University of South Carolina Libraries
% f DEFIED JIS GUARD NEG80 WHO BID SO IS TURNED LOOSE IT OLEASE. PROBES INTO GBAIOES Cap tain of SUUo Penitentiary Over seers Tells the Senate Committee How and Why Certain Prisoners Were Punished, and that None of Convicts Were Brutally Treated. Tom Sims, a negro ex-convict, hav ing been convicted in Oconee county on the charge of murder and sentenc ed to life imprisonment and paroled last November by Gov. Blease, and T . a negro serving a term of six years In the penitentiary from Oranjrehurg county on the charge of ki! 1 :::? u v.T.iie man, appeared before t’u senate committee on penal and charitable institutions, investigating the alleged cruel treatment of offic ials of the penitentiary of Simeon Ellis, who was paroled by Gov. Blease late Thursday and gave testimony. The testimony presented by ths negroes had little bearing on the case under consideration. Senator Laney, chairman of the committee, said that the ex-convict and the convict had been called at the instance of Gov ernor Bleats. "This thing has fallen to such a low level that I shall have othing to say.” said Dr. R. T. Jen- Ings. prison physician, when ashed if he desired to make reply to the testimony of the segroea. "For the information of this com mittee I will say.” said Dr. Jennings, “that I found this negro. Tom 81ms. as a kind of chief nurse In the hos pital when I assumed the duties of physician at the penitentiary. He seemed to have entire charge of the hospital and was administering medi cine It seemed to be up to him as to how long a convict was to remain in the hoepltal I have It from fulty prisoners thst they were forced to psy s kind of rebate to Sims When the negro left the penitentisry he hsd S6b in his pocket which he hsd grsfted ” ‘ Who was In charge of the hospit al at thst time'" I>r F W P Butler," replied Dr Jennings A n*-gro murderer serving s life term in th«* state penitentiary defied a guard an I was given the usual pun tshment The negro was struck with one of his [>eriodlc*l fits and was giv en the treatment usually applied to relieve his suffering, thst of ths elec tric battery As s reeult Gov Blease has eitend **d r!»>nienrv to Simeon Kills convict ed of murder In Pnlon County and • ••ntenced to life and F J Nichols, a white man. serving his second term «<n th** rharca of houae breaking and larceny The white man was paroled bocauae he Informed the chief execu tive of thr* alleged brutal treatment This summary tells the storv of the investigation of two days by the sen ate committee on penal and charita ble Institutions into the charges of the alleged brutal treatment of a eni.viit in the state penitentiary Taking the stand Thursday morning (jefore the senate committee on pen- ^.and charitable Institutions. \V H ndley, captain of the guards at the Stale penitentiary, told why Simeon Ellis, the life-term prisoner paroled )i\ the tlovernor for alleged brutal treVruenf. had been punished "The negro defied a guard and he was punished accordingly," said Cap tain Sondley. "East Saturday the street detail was working near the governor's mansion. The guard reported to me that Ellis had asked to speak to the Governor who was passing and that he had been refused permission. The tie'jro threw down his pick and walk- « d to the Gov* rnor. The negro was a ! te t> rtn man and would have run away just as quickly while going to see the governor as any other man. I 'i ! d the gtiaffd that I would have killed the negro if he had disobeyed orders and walked away without per il.ission," said the witness. Captain Sondley said that he had been sum moned to the governor's office a.id tried- without a word. "I voted for the governor,” said Mr. Sondley. “The governor told me that the letter had not been written by a guard, an official or a convict. The letter shows that it was written and signed by a convict,” he contin ued. The witness said that Ellis had been struck heavy licks, according to a renort by the man in charge of the “leather house”. Tie said that the mm who administered the whipping could be trusted and that he was not brutal. He said that the whipping was not too severe. “I have done my duty as I saw fit. If I have committed a crime why don’t he punish me and not turn & bad man loose on the people of South Carolina,” said Captain Sondley. The witness said that the records at the State penitentiary showed that Ellis had been convicted of murder in Hnion County and had been sentenc- d to death and that later Governor cSweeney granted a commutation to life imprisonment. He said that the negro had served eleven