con
fidentially. All his answers were
“No”.
We did learn some things, about
Stokes, that the general public
does not know.
He was tried for the double
slaying of his wife, and brother
in-law on his birthday, Wednesday,
August 31st—his 44th birthday.
He was sentenced to “hard labor
for the balance of his natural
life” on September 1st. Also a
birthday dinner was'given him in
jail by realtives, and attended by
the jailor and others. Due to the
fact that he was “celebrating” his
birthday he was given two hours^^
with his immediate relatives. A
We also learned from Stoke^^
that the only time he had spent
in Raleigh was at the State Fair,
when he and Clarence Cochran
took some cattle there for exhibi
tion. The man stated that he was
right with God, and that his soul
had been given to Him.
We arrived at the prison at 2:30.
As we-walked up the steps .to the
main entrance, we noted that
Stokes was having difficulty in
standing up after the long ride.
Later we learned that he had been
confined several years ago for 2
years with rheumatic fever.
Presenting the prisoners to the
prison officials was a touching
scene and our eyes swelled with
unspilled tears, and we swallowed
hard to clear the lump from our
throat. We knew well and good
that the proceedings would take
all the privileges away from the
men as “free citizens.” We watched
examination of the personal belong
ings of Stokes, which was 2 cartons
of cigarettes, a tooth brush and
paste, comb, brush, matches, and
a Bible.
Central Prison at Raleigh, is by
no means a delightful place, with
its grey walls, and old brick struc
ture. Some say it is over 200 years
old. It stands like a silent sentinel
watching over its captives.
We were shown around the build
ing, with its many piered cells.
Through death row, where 11 men
were awaiting their' orders from
the Supreme Court to be put to
death or given life imprisonment.
The gas chamber is only three steps
——Continued on Back Page_
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