IS COUNTY CHAIN
GANG EFFECTIVE?
Question Will Confront A
Committee of 100 to Study
Prison Conditions
One of the question that will con
front the Committee of One Hundred
as it gets down to a serious study
of the administration and effective
ness of the State’s prison system, is,
What of the county chain gang?
Does it return its men to society more
hardened and more skillful criminals?
Or is it helping them to get a new
grip on themselves ?
A few weeks ago two members of
the committee visited a chain gang
in one of the most populous counties
in the state. It was raining. The
men were in camp. They were con
fined in—literally packed into—port
able cages. The space was so small
that they could scarcely move with
out jostling each other. The floor
and beds \Vere very dirty. In these
filthy little pens the men were shut
up not only at night, but all day, ex
cept at meal, on rainy days. At
least one prisoner in this gang was
ambitious to educate himself. He
was attempting to study electrical
engineering. There was, of course,
no provision for instruction, and no
place where he could study undis
turbed, in his spare time.
In another county a member of the
staff ofthe Commissioner of Public
Welfare, accompanied by the Sheriff
of the County, visited a chain gang
camp one evening after the men had
come in from their work. The pris
oners, lounging about the camp, talk
ed freely. Four-fifths of them were
doing time for making or selling
whiskey. The guard on duty at night
is an ex-bloekader. The conversation
turned to this theme. They discussed
methods and devices of making and
disposing of lockad?.” One man
about forty years old, an intelligent
and likable fellow, with an evident
bent for invention, described the con
struction jf various types of stills,
including an ingenious device that can
be concealed inside the kitchen stove
pipe, and in which a gallon of
whiskey can be made every night.
The courts are sentencing men to this
chain gang, presumably, either to re
form them or to protect the public.
As a matter of fact the State is con
ducting an institute in blockading.
In one of the mountain counties
that does not itself have crime
enough to justify the maintenance of
a chain gang, last October three men
were sent .‘need by the Superior
Court to work on the roads. The
county to which they were assigned
happened to have all the men it
wanted. The three men were left in
jail. The next session of the court
was six months off. The County Com
missioners hired one of the men to
a citizen of the county. He worked
a few days; tVr ran away. Another
who had been convicted of bootleg
ging was let cut on some sort if
agreement by which a friend paid
the court cost and the prisoner was
tr work on a certain county road.
The Clerk of the Superior Court did
not know how the friend was to be
reimbursed He is supposed to be
“mixed up with the liquor business.”
It seems t«> be a matter of general
knowledge that the man is not work
ing on the road. He has made a pre
tense of doing so only a few days.
The third man was convicted of sell
ing three pints of whiskey and sen
tenced to one year on the roads. He
says this is the only whiskey he has
ever sold. He is probably telling
the truth. At least no friend has
come to the rescue. He is confined
day and night in the jailer’s corridor
in a little old ramshackle jail. “Why
don’t you take this man out and let
him help you work in your garden?”
asked the visitor of the jailor. “He
evidently wouldn’t try to escape or
h ’d get out of here.” It developed
that he had been used to do odd jobs
cn the outside during the winter; but
the Judge at the March term of court
had told the jailer that he was ex
ceeding his authority, that he must
keep his man locked up. So his road
sentence has become a jail sentence.
After fifteen months in jail—three
months awaiting trial, twelve months
serving sentence—he will come out
unable physically to do a day’s work.
He probably has just enough mental
ability to reason that it does not re
COTTON < tfor SAID TO
KE IN SORRY PLIGHT
Weather Bureau Says Temperatures
Have Been Below Normal
In the Cotton Belt.
WASHINGTON, June 7.—The eot
; ton crop was described by the weather
j bureau today in its weekly weather
j and crop review as late and in poor
condition except in the Southern and
western portions of the belt.
Summarizing its reports on cotton
for the week ending yesterday the
bureau said:
j “Temperatures were mostly below
I normal in the cotton belt, especially
j in the central and western portions
I and rainfalls was heavy in many
1 localities, particularly in the eastern
! and the more western sections. The
crop made fair to very good prog
ress in Texas. The nights were some
what too cool in Arkansas, but very
l good advance was reported in gen
: eral from that state, although the
, conditions varied greatly,
j “The progress of the crop was very
- good in Tennessee and fairly good
j in the Carolinas, although field
I work was delayed in the latter area
i by frequent rainfall. Fair progress
was reported also from the southern
division of Georgia, although the
week was generally unfavorable in
that state on account of excessive
rainfall. The fields were boggy, the
land washed, and farm work impos
sible.