years. “I directed that the negro be pun- lehed for defying a guard.” said the vrltneae. Captain Sondley said that the negro was “far from being a true- PROBE IS NOT NEEDED SENATE EXONERATE THE PRIS ON OFFICIALS. locked™ votes ATTENDANCE ACT FAIL TO PASS THIS TEAR KNOCKED OUT BLEASE i Rejects Resolution to Investigate Charge of Mismanagement Against Superintendent and Assistants. Discussion by the Senate of the C. C. Wyche concurrent resolution, pro viding for a commission to investi gate charges which have been brought against the officials of the penitentiary, Friday afternoon was featured by allegations of some sen ators concerning the alleged misman agement of the institution and the equally strong defence of the officials by other members of the Senate. The resolution was killed by the sen ate. Senator Patterson, of Barnwell, and Senator Strait, of Lancaster, took the lead in assailing present condi tions at the penitentiary, and in un- qiiiHlfijd teyma, condemned Super intendent Griffith and his corps of assistants. "Why,” said Senator Patterson, “Superintendent Griffith has admit ted that only twice since his elec tion to office, a scere of years ago, has he been within the walls of an other State prison and the manage ment of our own penitentiary must be decidedly out of date.” He charg ed that cruelty was practiced by the guards. Senator Strait, in arraigning the officials of the prison, spoke of the testimony of convicts before another committee. "I saw the back of one of them myself and don't hesitate to say that he waa beaten worse than any man I ever saw,” he said. Senator Crouth said that he did not believe any of the charges; that he had heard similar atatements con cerning the barbarity exerclaed In the hosiery mill and a private Inves tigation which he conducted had shown that these allegations were false "A famous convict, who was par doned on account of charges of cruel- t> which he made against the super intendent of the penitentiary, went to that officer the day after he was freed and confessed to him that hia state ments were nothing hut lies.” said Senator Banks. In opposing the reno- 1 ut ion Senators Weston and Johnson paid high tribute to the character of the personnel of the penitentiary board and Capt Griffith Senator Williams' motion to strike out the resolving words was passed by an overwhelm ing vote ty In reply to questions the wit ness said thst the negro hsd been sent to the "leather house" not for play, hut for punishment Dr R T Jennings, prison physi cian explained to the committee the use of the electric battery K J M< hols. the white convict paroled by the governor charged that Ellis hsd h* en tortured for thirti minutes with the battery in his letter to the gov ernor Dr Jennings explained the physical condition of Ellis to th** * * * m m 111 ••< • and 'Hi 1 that th** battery Li .id been adonted as the best means of relieving him when attacked by on** of Liis tit.** or congested spells Dr. Jennings pointed out ttiat Nichols had charged in his letter that th** *rie« were heard for thirty minutes when th** testimony presented was to th** effect that the electric treatment had not been applied for more than tli ♦* or ten minutes. "As for the charge that the elec tric battery is used at the peniten tiary for torture, or punishment, that Is a He. no matter who says so. I am at the State penitentiary to re- I eve the men and not punish them,” said Dr Jennings. Dr. Jennings cited the committee to his annual report and asked why an investigation had not been made of the cases of brutal treatment lie had reported from the county chain- cangs. He told of the condition of two prisoners that were brought from Clarendon and Georgetown Counties. Dr. Jennings said that after the treat ment had been applied Ellis walked out of the room. Testimony was pre sented to show that when the negro was carried in for the treatment he was suffering from one of his fits. D. J. Griffith, superintendent of the State penitentiary, told the commit tee that there wgje certain rules and regulations that much be followed at the prison In order to maintain dis cipline. Captain Griffith said that the negro had not been punished because he spoke to the governor. Captain Griffith said that frequent ly prisoners were allowed to see the governor In the interest of their cases and that sometithes they were taken to the chief executive’s office. He did not consider the whipping too severe. He said that if the strap was not us ed it w’ould be Impossible to nake the prisoners behave and work. Cap tain Griffith declared that It had been his policy to be kind to the prisoners and to avoid punishment of all kinds as far as possible. He said that the electric battery was not used for pun ishment, but for treatment of the convicts. THE SENATE KILLED IT Policeman Killed by Burglar. At Kansas City, Homer Riftl*. a policeman 17 years old, was overpow ered, disarmed sad killed by two burglars be bad arrested sad waa taking to jail early Friday. Tliat Body Boetained the Governor’s Veto, While the House Passed the Bill Over the Veto.