The Newport plain talk. (Newport, Tenn.) 1909-1939, 1911-03-16
COMMITTEEMAN
BANDY WORDS
Representative Parrot Wants
a Full Investigation
DRUNKENNESS IS ALLEGED
Guards Are Said to Have Used In,
toxicants and Representative
Parrott Wants the Light Turn,
ed On.

~ >Is
Nashville, March l1.-RepresentA
tive Parrott and Senator Parrish OF tl,a
Penitentiary Investigating Committee
enlivened matters at the session yes
terday afternoon with brief but ratil.
er stormy war of words over cerisin
phases of the pending investigation.
Mr.. Parrott proposed that witnesses
be called yesterday afternoon to begin
an investig alton of wholesale charges
of drunkenness among guards and
others at the institution. Mr.. Parrish
objected TO such an investigation. He
wanted to know what good would
come If it, declaring that it would only
mean the probable expulsion of many
of the men now employed at the prison.
Words were banded back and fortA-
more or less hotly and no decision wa
reached further than that the matter
will not be taken up until the com
lnittee returns from its Eastern trip.
No doubt the charges will then be-
thoroughly gone into.
In fact this is one of several charges
most of which are contained or hinted
at in letter handed the COMMITTEES
by convict. This convict cites a,
number of alleged questionable trans.
actions and gives the names of wit
nesses To- be called to prove them, ana
he even outlines in brief the trend Of
the inquiry to be made.
UNSIGNED VOUCHERS
The examination yesterday after
noon of witnesses was for the purpose
of settling the question of whether or
not the unsigned vouchers of Warden
Rice be allowed to his credit, and al
ter considerable evidence there was
nothing for the committee to do bat
allow these as credits. The vouchers
particularly discussed yesterday were
those known as discharge tickets
amounting to SOME $8,272.79. Along
with these are another set not hereto
fore mentioned in published accounts
of the investigation amounting in round
numbers to sl,s00. These last were
also unsigned except by the clerk and
were for railroad fare and allowances to
certain discharged prisoners. The law
provides that ticket to the place froul
whence the convict was sent up, to
gether with sum of money be given
him. The Warden has in many In
stances given the convict money to go
to some other place than the one froD.
whence he was convicted. For in
stance, q man sent up from Shelby
County lived in Louisville, and iii
stead of ticket to Memphis ne was
given So to go where he pleased. Sucli
tickets together with the other class
of unsigned vouchers gives a grand
total of more than Sc, ,072.79, all of which
the committee allowed Warden Ricea
There seemed no other course for
the committee to take. Not one com,
plant came to them from convict
not receiving his money as claimed
While on the other hand there was
direct evidence supported by much
circumstantial evidence to show that
each had received the amount specj.
fed. One fact developed in this c0n-
nectiou was that formerly the convieta
were allowed pass book and eacli ]
had entered weekly the amount placed
to his credit for overtime work ana
from any other source. As TO just
when and why this was discontinued
no satisfactory answer was given. : ~
In connection with the unsigned
vouchers an erroneous impression had
been made on the COMMITTEES, and
through them to the public. This
Continued on page 81 ~