The Tupelo journal., 1902-10-31
PARCHMAN.

ANo OhSA0ooN0 oaO Nv
tention of the people of Missisip-
pl during almost all the time since
his election to that position.
Charge after charge of malfeas-
ance has been preferred against
him. The journal has refrained
from any discussion of these
charges for reasons growing out of
the relationship that Mr.. j. G..
Kincannon, Railroad Commits
sioner, bears to the proprietor Of
this paper. The Journal thinks
the time has come when it should
break silence upon this subject.
In doing so 1t is not actuated by
any desire to defame Parchman or
to create prejudice against him.
He resided many years in Lee
county, during his early manhood,
and by his conduct established a
reputation which could not be
lowered by anything that this
paper might say. The old resi-
dents of the neighborhood in
which he lived, know what that
reputation is and freely express
surprise that he should ever have
been made warden of the state pen
i%tentiary.
The object of this article is to
call the attention of our readers to
Parchman's testimony in defense
of himself upon the charge of hav-
ing received in January 1901, a
draft given him by Mr.. Charles
McGinnis, for 81 30 which he
collected through an Aberdeen
bank and did not account for upon
the books of the penitentiary.
The books of that institution show
neither the collection nor disburse-
ment of the money received on
that draft. This charge was pre-
ferred by Mr.. J. G. Kincannon.
La the course OF his testimony
Parchman swore that since he has
been warden he has received seven
hundred thousand dollars on &C
count of the penitentiary. He
swore that be received two hun
dred thousand dollars every year.
These are large sums to pass
through one mans hands. And he
swore too that in all his handling
Of that immense sum of the states
money he had never taken q re-
ceipt for any pant of it from any
man. He swore that the only
vouchers that he returned for bis
disbursements were memurandums
made up by himself from memory
upon little slips of paper which he
handed in to the secretary of the
board of control at the end of
each month and hat these conSti-
tuted the only evidence that exist
ed as to what he did with the
money that he collected. In adj
dition to this he swore that he
bought whiskey and cigars for
himself and the appraisers of the
states property and that he paid
for these things out of the states
funds.
He swore, further, that he kept
no cash book nor memorandums
of his receipts and disbursements
hut relied entirely upon his men,
DRY in his accounting for the non
ey which he handled.
This testimony of Parchman
delivered in his own defense, up
on a serious charge, convicts him
of incompetency and total un it.
ness for the position he holds.
1t also convicts him of a total dis
regard OF all those high obliga-
tions that a man owes to himself
when acting in a fduciary capaci-
ty. 1t convicts him Of a total
lack of that caution and prudence
that every honest man observes
in handling the money of other
people in the desire and duty of
protecting his personal character
if questioned. 1t shows him to be
reckless and lmprudent in his
methods anu careless and indiffer-
ent to his reputation as a bust
ness man and for honesty and
capacity. Upon his own testimony
he stands convicted Of perjury,
dishonesty. incompetency, incaci-
ty, unftness and the fragrant use