—How Each Member in the House and Senate Voted on Bill. Vetoed Saturday morning by the Governor, the McCravey-Lawson compulsory school attendance act, whose passage met with such wide 1 favor, Is dead. The House passed the bill over the veto by a vote of about four to one, but in the Senate the act was killed for the lack of two votes which would have passed it by the necessary two-thirds majority. The cempulsory school attendance act, a "local option” measure and amended to provide for free books and clothing for children in certain instances, was one of the few pieces of constructive legislation passed by the general assembly at this session. The Governor said he "took pleas ure" in vetoing it. The opponents of the bill, so mild was its compulsory provisions, were hard put to it on the floors of the House and Senate to find any argument against it and had to reaort to those against compul sory education In general. The Senate sustained the Govern or's veto of the Lawson-lIcCravey compulsory education hill by a vote of IS to 14. Thoae voting to paae the bill over the veto were: Ackerman, Ranks, Beamguard. Buck, Carlisle, Christen sen. Crouch. Hall, Hardin. Hough, Johnston, Ketchln. I^awaon. Man ning. Mauldin. McCown. Mullins, Nicholson, Richardson, Stnkler. Sulli van. Walker, and Weaton The senators voting to sustain the veto were Black. Karle. Epps. Goodwin. Gross. Johnson. Mars. Me- Lsurln, Patterson. Sharpe. Strait. Stuckey. Verner and Williams Those not voting were Appeit. Clifton. Dennis. Ginn, Ijiney, Llde and Toung When the vetoed McCravey Ijxw- son act was taken up In the House. Mr Miller of RJchlsnd said that or ganised labor was In favor of com pulsory education He said he hop ed the bill would pass over the veto The mill operatives of Richland, said Mr Miller, were In favor of the bill and asked him. as one of their repre sentatives. to support the bill He said he would have been glad to have voted for a "State-wide" compulsory education bill and Mr Miller declar ed that he. as well as the men * ho asked him to aupport compulsory *»< hnol attendance, were the Govern or* friend* Mr Fortner of Spartanburg apoke In favor of euntainln* the Governor * veto He said he was a friend of "the working people", hut wan oppos ed to compulsory school attendance Mr A*hl**y of Anderson al*o apoke in favor of supporting the Governor's \**to Ti** *Hld the time for such & la* waa not >**t Mr Sapp of Lancaster apoke In favor of overruling the governor's veto He made a strong argument in support of his position and In ad- cacy of the compulsory school atten dance act Mr Liles of Orangeburg, Mr Kirk of Williamsburg, and Mr MeCravey of Pickens, one of the authors of the hill, all made, strong pleas for the passage of the act over the govern or's veto. The members of the House who voted in favor of sustaining the gov ernor's veto of the McCravey-Lawson eonipulsorv school attendance act were as follows: Nays—Addy. .T. W. Ashley, M. J. Ashley, Daniel, Fortner, Gray, Har din, Harrelson, Irby, Kirby, Lybrand, McDonald, Miley, Mixson, Moore, Moseley, Murray, Nelson, W. \V. Scott, Warren. Williams—21. The members of the House who voted to override the governor’s veto of the compulsory school attendance bill are the following: Ayes—Speaker Smith, Atkinson, Barnwell, Bethea, Blackwell, Bowers, Boyd, Tbrice, Busbee, Charles, Court ney, Creech, Dantzler, Delaughter, Dick, Epps, Evans, Friday, Fripp, Gasoue, Goodwin, Greer, Hall, Harp er, Haynsworth, Holley, Hutchinson, Hutson, W. A. James. W. E. James, Johnston, Jones, Kellehan, Kelley, Kibler, King, Kirk, Lee, Liles, Long, Lumpkin, MeCravey, McQueen, Mai- pass, Martin/Massey, Means, Miller, Mitchell, Mower, Nicholson, Odom, O’Quinn, Pegues, Pyat, Ready, Rem- !