“Conditions were unfavorable also
in Alabama, Mississippi and Okla
homa where it was too cool and wet,
and cotton made poor progress ’n
those states. The condition and
stand in Oklahoma are very uneven,
ranging from very poor to very
good, while the crop is generally late
; and mostly needs cultivation. Some
i planting was done in the Mississippi
delta where previously flooded.
Weevil activity is reported from
many sections of the belt, includ
ing a few localities in southern
North Carolina.—News and Observ
er*.
BROOK HART VICTOR IN
IOWA PRIMARY
DES MOINES, Iowa, June 6.—(By
the Associated Press.)—Smith W.
Brookhart, of Washington, received
the Republican nomination for Unit
ed States Senator from Iowa at the
primary Monday according to returns
received tonight from all except 246
of the 2,348 precincts in the State.
Of 289,084 votes cast in these pre
cincts Brookhart received 118,493, or
| 41 per cent; 35 per cent, is necessary
| for nomination.
i The vote was: Brookhart, 118,493;
| Clifford Thorne, 46,429; Charles E.
; Pickett, 45,902; Leslie E. Francis, 35,
906; Burton E. Sweet, 30,682; Claude
M. Stanley, 11,678.
The returns indicated that Gilbert
N. Haugen in the Fourth district,
| Zenius Cole, in the Fifth district, L.
! J. Dickinson in the Tenth District,
i W. D. Boles in the Eleventh district
have been renominated for Congress.
T. J. B. Ryan was nominated in
the Third Congressional district for
the office vacated by Burton R. Sweet
j when he resigned to enter the race
' for the Senate.
WHERE TO CALL IN CASE FIRE
In case of fire, the person re
porting should call Telephone 273
if between the hours of 7:00 A.
M. and 6:00 P. M. Telephone
265 if between the hours of 6:00
P. M. and 11:00 P. M., and Tele
phone 53 if between the hours of
11:00 P. M. and 7:00 A. M.
Wanted Service.
An old lady after waiting in a con
fectionary store for about ten min
utes, grew grossly impatient at the
lack of service. Finally she rapped
sharply on the counter. “Here, young
lady,” she called, “who waits on the
nuts ?”—Pickup.
quire hardened muscles to sell whis
key.
These are not the sensational pha
ses of prison life. The sensational
can be found. But it is the exception
al. The incidents cited above are
typical. They point to the failure of
the county chain gang to accomplish
the ends for which a modern prison
is supposed to exist.
Raleigh, N. C., June 1, 1922.
AVERY CONCEDES
HIS DEFEAT IN RACE
j Morganton Man Thanks His
Thousands of Friends
For Support
MORGANTON, June 7.—Mr. A. C.
j Avery conceding his defeat for nom
j ination for Corporation Commissioner
made the following statement this
afternoon:
“Judging from late reports ad
verse to me received from counties I
was led to believe would return ma
jorities in my favor, it seems I am
j defeated for nomination for Corp
i oration Commissioner. I have sent
| Mr. Lee congratulations. I cheer
fully submit to the result. I am con
soled with the thought, however, that
if my friends in the State could do
! so handsomely by me in 30 days what
j might we have done if we had had
| 60 days to conduct the campaign.
“I realized it was an up hill pro
I position to buck Mr. Lee’s organiza
: tion within the short time before
the primary but I rather like taking
chances. I want to take this op
portunity of thanking the thousands
of friends throughout the State who
so loyally supported me.”
Incomplete and unofficial returns
from 85 counties give W. T. Lee, of
Waynesville, a majority of 14,268
over A. C. Avery, of Morganton.
None of the other counties to report
have a large vote. Friends of Mr.
J.et. who said thev r.au returns from
all but four counties, claimed last
night that his majority would be
.•troi i i 19,00<>.
i_
i NO COUNTY SAFE
FROM THE CATTLE TICK
Reinfestation of Free Areas From
Quarantined Territory Threatens
Herds in 81 Other Counties.
i Cattle ticks in 19 quarantined coun
ties in North Carolina are a continual
menace to purebred herds in the oth
er 81 counties of the state because
it is almost impossible to keep ev
ery tick within the 19 quarantined
counties, according to Dr. Hartnell
Robbins, inspector in charge of tick
eradication.
