The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-02-01

been notified of the occurrence, ana IL >
| up to him to see what he will do at the
| next term of our court.
The following gentlemen, among the
| best men in town, know the truth of the
| above statements, viz: B. B. Price,
| George 1. White, ]. G.. Neal W. T. Nor
gan, D. N. Lonon, w. w. Cooper, John
Yancey, Jr., r. S. Cooper, w. B. Ratliff,
| j. A Mcdonald, De Brutz Cutler DR.. G.
| S. Kirby and a score of others.
Respectfully,
!. L. c. BIRD.
Marion, N. c., Jan. 90, 1903.
INTERVIEW WITH SUPT. MANN.
The above letter from Mr.. Byrd was
| shown yesterday afternoon to Superln-
| tCndent Mann, of the State Prison. Mr.
| Mann said that he had written letter
| to the Governor giving the facts about
} the movement of these convicts. He said
| in addition that one of the reasons for
| moving the convicts was a humane one,
| He wished to move all except the heart
| lest convcts to a less severe climate.
Il invite the fullest investigation of
| the matter. There is not a single thing
| that | have hidden from the public about
| the movement. Every care was taken 10
move the convicts in the way that would
| not subject them to any severer hard
ships than was possible to avoid and
/ am greatly surprised at the statement
| published by Mr.. Byrd. An investigation
will show that there is NO blame to be
attached to the penitentiary authorities.
| wish every act thrown open and Widely
| known to the end that the public may
| know every detail and every act by
| every employee of the penitentiary. The
| movement was ordered By the Board or
| Directors, and l went myself 10 the camp
| to make all the arrangements ana used
! every effort and care that was possible
to make the march as easy and as com
Portable as it could be done. l was not
present on the march and OF course
cannot say there was no cursing by any
of the guards or employees, but it is
against the regulations for anything or
this kind to occur. and l would punish
it by dismissal, and the guards all know
| this.
THE movement was humane one
and ought to have been made. There is
nothing about it that / wish to con-
| ceal on the contrary / wish the people
of North Carolina to know everything
| that was done from first to last. If there
was any inhumanity on the part of any
| of the EMPLOYEES of the penitentiary, l
| wish to know it specifically. l VIII take
| immediate steps to see that no person
| is continued in the penitenS iary who is
| shown to be guilty. This will be cone
| eft once without waiting for meeting
| of the Board of Directors. The manage
ment of the penitentiary has always
treated the prisoners with every proper
! care, and there is not single act OF my
| entire administration that the people OF
J North Carolina are not welcome to know.
| invite an investigation throughout
| from first to last
mo complaint has been heard from
q single convict, though if any had been
made it would have received prompt
| consideration and Investigation
LITTER TO TIE GOVERNOR.
The following is the full text of the
letter addressed by superintendent Mann
to the Governor:
Raleigh. N. c., Jan. IS, 1908.
His Excellency, Governor {. b. Aycock'
Raleigh, n. G.
NV Dear Sir: l am in receipt of your
| letter of January the 25th, enclosing
clipping from The News, and Observer III
| reference to a movement of some prison
ers from Spruce Pine to Raleigh and
charging that two of them died en- route
and that all were compelled to undergo
severe hardships.
I beg to state that the report contained
in the clipping is absolutely and unquah-
fiedly false. TO prisoner who started
from Spruce Pine died anywhere en- route.
although some very sick ones were moved
and are now in the hospital at the pris-
on. Not only is the report untrue, but
a reporter at Marion, whence this speclal
| report to the Observer was sent, lnqulr-
ed of two of the officers of the prison
while at Marion If two of the conVlctS
had not died on the way from Spruce
Pine and while waiting at Marion, and
was informed on two separate occasions
that this report was untrue and tnat
none had died, and by one of the officers
he was especially requested not to re-
port any such false rumor to the press
1t may be of some interest to you TO
| learn more particularly of this move
ment about which so many falsehoods
have been told At the last meeting Oh
the Board of Directors OF the prison IL
was decided to remove from the noun
tains the men who had been at WORK at
railroad building there for the past
| eighteen months. Inc COlnPohJ ~
we had been working agreed that thiS
might be done on the goth of January
although they greatly desired them 10
continue the work. Having Determines
upon the movement, I visited the CAMP
! arriving at Spruce Pine on the evening
of the 18th. While there mace every
ARRANGEMENT for as safe and comforta-
BILE a movement as 1 possibly could. IN
the Goth 1 returned to Marion. InerH
was at that time much ice in the noun
tains. some snow, and a great deal Oh
sleet One hundred and eighty-hve pris-
oners and employees left Spruce Pine Oh
the morning of the 21st at daylight Ap
abundance of provisions had peen pre-
pared for them during their journey Dc
fore leaving the camps each man was
provided with pair OF new wooden pants
good wooden coat, a pair OF good IN
der-pants, two good cotton shirts, par
of new shoes and a pair of new SOCKS.
All had good caps with flaps to protect
their ears. By my directions, Single
wagon and large caldron and an ample
supply of coffee had been sent ahead
day previous to a point hall way from