Hattiesburg daily news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1907-1908, 1907-06-17

free silver. Its confrere, the Y. & MI
W r. r.. Co, when it offered to com
promise the taxes it owed. put it tn |
it's bill that the million dollars might |
be paid in gold. silver, greenbacks, or
National Bank Bills. have no objec-
ton to that, because either kind Of
money was good, but the thing that !
did want was that while the railroad
companies were allowed to pay their
debts in either gold or silver the plain
people be allowed the same privileges;
but while the Herald was willing for
the railroads to pay in gold, silver,
greenbacks. or National Bank Bills, It
wanted to require the plain everyday
working man to pay in gold.
In speaking Of my brother Walter
McLaurin, whose lips are closed in
death and who is not here to speak for
himself, the Herald says: "A Delta
planted and Lessee Of. convicts exhibit
ed to us letters from a certain lawyer
calling for the payment OF a thousand
dollars due the estate of the late war
den for services claimed in securing
convicts for this planter" Whether
it was so intended by the Herald or
not, the people believe that this
charge that Walter McLaurin while
warden was bribed to lease convicts.
Walter McLaurin was warden for less
than a year He took the warden's
office about the first of the year Of
| 1897. During the overflow that year
lie went to the Delta to get the States
property and convicts out of danger
of the overflow, and while there, in
swimming bayous an horseback and
travelling in a skiff, which several
times overturned and other exposures,
he lost his health, and on the 21st OF
December. 1897, because of the condi.
ton of his health; resigned as warden
On the same day the Board of Con
troll by unanimous vote adopted and
spread upon the minutes this resolu
} tom
"Resiolved, That whereas Hon. Wal
| ter McLaurin has for sometime served
this Board as warden, and whereas hi
has this day, by resignation, dissolved
J his connection with us, and has served
J the Board and State with efficienc,
} and zeal the comforts of the convict'
having been augmented, the dealt
: rate decreased, and the escapes les
+ sened, larger crop made than il
: any previous year, all the Board 0
e Control of Mississippi do hereby ex
= press our regret because of his resie
4 nation. and recognize the fact that |
e faithful officer has been lost to tn
v State, and wish him success and har
e piness in any walk of life he ma
/, choose"
e After his resignation he resume
n the practice of law, and in the fall Q
r 1898, about year after he had rt
n signed the wardenship. he was en-
/. ployed by Catp. Randolph, of Wasl
e ington County, to represent his as hi
" attorney to contract with the Boar
e of Control to rent his plantation fo
e the year of 1899. That was in the la
n ter part Of November, or sometime i
e December. 1898, and Walter McLauri
died on the 21st day of the next mont
$. January, 1899 There was no sue
g, thing as securing the convicts fc
d planters, or for anybody else. Plal
a. tations were rented or worked 0
7 shares by the Board of Control III
d der the entire management of tn
=. Board.
W The Herald says: IF we deal
xt common reports, column could |
i'd filled with scaly transactions in tt
S, late Walter McLaurin's wardenship
m Fortunately, slanderous repor
It, against the dead, inspired by malit
it towards the living, always receive Y
x condemnation which they deser'
he from all good men. u a X. !.
he The Herald says that rs scorr
b. spondent Demonstrated from the Rev
fl nue. AGENTS report that during IL
he McIlaurin' administration the Sta
M was defrauded. ~ graft or negligenc
III. Of nearly $40 900 in cotton seed he
be E8(1t BY the convict lessees; OF tn
"a, sum H. ]. McLaurin, one of the Sc
.x.x,.i = t<,rss hrotharc MO g 4 oharoad wi