Records of reinfestation of former
ly tick-free counties show that with
in recent months Randolph, Nash and
Lenoir counties have been reinfested
and many farms in these counties are
now under quarantine.
Owners of cattle in these reinfested
counties may lose upwards of $30,000
worth of cows as a result of the re
entry of cattle ticks, while esti
mates of the cost of again eradieat
| ing ticks in these counties place the
! money necessary at more than $4000.
j This amount will be spent by county,
state and federal governments for
clean-up work in these counties be
fore owners of pure-bred stock in this
territory can sleep soundly at night.
Cattle in sections once freed from
cattle tick are very susceptible to
j tick fever and do not possess the
immunity of the scrub cattle in
areas where ticks have long been
| present.
T. I Alumni To Meet.
On Friday, June 30, all students of
' old Turlington Institute and former
| students of T. G. S. are requested to
meet here in the school auditorium
for the purpose of considering a
| suitable memorial for the late Prof.
Ira T. Turlington, who labored for
a quarter of a century in the educa
; tional field of this community. Nay,
his work was beyond this community,
! it was felt in all Eastern North Car
olina. For some time, it has been in
the minds of some of the old T. I.
pupils that fitting recognition of his
work should be made, and a tempo
rary committee was formed to get
the matter started. Mr. A. M. Noble
of this city is chairman of that com
mittee, and he is anxious for a full
response to the call to meet here on
June 30. If any one interested can
not be present on that day, be sure
to communicate with Mr. Noble and
give your idea as to what shall be
done.
The meeting will be held at 3:30
p. m.
Cheerful Thought: “The Yanks
are coming,” hummed the dentist as
he prepared for an extraction.—Octo
pus.
MAXWELL TO FIGHT
INCREASED RATES
Will Return to Atlanta Next
Week to Employ Every
Resource Available
! -
Unable to maintain even the pre
(tense of a judicial attitude in the
j hearing of the proposal of southern
' railroads, for a new freight rate ad
i justment in the South, Corporation
1 Commissioner A. J. Maxwell notified
the Interstate Commerce Commission
| sitting in Atlanta yesterday that he
! could no longer be associated with
, the hearing,
! Next week Mr. Maxwell will re
. turn to Atlanta, accompanied by
i Clarke & LaRoe, one of the best
known firms of rate attorneys i.i
, America to fight what he terms the
“most brutal proposal ever submit
ted to the Commission.’' The pro
posal of the carriers would increase
, rates from Cincinnati to Carolina
territory approximately 45 per cent.
Earlier in the year Mr. Maxwell
I was asked to sit with the Interstate
i Commerce Commission in the hear
ing of proposals brought by the
carriers. The hearing was begun
three weeks ago in Atlanta. Mr.
Maxwell sat through two weeks of
it and returned to North Carolina
j last Saturday. His letter declining
to further associate with the hearing
was sent to Joseph B. Eastman who
is presiding at the hearing, yester
day afternoon.
The rate structure for the Caro
i lina territory in existence for the
past 35 years is under fire in the
proposals of the carriers under the
plausible principle of the establish
ment of a uniform rate in the South
from the Ohio Valley, and giving
the State no benefit of nearness to
east-west trunk lines. The rate struc
; ture in Virginia is not touched in the
! proposals.
Under the proposed schedule, first
class rates from Louisville to the
Raleigh zone will be increased from
l $1.34 to $1.87; second class, $1.17 to
$1.61; third class, .91 to $1.42; fourth
class, .68 to $1.20; fifth, .55 to .97;
sixth class, .45 to 80.
Elaborate preparations made by
the railroads for the presentation of
their case have been alarming to Mr.
Maxwell, and he feels that the time
has come to put up the hardest fight
of which he is capable and no longer
to sit and listen in an advisory or
judicial capacity. The Commission
has retained Clarke and LaRoe, of
Washington.
The senior member of the firm
was formerly chairman of the In
terstate Commerce Commission, and
the junior member chief counsel.
Both were on the Commission in
1914 when the present rate struc
ture was set up, and are thoroughly
familiar with all of its provisions,
they will accompany Mr. Maxwell
when he returns to Atlanta next
week.