>ert. Riddle, Riley, Rittenberg, L. M. Rogers, Sapp, Sanders, Schroder, W. M. Scott. Senseney, Sherwood, Shir ley, Smiley, Stevenson, Thompson, Tindal, Vander Horst, Walker, Warn er, Welsh, Whaley, White, C. C. Wyche, C. T. Wyche, Youmans, Zeig- ler—82. People to Elect Senators. Friday afternoon by a rote of 79 to 14, the House adopted the concurrent resolution ratifying the proposed amendment to the constitution of the United States to provide for the eleo- Uee of United State# senators by the direct vote of the people. The res eat to the HOUSE PASS ONE MILL TAX BILL OVER HIS VETO. Rembert, Great Friend and Support- er of Blease, Was Surprised at His Action. Friday morning at 12:26 o’clock the Governor sent the house a mes sage vetoing the act providing for a special one-mill tax for the public schools. The measure was passed over the Governor’s veto by a vote of 78 to 20. 'Mr. Nicholson of Greenwood, de clared that unless the House passed the bill over the veto a serious blow would be struck the common schools, which would be badly crippled. In his veto message the Governor said the act to provide for a special tax of one mill for the public schools was “an abortion”. Mr. Rembert of Richland said he as a member of the committee of free conference on the appropriation bill, which was being held up pending ac tion on the one-mill special school tax bill, told the governor Thursday of the substance of the one-mill echool tax bill as amended by the Senate to reserve 50 per cent, of the special fund raised In each county. Mr. Rembert stated that the Gov ernor said he did not altogether ap prove of the one-mill school tax bill as amended, but would sign it, if the tax levy provided for in the general appropriation bill were reduced. Ac cordingly, the free conference com mittee on the appropriation bill ■truck out the items for the public schools on his representstions. said Mr. Rembert. “Gentlemen, I must ssy thst I sm very much surprised,” declared Mr. Rembert. “That’s all I have to say.” In reply to a question. Mr. Rem- bert said he hsd not showed the amendments to the bill to the govern or as he had no way of getting them, hut he told him as nearly as ha con'd about the provlaiona. Mr. Dick of Sumter, a mamber of the committee of free conference on the appropriation bill, declared that the committee acted In good faith when it struck out the appropriation* for the public schools, believing that the governor would algn the special one-mill school tai bill ' If we are to be dictated to by on* man downstairs, what Is the uae of s legislature*” asked Mr Dick Had the Governor's veto been sua- talned. the public schools of the Vate would have been without funds, ex cept such as are raised by county and school district levies, and th* con stitutional tax. since they were left out of the general appropriation bill entirely In th* belief that the bill providing for a special one-mill tax would become law. The 20 members who voted te sus tain the governor s veto follows J W Ashley. M J Ashley, Browning. Fortner. Bray. Harrelson. Holley, Kelly. Kennedy. Kirby. Melfl. Mltch- um. Moseley. Murray. Nelson. \V R Rogers Jr . Aapp, W \V Scott, White, Williams. THE HOI SK HI ST \I\S \ E TO. CAU6HTJU TRAP MANT PERSONS RURNT TO DEATH IN 016 HOTEL A FEW GUESTS ESCAPED Hut the Senate \ *►<«*» to Override It and l‘a**e* Bill. For the lack of one vote In the Hour** Friday nuht. the policy of the State as regards the transfer of the State Hospital for the Insane to State Bark remains undeclared, the relief^ of the crowded conditions at the State Hospital for the Insane will b«* delayed for at least another year and the work of building at State Park seriously hampered The (rovernoi; a veto of the act pro viding for th** salv of the asylum property for not less than $1,000,- imio by the sinking fund commission was sustained by the House Friday hight. A total of 9*3 votes was cast when the roll call came In the House shortly before midnight. Of the number 63 voted to override the veto and 23 voted to sustain it. Conse quently, the act lacked one vote of becoming a law over the veto. The Senate passed the bill over the veto by a vote of 2 4 to 1 1 on a mo tion made hi Senator Sullivan. The senators voting to pass the bill, the veto of the Governor notwithstand ing. were: Banks, Beamguard, Buck, Carlisle, Christensen, Clifton, Crouch, Epps, Hall, Hardin, Johnstone, Ket- chin, Laney, Lawson, Lide, Manning, Mauldin, McCown, Mullins, Nichol son. Richardson, Stuckey, Sullivan and Wilkes. The senators voting to sustain the veto were: Ackerman, Appeit, Black, Hough, Johnson. Mars, McLaurin, Patterson, Strait, Verner, and Williams. Blankest Crime in History. Gen. Guiesse*)pe Garibadli, grand son of the Italian Liberator and sol dier of fortune, who is in New York, is much affected by the death of Ma- dero. “I consider the killing of Pres ident Madero one of the blackest crimes in history,” he said. “At pres ent I