The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-08-10
MAMIE DECRIS CASE
WILL BE INVESTIGATED BY Gov
ERNOR TERRELL.
THE PRISON COMMISSIONERS
TO BE ASKED FOR REPORT ON
CAUSE OF WHIPPING.

II Cause Was Only stubborn Self
Will Lash Was UnJustified, Cover
nor Says-RepOrt Required Must
state Character of Mamie De-
Girls Ofense, Nature of Punish
ment Inflicted and Results of II.
Prison Commissioners Indignant.
Diamond Queen Reported Hard 10
Manage.
Atlanta, Aug. 9.-Concerning the
whipping of Mamie DeCris at the state
prison farm. Gov. Terrell said tonight
to a representative of the Morning
News:
while the details are not as explicit
as one would wish to see in a report
of the kind, there is evidently no doubt
from it's contents that whipping was
administered to the woman.
The provocation is stated in general
terms only. If there was no more pro-
vocation than the stubborn self will of
woman. unruly from what state of
mind or imagined reason we are not
informed, 1 should be disinclined to
justify the use of the lash on such a
prisoner"
What action can you take in the
matter. if any?"
"As soon as / reach the Executive
office in the morning 1 will officially
ask the commission to make a full and
detailed examination into the case, as
! certain the condition of the prisoner,
the character of her offense against the
prison regulations. and the nature Of
the punishment inflicted, whether it
was necessary and the results of II.
II am sure the Prisoner Commits
sioners will make such report as the
exact facts warrant, and to the extent
of their power in bringing the truth
to light
Il do not think it advisable to ex-
press any further opinions as to the
| case until officially advised by the re-
port of the Prison Commissioners. ex-
cept to say that the matter cannot be
permitted to rest on the reports made
by the press correspondents, which are
evidently intended to truthfully repre-
sent the fact as far as they are locally
known"
None of the Prison Commissioners
could be seen tonight. but it was re-
ported for one of them that he had
expressed his indignation over the re-
ported affair, and given assurance that
1t should be probed to the fullest ex-
tent, and the facts given to the public.
Meanwhile such corrective for the pos
| sible repetition of a like case as lay
within the power of the commission
would be applied.
The Milledgeville correspondent of
the Constitution sent note to Miss
DeCris on Saturday asking for few
minutes talk with her. She returned
the following answer
Il don't care TO talk to such men,
and especially those that are not gem
tlemen Miss DeCris"
The correspondent says: Why Miss
DeCris should assume that man who
had written her a civil note and whom
she had not seen was not gentle
man is "a little remarkable. Other
newspaper pnen received practically the
same answer, and yet Mr.. Allagood,
and her past record, declare that she
is sensational.
Mr.. Allagood declined to show her
this mornings Constitution for fear,
he said that 1t would excite her. 1t is
/ fully DeleVeu Indt lutTe are ldctS IA
this case that cannot be obtained I'M
der existing circumstances.
Capt. Allagood and DR.. Adams both
state that she took her whipping with
out the least sign of humiliation. 1t
is declared by all the prison officials
that she is one of the hardest cases
they have ever handled and yet 1t is
represented that she is so sensitive as
not to wish to see strangers.
Miss DeCris received one Of the
hardest whippings that has lately been
administered. Capt. Allagood and DR..
Adams both admit IT was more than
twenty lashes. Allagood admits the
usual number of ticks that he gives is
eight.
Miss DeCris received three times as
many ticks as the average hardened
negro woman criminal received and
for what the question has not been
satisfactorily answered.
1t was rumored that her punishment
was due to her writing notes to ladies
of this city and signing DIR. Adams
name to them. but nothing has been
found to substantiate the rumor.
With the present lights before them,
our people cannot understand why
Miss De Girls received such severe
beating and are greatly shocked by
the occurrence.