Three year will probably be re
quired to complete the case and ob
tain an order. Nine months are ex
pected to be consumed in taking the
testimony of the railroads in sup
port of their proposals, and several
months more in evidence to be pre
sented by Mr. Maxwell. These pro
ceedings will be reported to the I.
C. C. in Washington, and after that
argument and further presentation
of evidence before the full Commis
sion in Washington.
Commissioner Maxwell’s letter to
Mr. Eastman follows:
“As indicated to you before leav
ing Atlanta, I find myself so thor
oughly out of sympathy with the
proposals of the carriers for read
justment of the rates to Carolina
territory in this general investiga
tion of rates in the Southeast that
I have after serious thought and
with much reluctance, decided that
in justice to yourself and the Inter
state Commerce Commission and as
sociate State Commissioner, to the
carriers and to myself, as well as
North Carr lina, I should not under
take to carry out a pretense of judi
cial attitude, even in associate or
advisory capacity, in the considera
tion cf these proposals.
In my judgment, the proposals
with respect jarticularly to the i
Nort1 ( arc lire part of Carolina ter- ;
ritory are the most brutal ever
submitted to your Commission by
an association of railroads. I refer
(Continued on page 8)
MISS MINNIE JAMISON
SUSTAINS BROKEN LEG
Dr. J. I. Foust Also Cut and Bruised
In Auto Wreck North of
Siler City.
Miss Minnie Jamieson, a member
of the faculty of North Carolina Col
lege for Women, sustained a fracture
of her right leg, below the knee, and
Dr. J. I. Foust, president of the col
lege, suffered cuts and bruises on
both hands and about the face and
neck, while “Uncle” William Peebles,
an old negro janitor of the institution,
was cut about the lips yesterday eve
ning about 6 o’clock when an automo
bile in which they were riding turn
ed over about four miles north of
Siler City.
Physicians from Siler City were
summoned and rendered the injured
persons medical aid. Hanes’ ambul
ance was sent from here to bring
them to the city, where Miss Jamie
son was placed in Long’s hospital. Pi
Foust apd the janitor ire not con
sidered serious'v hurt.
In addition to the injured persons,
the car contained Rev. R. Murphy
Williams and Zeke Robertson, Pr.
Foust’s negro chauffeur. The party
was returning from the funeral of
Mrs. S. J Mclver, mother of the late
Charles D. Mclver, who was buried
in Buffalo cemetery, near Sanford,
yesterday afternoon.
After crossing the bridge north of
Siler City something went wrong
with the steering wheel and the car
swerved into a small ditch to the side
of the road. It turned over on its
top, pinning occupants beneath
it. Mr. Williams and Robertson were
able to free themselves from the
wreckage and, after considerable ef
fort, succeeded in liberating the in
jured.
Two other cars of the funeral
party, driven by Charles D. Mclver
and James R. Young, were in rear
of the wrecked car and rendered
valuable assistance in caring for the
injured.
Pr. Foust was driving the car at
the time of the accident, having re
lieved the chauffeur who had been at
the wheel for a long period of time.
The automobile was badly damaged.
Charles D. Mclver stated that Dr.
Foust’s injuries, while very painful,
are considered serious. Miss Jamie
son suffered greatly but bore up well
under the circumstances. She is well
known throughout the state, having
been connected with the college for
•bout 25 years.
Rev Mr. Williams stated last night
that it was a miraculous escape; that
a lr g upon which the car fell prob
ably saved the lives of the entire
party in that it prevented the bulk
of the car from crushing its occu
pants.—Greensboro Daily News, June
Sth.
MAY BRING DR. KILGO
TO CHARLOTTE HOME.
Condition Is a Little Better and Pri
vate Car Is Ready to Make
the Trip.
MEMPHIS, Tenn., June 7—A slight
improvement in the condition of
Bishop John C. Kilgo of the Metho
dist Episcopal church, south, who is
ill at a hospital here, was reported
by his physicians tonight.
If this improvement continues, an
effort will be made to take him to
his home in Charlotte, N. C., tomor
row night, it was said. The private
car of Fairfax Harrison, president of
the Southern railway, has been sent
here for the trip and Bishop Kilgo
will be accompanied by his physi
cian, Dr. P. F. Turner, and trained
nurses.
In Honor of Miss Penn.