do not care to say anything further ” The Bloody Work Goes On. A Alapatch from Mexico City says seventeen Zapatistas who carried their vocation of looting and murder to the edge of the federal district, eight ml lee from the capital, were capture and executed. Before the People Could be Rescued From the Upper Windows the Roof Caved in. Carrying Mlany People With it and Burying Them in the Deep Cellar. Loss of life estimated all the way from 20 to 75, resulted from a fire which destroyed the Dewey hotel, a second class hostelry, occupying a three-story building at Thirteenth and Farnuna street, Omaha. Neb., Friday. Three hours after the fire w.'as discovered it was rronounced un der control. It was confined to the building where it started. The facts that the hotel register was destroyed will make it difficult to obtain a list of the dead, and while the manager of the place states that about 50 were registered others who were about the hotel declared that many of the guests were not regis tered and the total number was more nearly one hundred. Of these not more than 25 are known to have es caped. The cause of the fire has not been determined. It started In the rear of the building but had gained great headway before It was discovered. The lower floora of the Dewey hotel building were occupied by the Raph ael Fred Clothing Company, the Hill er Liquor company and the Adame Exprees company. The stock of all tbeae companies was destroyed. That the basement, into which the burning Interior fell within half an hour after the fire started, contains at least forty bodies Is th* belief of Fire Chief Balter. Only four bodies were recovered before the (Lame* drov* Bremen from th# building. When the firemen reached the burning hotel they saw a number of persona at windows In th# two upper stories Before ladder* could be raised, the roof began te cava In sad no one was rescued Charles Cummlng. a bartender, who had a room on th# Farnum street aide of ths house, jumped from a third-story window and met in stant death He struck head first oa the sidewalk Mrs C E Wilkins, wife of th* pro prietor of the hotel, who had a room on the second floor, dragged her Bin* ter. Mias Alice Bonnevle. to a win dow There Mias Bonnavle collapsed Mrs Hawkins jumped and thoagh two policemen broke her fall ahe was badly Injured Her slater's body la It, the ruins Jeeee D Sold, night clerk, opened the door of hts office on the second floor when he heard an explosion He uas driven hack by amoke and flame. He attempted to arouse a few guests on that floor but soon had to seek the street to save hi* own life. The few guests who escaped from second story elndows or from the one entrance on the Thirteenth street side did *o In scanty attire It ls believed the lots of life was caused bv a gaa exploalon In the rear of the building Only a few weeks ago there waa discovered a leaking gas main which caused the manage ment of the hotel to arouse all the guests ’ After six hours, during which from six to a dozen streams were kept con- iinually playing on the ruins, It was still impossible for firemen to enter the building. How many bodies will be found was still a matter of con jecture. Izzle Steis, a newspaper carrier, was one of the heroes of the fire. Before the firemen arrived be rushed into the building and helped the nleht clerk to arouse guests. He helped drag several half dazed per sons from the building anV then col lapsed from the effects of smoke. Jess** Nold, an employee of the ho tel, probably saved the lives of 20 persons. He was awakened by the cry of fire and half dressed hlrrled through the smoke filled halls arous ing guests. He got a number of per sons out of the burning building. PERU IN FILM POSING TRAGEDIES THAT MARK MOTKHf PICTURE PRODUCTION. Oil Inspection Act.. Perhaps the most important legis lation of the present session of the General Assembly is the Oil Inspec tion Act. It opens up an entirely new and much needed field of Inspec tion. The bill was overwhelmingly adopted and its provisions provide for the inspection, analysis and tests of oil for illuminating purposes and for use In stoves and of gasolines for use in internal combustion engines, automobiles and other purposes. It is said the oil and gasolines sold in this State are of a very inferior qual ity. If this Is so, and we have no reason to doubt it, the act Just pass ed is very badly needed. It la Not Bach mm Easy Thiag as pie Think.