The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-08-16
HER CHARGES FALSE
GAYS PRISON COMMISSION REFER
RING TO MAMIE DECRIS.
lLLAeooD HAS RESIGNED.
WILL LEAVE STATE FARM WHEN
SUCCESSOR is FOUND.

prisOn Commission Made Report of
the DeCris whipping Case Yester-
day-DeCris WOman's Charges of
Advances on Part of AllagOOd
characterized as Absolutely False,
Unfounded and MaIiciOus-AlIa-
good within His Rights in Hav-
ing Woman Whipped But Showed
Rad Judgment-AHlowe to Resign
ms His Usefulness Is at an End.
Atlanta, Aug 15.-In a report of
about IL, 900 words, the Prison Commits
sion to-day reached it's finding in the
case of the whipping of Mamie DeCris
at the state prison farm by Deputy
Warden ]. T. Allagood, and at the same
time it accepted the resignation of Dep
uty Allagood, which he was permitted
TO make, to take effect as soon as his
successor can be selected.
The official announcement Of the res
ignation is found in the report of the
commission upon the DeCris case, made
public to-day. From the report it
would appear that Allagood had been
an excellent official, that his personal
character is above reproach; that he
acted within his authority in infiicting
this sort of punishment upon any con-
yict: but, read between the lines, 1t
Is evident the commission is of the
opinion that he lacks the Judgment
and discretion which an official in his
position should possess, and that with
the DeCris whipping his days of use
fitness at the farm have come to an
end.
DeCris' story False.
1t is worthy of special note that the
commission expresses it's conviction
that the charge made by Miss DeCris
that Warden Allagood was guilty OF
improper relations with other female
convicts, white and black, and that she
was whipped because she had rejected
improper advances toward her is "ab-
solutely false, unfounded and mali
cious.'
That the warden was led to punish
the woman because of extreme aggra-
walton. is plainly the opinion of the
commission.
The report makes it clear that such
punishment is, in express words. au-
~ ~. -4o nd the
commission has had no occasion here
tofore to rule against it, but the MEM
bers of that body conclude that this
particular punishment was IAN error
on the part of the excellent warden"
In concluding the report the commits
sion says, referring first to the charge
made by Miss DeCris: This Unbound
ed and malicious charge plainly indi-
Gates the dangerous character of the
convict with whom he was dealing, and
the extreme measures to which she
would resort in order to accomplish her
nefarious designs, and well illustrates
the aggravation which led up to her
punishment.
Gould the commissioners have fore
seen that the punishment as given
would have probably occurred, even
under the circumstances which caused
it, they would have prevented it, for it
was largely at their direction that such
consideration had been previously
shown this particular convict.
Voluntarily Resigned.
But when it is remembered that the
statutes of Georgia. in express words,
authorize the infiction of this punish
ment upon convicts, and that the COM
mission had had no occasion hereto
lore to make rule against it, they
can only conclude that this particular
punishment was an error upon the part
OF the excellent warden, who, recog
nzlng that his usefulness may have
been impaired as such, by reason of
the prejudice which had been created
against him by gross misrepresenta-
IONS of the facts of the case, has vol
UNFAIRLY rendered his resignation, and
ne desires to have no further connec-
tlon with the prison as soon as his sue
cessor can be appointed"