Tuesday morning Miss Margaret
Wellons entertained a number of
friends at her home on North Second
street in honor of Miss Kate Rucker
Penn, of Madison, house-guest of
Miss Margaret Lee Austin. Tables
for Bridge were arranged on the
porch and sweet peas were used ef
fectively as decorations. After th-*
game a delicious repast consisting of
fruit salad, wafers, sandwiches and
tea was served.
Those present were: Misses Mar
garet Lee Austin, Margaret Pou,
Jean Abell, Frances Sanders, Frances*
Green, Margaret Moore, Mrs. John
White Ives, Mrs. Troy Myatt, Misses
Kate Rucker Penn, of Madison, Alice
Cheek, of Henderson, Elizabeth Cross
ard Mary B. Wilson, of Raleigh.
REVIVAL IN BENSON
COMES TO A CLOSE
Mr. Moses Operated on For
Appendicitis; — Other
Items of Interest
BENSON, June 7.—The Woman’s
Missionary Society of the Methodist
church had a most enjoyable meeting
at the home of its president, Mrs. A.
S. Oliver, Tuesday evening. The
meeting was opened with the song,
“Blest Be The Tie That Binds,” fol
lowed by prayer and Bible Lesson
read by the president. The program
was on Social Service, Mesdames
W. T. Martin and W. H. Royal giving
interesting accounts of different pha
ses of this work. The needs and con
ditions in Rio De Janiero being par
ticularly brought out in Mrs. Mar
tin’s talk. Missionary items were
read by Mrs. W. D. Boone after
which regular business was attended
to. The hostess served refreshing
lemon sherbet and wafers. The so
ciety was glad to welcome Mrs. J. R.
Burgess as a new member also sever
al members who had been away for
some time and Mrs. Lovell, mother of
Mrs. E. M. Hall as its guest.
The Revival services closed Sunday
night at the Baptist church after two
weeks of splendid meetings which
were well attended. There were about
twenty-five professions made during
the meeting and several young peo
ple volunteered for active and special
Christian service.
Mr. and Mrs. Charles Johnson and
children, Mr. and Mrs. W. M. Smith,
Mrs. Martha Jackson, Mr. Edwin
Johnson and Miss Mary Jackson mo
tored to Seven Springs last Sunday
to spend the day.
Miss Mildred Parrish returned the
! last of last week from Salem College
| where she was one of the graduates
this year. Her parents, Mr. and
Mrs Alonza Parrish attended com
| mencement there.
Miss Florence Johnson has return
ed from the State of Iowa where she
taught music the past year in one of
its girls schools.
Rev. E. M. Hall left today for Dur
ham to attend the Trinity College
Summer school for preachers.
Mr. Willie Moser was taken to
Wilson Sunday where he underwent
an operation in the Moore-Herring
Hospital, for appendicitis.
The youngest child of Mr. and Mrs.
Ezra Parker is quite sick with colitis.
Dr. Root from Raleigh came yester
day to visit it. It is reported some
better today.
Miss Blanche Martin has returned
from Meredith College to spend the
summer vacation with her parents,
Rev. and Mrs. W. C. Wheeler.
Messrs Roy Smith and Eli Turling
ton are home from State College to
spend the summer.
Master Gordon Barbour is spend
ing a while in Laurinburg and Ham
let with relatives.
Mr. Wade Royal was in Fayetteville
Saturday.
Mr. and Mrs. Preston Woodall at
tended the commencement of Peace
Institute last week, their daughter,
Miss Clara, returning with them.
Time For Recorder’s Court Changed
Recorder’s Court will be held on
Wednesday the 14th and Thursday,
the 15th, instead of the 13th and 14,
because Judge Brooks is going to at
tend the commencement exercises at
the University of North Carolina on
Tuesday the 13th. All criminal mat
ters will be heard on Wednesday the
14th, and all civil matters on Thurs
day the 15th. Judge Brooks says
that he is not changing the dates be
cause of any superstition as to the
13th, but because-he has not attend
ed a commencement exercise at the
University of North Carolina since
he left there in 1901, and he has
been urged to attend this year and
he felt that any of those on the
criminal side of the docket would
be glad of the change. Court will
be convened on Tuesday morning and
adjourned until Wednesday morning
at ten o’clock. All parties and wit
nesses interested in criminal action
are notified to appear on Wednesday,
June 14th. instead of on Tuesday the
13th. and all parties interested in
civil actions, are to appear on Thurs
day, June 15th. These arrangements
have been made between Judge
Brooks and the lawyers.