Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-12-27
RELEASED FROM PEN
Gov. Swanson Gives PardonS
in Two Noted Cases.
VIRGINIA BAKERIES BAD
Official Investigation Reveals Many
in Fearful Condition.
ELECTROCUTION ON JANUARY a
Tramps Overrun Richmond-Death
Rate in Soldiers Home
Very Great.
ELEcTRoCUTIoN ON JANUARY a

RICHMOND, Va. DECEMBER 70, I:H'o-
Gov. Swanson released several men
from the prison during the last few days.
Two OF the eases were rather unusual.
The first was that of man named Hud-
son. who was sent from Wythe county to
serve ten years for killing a man with his
fist. The victim was a close personal
friend and il was during Christmas week
five years ago that they engaged band
to furnish music for an entertainment.
They disagreed as to which should be al
lowed 10 pay for the music. They had
row. and a fist fight followed. Hudson
struck the man a blow and felled him to
the ground, and in few hours he was
dead That the killing was more accident
al than intentional was clearly shown, but
the Jury gave him ten years behind prison
bars Hudson was an only son. and his
aged mother began to pine away and is
now almost helpless. She wrote a letter
TO the governor asking that her son be
sent 70 her for Christmas. The applica-
ton for a pardon was signed by many
persons and the man was released.
The other case was that of youth
named William NJ. CogSins. from South
ampton county. He too. had been sent
TO the prison for manslaughter. his term
being fixed at three years. Some eight
cen months ago the boy was seated IN
to his duties as assistant TO his father.
lie had had boyish quarrel with 1t COM
panion The boy came i'll and walked up
10 Coggins and hit him blow the
Eack OF the head. COSginS was sharp
cn,ng pencil with an eraser. and when
I've was struck he turned and struck at
Lis assailant with the weapon. 1t pene-
trated his side and the boy died i'll four
hours Coagins was given the short term.
Because OF the critical Illness of his
mother and the belief that the ends of
justice had been satisfied, the governor
ordered his release and he went to his
dying mother The hoy had always borne
an excellent reputation.
Bakeries in Bad Shape.
Gov. Swanson has taken up the matter
of the Virginia bakeries, about which
there has been an awful showing, as con-
tanned in the annual report of Commits
sioner Doherty. 1t is shown that dogs
were allowed TO sleep in barrels In baker
les. that some were menace to health,
blot on civilization and a crime against
humanity. ]. B. Clinednst the inspector
of the department. told newspaper man
that these conditions existed in Norfolk.
Called before the grand jury, he made an
emphatic denial The grand jury de-
clared that the newspaper that printed
one story of the conditions was given to
sensational and reckless Journalism.
The blame for the whole thing was fixed
on tle newspaper puDuCdtlOn OF tne
report, however, has shown that the con-
ditions at some points in the state were
as bad as reported in the newspaper.
Clinedinst told the Norfolk grand Jury
that the bakeries in that section were the
best in the state. One of the Norfolk
papers. taking up the matter, declared
that no inspection had been made by any
state official during the last year. The
grand juries In other cities are preparing
10 call Clinedinst to taw and to demand
10 know if such conditions as he reported
tn the labor commissioner apply to their
cities The governor has directed the
health and pure food departments to take
immediate action, to get the secret re-
ports and to show them up. and to sup
press the bakeries. The newspaper which
was censured is hammerins away at the
matter. and the end is not yet.
Frank Davenport cOlored, is to go to
the death chair January T. The man
killed another negro in Norfolk county
during September of this year and es-
capped. He was captured by detectives
and brought to trial. 1t was shown to
fixed the punishment at death. Daven-
port is already in the detention chamber
and is kept in solitary confinement.
Joel Payne, colored. of Bedford county
viii be the fourth man to take a seat in
The death chair. his crime being that of
the murder OF his father-in-iaw. Reed
Swayne. The crime was committed last
August. Payne escaped from the officers
was captured by Baldwin detectives He
VIII die February 10.
Army of Tramps.
Richmond is overrun with an army of
tramps. old and young, white and back,
htt.e and big. They are making their
way south for the winter and they make
a stop Of a day while passing through =
The men are TO be seen riding on freight
trains and passenger trains just as they
enter the city. but before the trains stop
they alisht and get out OF the sight of
the police. They are giving a vast amount
81 trouble, and there are several of them
Who are doing time on the roads and
others are IN the county jail. WHERE they
nave been seut for trespasSing on the
properly Of the railroads. Many OF the
men are 10 he turned loose here in the
middle of the winter.
When they are caught in the CITY they
arc nabbed by the police and sent to the
roads for from sixty days 70 six months
Notwithstanding thar they are being Civ
On Scant courtesy here. the number does
not show any diminution Orders arc TO
run them in and o"make il SO unpleas-
ant for them that they viii remain away
There are hundreds of idle men here who
have no means of support, and the city is
having all Il can do to take care OF the
resident dependents.
TIE death rate in the Soldiers Home
mere Is very great. There are some three
hundred cd men in the home the full
capacity of the place. and the death rate
IS very high, there being not less than two
each week. As fast as one man dies an
other i admitted to the home. They are
very old and many Of them are unable
TO ieaVe thei' rooms.
By reason Of a contract made with the
state some fifteen years ago the property
now occupied by the Soldiers Home will
revert 10 the state at the end OF that
time, Tie place founded by tho
veterans of the state at large, bazaar>
and contributions providing the fund for
the purchase OF the site. The tract con.
tains some sixty-tVe acres and the appro-
priation made by the general assembly
Tor the care OF the old men has continued
10 increase until It's capacity was reached
The contract between the managers n
whom the title IS vested is that the stat,
when il snail assume absolute control o:
Inc entire estate. The property is easily
worth $1,000 being in the west end o.
the city. and is now almost surrounded BY
handsome homes.
Develop Coal Lands.
Tie Old Dominion Development Com
pany of this city has acquired the prop
erty OF the Richmond Coal Mining and
Manufacturing Company lying in the
counties OF Goochland and Henrico anC
has been for some time engaged in gettine