The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-10-10
Every Witness but One Biased in
Favor of Mason,
Yet Even Their Testimony Is Very
Damaging to Him..
How R. Halliday Witherspoon Took
Hint and Tested Guard.
Convicts Allowed to Come to Memphis
Without Surveillanoe-Others Sent
Out to Recapture Escaped Prls-
oners-How they Walk of.


by the committee appointed by the county
court to examine the charges against h.
NJ Mason, superintendent OF the county
work-house:
SWORN STATEMENT OF II. Il. PASS.
Il have heard Mason on various occasions
& tell convicts to escape from prison and
leave the county, and he would not trouble
them. One was Eiialiday Witherspoon;
Will Barber, James Murray, or Pope, who
escaped from Thomas and being gone one
year. was rccaptured by the police and
returned TO Mason, and never wore any
irons and had AlasOn's permission TO come
10 town for three days, said Maurray; or
Pope, has never returned. lie also per-
mitted John Jones, Hence WILEY, Dan
DSullivan, Ben Evans and various others TO
come 10 Memphis on Saturday evenings
and return AZ any time they
saw fit. Also Pat Maloney was
permitted TO leave the work-house
before his time expired; also one Mrs.
pentgrass and others. Gate leading to
stable is continually open, never locked;
also gate between diningroom and office
and office doors; he gives the prisoners
regular lectures and the guards also, and
tells the prisoners to escape il they leave
the county. He also allows Phil Gwinn
TO go TO the wing and select his own men.
by this means Ed billiard, hard case and
man of long time, left after | told Mason
that billiard was bad man and would
iun of. lie only said Gwinn would have
TO pay his fine. Buestone escaped the
same way. There has been, 10 my knowl-
edge, about thirty-five escapes since Ma
sons SUPPLEMENTARY. Besides, he gen
orally picks able men 70 work the garden
and cook, wash and tend the wing, and puts
one armed and otherwise disabled
men on the road, all Of which
is detrimental 10 the best interest OF the
Shelby county taxpayers. He further al
lows from ten to twenty 10 roam the road
at will on Sundays. The fact the commit
tee can ascertain for themselves II they
will drive from Albright's crossing TO
the national cemetery any Sunday after
noon. He has also allowed the tcamsters,
or trustees, az he calls them, the privilege
Of the guard wash.housc and dining
room until bell time, at $50 o'clock at
night any OF them that felt so inclined
could walk ont Of the yard and of ut will.
lie often sends cOnvicts TO Memphis to
look for escaped conyic;s. lie also coli
lccted the wages Of James Mathews n
guard, in the month Of February, being
sout uuu hllll IolIh Tue hdDes anu HIS Hpl
reported or paid 10 the criminal court the
amount OF the fine and costs in the case Of
.r-he State vs.. Thomas Sayles, as he claims
IL was held for Mathews allowing Sayles to
escape He has and docs use the
county mules and wagons for elcctioneer-
ing purposes outside OF the Eighteenth
district lie generally puts the worst men
as TRUSTEES, and thereby causes the MAORI
~ OF the escapes. The better class Of pris-
oners are threatened with pick and day
ell II they tell the committee or grand
jury anything of the workings Of the inside
Of the prison, all Of which can be substan.
tiated by others. lie has also John Mid
dleton, who was convicted In the criminal
court, employed rs guard since he was
parloncd by Judge DuBose; also Phil
Quinn has charge Of the supplies Of the
prison, aud supcnntcnds the weight and
account OF them, when Il is the bookkeep.
er's or stewards place 10 do this.
Sworn to July :, 1885, before 6. X.
Strickland.
NAsoS's SWORN STATEMENT.
81 have never persuaded. intimidated
or told n convict 10 leave or that he could
leave the county work-house.
say In answer 20 this charge
that Il Is false In every particu,
lar. His Pass intimation that aided
or abct,cd In any way in Withoupoon's
escape IL a malicious ialschood. ! was all.
sent at the time and knew nothing abonI
Il until my return home from duties on the
works. This can b. proven by honest ant
reliable witnesses. As 20 John Jones, hi'
statement strikes me with wonder and us
constituent, when IL IA 4 well known FAC
Al "A N.A Ia I'm =
Guard and placed him in the responsible
position Of carrying the key OF the prison
while he (Jones) WIS convict himself
and 1, being 10 utterly surprised nt such
thing removed him aud put him bacl
among the conyicts | viii further stat
ihat he was nm armed convict Mn. Pen
derurass was the only white ie
male convict when was re-oleci
Ell supcrintendent, and communicating
that information to Judge DulIuse, he IN
formed me that u would recommend lac
discharge Lee would grant Il unless lac did
40 there can be no dispute abou, this mat
Ter. Good time II always allowed u
pri-on fof good conduct, Tor this ] die
charged Pat Maloney six days before ca
plration OF his time. IA Ia stable lot gni,
when took charge In 1883, u was alway
under lock and key, but when ! was >,
turned ~ manager IN 1855, found
opcn, and IL has remained ~ ever since
but INV strict orlcrs are for the one o
duty TO keep a watchiul eye on Il all ih
time. As 10 Office gate. ! refer you
The statement Of the night watchman.
As TO allowing conyicts 10 g in scarc
Of escapes, must admit that did on ON
occasion only consent for two to 10 on
One captured his man and returned wit
him. while the other failed 90 do .,
with regard 10 lccturing guards, II Nj
Pass means 30 convey the idea when an
one Of them failed 10 do their duty
talked 10 them In straightforward an
earnest way, he u correct. No one ca
deny bu, villa, this Is my duty. As 90 d.
ing the same thing 10 the prisoners, ]
instruct them rs 30 their duties and col
duct, and ccnsurc and punish them, TO
when necessary. ] do assert, without ic
Of successful contradiction, that there a
no moro escapes now than nj other tim
since the wofk.house was founded.
Phil Quinn has never taken conyic
out Of prison TO assist him In his kitch'
work without my knowledge, consent nj
approyal. J. n. Matthews has his wag
and have his receipt for same. lie to-
Sales, n convict, out agreeing 70 bc respo
Nble for him, but letting him esca
y Through neglect or something e.se. he
his wages 90 pay the fine and when ]
ocr,aincd the convict had paid his Inc
Was ready and willing TO give him
money and have done 10. j do deny
toto that allow tcamstors and convicts
enter laundry, wash.foom aud dinir
-. -. ,is.y lori M dtanoaol M nv