The Marietta journal and courier. (Marietta, Ga.) 1909-1918, 1910-08-05

Nhlie the Macon Telegraph, SaVan-
nah News and other partisan papers
are discussing the question of who de-
serves credit for abolishing the convict
lease system, let me tell a little story
that happen to know about
x x X
Governor Smiths message to the
Legislature in 1908 declared the whole
system unsound."
AS will be found on page 90, under
the heading misconduct of Wardens,"
he spoke of the conduct of the Chief
Warden and Deputy Wardens who re.
ceived pay from both the State and
lessees, a custom that had not been
aired up to that time. The Governor
said he had called the attention of the
Prison Commission to the conduct of
the Chief Warden and that he had re-
signed, and strict directions had, he
learned. been given to the Deputy
Wardens.
X X X
1t was not a sensational utterance
by the Governor and ordinarily would
have been passed over. 1t happened,
however, that on the staff of the At
lanta Georgian was a young reporter, a
quiet modest boy with the blood of Old
Virginia in his veins, who had adj
vanced step by step until the city ed
itor had assigned him to work in the
Capitol. He was greatly pleased with
the promotion, which opened up a.
broader line of work and greater OPP
portunities. He was anxious to sustain
himself and to show that the city edi-
tors confidence in him had not been
misplaced.
Preston, that was his name how
we'll do | remember his pale, patient
face-Preston was delving into the
message when he encountered the ref
erence to the Chief Warden who had
resigned under complaints lodged by
the Governor.
X i; X
w AIA q lAC w optpCl man lllotlhCl3 HC
thought that under the paragraph in
the message there might be story
possibly a sensation. He spoke to the
city editor and was told to bore into
it" and see what he could find. He
started in, his heart palpitant with the
excitement of running down a great
story and making good" But in the
midst of it his heart began to beat
trifle too fast. His cheeks grew warm.
There was a flush that would not end
with the days task, and in less than a
week his physician sent him to the
hospital-with fever, typhoid fever.
The city editor himself, Milt Saul, took
up the story, which the young reporter
had developed sufficiently to show
there was startling sensation ahead.
The Georgian threw it's great power
into the fight. The Legislature APP
pointed a joint investigating commit
tee which uncovered conditions that
astounded the State. Mr. Seely, owner
Of the Georgian, and Mr. Saul the
star man. of his staff, a brilliant and
powerful writer, made things blaze.
Their lives were considered in danger,
so fearlessly did they publish the de-
tails, and so unsparingly did the Geor-
gian attack the system and it's manage
ment. / looked for trouble for | knew
how Colonel Bob Aston, Henry
Grady's partner in The Atlanta Her
aid, had been killed in the Capitol for
something similar.
And while the State was Keeling with
the excitement, the young reporter,
who had started it all, grew worse, and
worse, until one day his gentle spirit
is peace.
4; K x
The fuse was in the Governors
message. Preston had touched the
match to it. The explosion that fol
lowed blew the convict system into a
million fragments!
1t was while he lay dying that the
great fight ragged.
X X 4;
The joint committe of the House and
Senate was made up Of fighters, the
Committee from the Senate being
headed by Tom Fielder, of Bib, who is
a candidate for Attorney General and
the Committee from the House being
headed by Murphy Gambler, who is now