—Much Danger Is countered. Acting In front of the camera for moving picture ian't quite so soft a Job aa people are apt to imagine. Grave risks have to be taken and more or less serious accidents are common. Sometime# these reeult fa te lly. The other day, for example, a man named Bittner descended in a para chute from the Column of Victory in Berlin with a view to being cine- matographed aa he was falling, but something went wrong with hia ap paratus and the pa'a'*butiat waa dashed to death. Similarly, a picture player named Dunne was killled on the railway while acting a part. Th*' unfortu- u'.e man was only supposed io be run over by the approaching t**ttln. it be ing the intention to substitute a dum my at the last moment. But the rails were slippery, the driver waa unable to pull hia engine in time and the actor waa mangled to death be neath the wheels. Not long ago an actor plalying the part of a cowboy in Chicago fell and waa killed during the rehersal. Misa Alice Hollister, whose face and figure are famllisr to 'requvnt- er* of picture shows nearly lost her life while rehearsing in Egypt. At tired In the volaminous draperies of an Arab pheaant woman, the waa seated on a primitive wooden wheel which brought up from a doep wall water for Irrigation purposes. At aoorUia moment ahe had to bring the camel which worked the wheel to a halt aad deeeend from her eeet. Unfortunately the * rw- enmed its wall toe eooa. the wheel started rwrolviag again aad Mae Hollister was jerked late the well, which wee mere thea 1ft feet te depth. Luckily her cumberaome garments caaght a projecting atone la the aidn. aad. being of athletic build. A# managed to haag oa uattl ahe wan reecued by aeaaa of a rape la the hands of her dragoman. But It wue a narrow aeeape. No ob# viewing on the screen the superh riding of Alice Jeyee, neat of ’‘cowgirl” parts la W drama, would auppom that any could ever succeed in throwing her, Aa a mattor of fact, mot with several aeddea OaaaUer, a Murderer Fays Death Penalty. At Richmond, Va., Roy Maxwell Sullivan, formerly of Wauchnla, Fla., was executed in the state penitenti ary Friday for the' murder of dohu Howard, a guard at a convict road camp, la 1912. Sullivan, who waa a prisoner, made aa effort te escape and in doing ao eelaad a gnn with which he killed Howard. tare company's leading been exceptionally uni achy. Only re cently ahe waa attached bp Till ulna la th* Sahara aad had to fight herd to gat away, la Florida ahe wee nearly engulfed la a qalckaaad. la a battle scene she wae kicked by a bore# aad nearly killed la another war aceoe there was a prematura es- ploston of a calaooa that harlald her high in the air. end th# fall made her unconscious, bat it made a great picture. Once when ahe waa to be reeeaed from a burning houae. the company bought an abandoned farm house In the country and **t It afire The fire burned more rapidly than had been provided for In the rehersal. aad Mias Gauntler waa unconacious and almost dead when the rescuers chop ped a hole In the roof and puliod her out. They had Intended to take her out through a window, but tha real thing made a much better picture. A naval lieutenant la another pic ture player who has had many nar row escapes, hia latest exploit in this direction being a fail from a high cliff near Brigton, England. Once, too, he was badly wounded in a ■word duel with a picture player an tagonist. Of course, the injury was quite unintentional and accidental. Alfred Brighton, a young Ameri can picture player, lost his life in the Hudson river, a year ago. He had to leap into the water and res cue a girl who was supposed to be drowning. While swimming toward her he was observed to throw up hiu arms, sink once or twice, and strug gle franctically on coming to the aur- face. The spectators on the hank ap plauded, imagining it to be part of the performance, and the operator kept turning the handle of the ma chine, while shouting to the drown-* ing man, “Keep it up!” Only when he had sunk for the third and last time did anybody auapect that any thing was wrong.—Chicago Tribune. M. Poincare was elected President of France in January. Thirty days later he was inaugurated and his ad ministration is now well under way. Woodrow Wilson was elected Presi dent of the United States last Novem ber. He will not be Inaugurated un til March the fourth. A third of a year will have elapsed between the expression and the carrying out of the people’s will. In this respect, the French certainly enjoy a better governmental program than we. Medical Meet la Held. The National Association of can Medical Colleges began Its aaaoal convention ut Chicago Moo flay la tha Ccugrem Hotel, addressed by moitaal teachers frees oarkmu —Ml aff mm V try. the Ual—aMF of