The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-10-03

s''1S ~ wv pooIA 0tASS HIS HRpOuHt-
menI He can hardly claim to be
familiar with conditions at the peni-
Tertiary. and yet he declared that
had conditions at the penitentiary
been different we would certainly
have voted to- retain the present sur
geon."e He Is absolutely ignorant on
the subject. His profession alone
should have barred his appointment
on the board. and the only reason
that could have actuated the Cover
nor in appointing such a person must
have been the assurance that he
I would carry out Governor Mann's
policies. OF course he was tied hand
and foot to Governor Mann. Appoint
ed March l. 1911. and to be reap
pointed March !. 1919, and can there
4 be any doubt that he was personally
pledged. but more Of this later. / am
stating facts and have no wish to
involve friends Of mine until i get
their full consent.
4 A Banking Friend.
/ Mr. Stratton was appointed by Gov
ernor Mann in March, 1910. He Is
an empioye in a bank in Petersburg
dominated by the relatives of Cover
nor Mann, On November IA, 1910, he
signed this report to the Governor:
We are especially pleased with
the report Of the penitentiary SHOW
ing that the health conditions. dis
cipiine, and the general well being Of
the convicts are in O most satisfac-
tory condition"
4 / demand OF Mr. Stratton in what
respect conditions have changed in
my department since November 1870
to Justify his signing the yelled con-
depnation of my work contained in
the letter to the Governor on Septem-
Der 80. 1911.
4 On Saturday afternoon. September
%. 1911, l had q talk with MIR. STRAIT
ton in which told him that l was
not asking him for his vote, but that
by reason of his obligations to me
obligations to which he has often
gratefully REFEREED had a right to
ask him how he stood and whethe r
he was for young Mann or for me.
He squirmed and said:
Doctor. l want all the light pos
sible on this subject. / want to vote
for the best man for the place. and
for the best interests OF the institu-
ton and of the State. but ! am kind
Of tied to the Manns I have dis
&cu0,ed this matter with Governor
Mann several months ago"
Governor Mann atfirms that he has
never discussed this matter with a
single member of the board, but the
above Is absolutely accurate staten tent
of my conversation with Mr.. STRAIT
ton.
: According to Governor Mann. he
hardly seems TO have known that he
had nephew as a candidate for the
position until waited on by the Rich
mond legislative delegation when he
, announced, Il am hands off In this
matter. ! certainly will not do any
thing to injure my nephew
! have also been informed that Gov
ernor Mann said at another time that
he could not be expected to do any
thing to retain me at the penitentiary
because l had not supported him for
governor.
. Hot Shot For Cohen's
Mr.. Cohen was originally appointed
by Governor Swanson in 1909, and
comes up for reappointment under
the governor who viii succeed Gov
ernor Mann. AS far as l know Gov
ernor Mann has no special hold on
or string to, him but / do charge
that he Is the plant tool and crea
| tnre of the Davis Boot & Shoe Com
| pany.
He Is the closest personal friend
of MIR. Hutchinson. the manager OF
the Davis Boot and Shoe Company
and Is generally believed to be ''theil
man" on the penitentiary board. There
was never a meeting of the boarC
! at which any request. of whatsoever
, nature, came from the Davis Boot an.
. Shoe Company that Mr. Cohen dit
not almost invariably spring to theil
aio. In matters touching their in
g terest he was like a hen with on,
chicken in his tender watchfulnes:
= and care.
! Ever since | became surgeon have
!, recognized the powerful and all per
vading influence of this shoe com
q pany in and about the penitentiary
= Let me say right here that with MIR
. Wood, the present superintendent. II
= office, their malign influence Is greatly
= weakened, and | believe that wher
: he is able to surround himself with
assistants loyal 10 him and not sub
Ject to the influence of the Davi.
Boot and Shoe Company. the power fo
: evil of that company over the pool
: ccnvicts Will have been effectuall,
: broken.
', Previous to the superintendency o
= Mr.. Wood when l wished for health
:, reasons to take men off the shoe con
tract and send them to the State farm
for change OF air and recuperation,
had TO fight to finish to carry m,
. point. l never let up. though. and tn,
Davis Boot and Snoe Company hate m,
= and my policy like "the devil hatel
- holy water"
sickening Influence.
Probably the most sickening ant
! malign influence Of the Davis Boot an,
= Shoe Company in connection with
:, the penitentiary Is the methods pur
!, sued by them to prevent convicts wht
= have proved good workmen obtain
ing their parole. The convict mus
= have to his credit two years of goot
II conduct and have served half of hi
sentence before he can apply 70
:. parole. And. as that anxious tim
, approaches and the poor devil Ia al
most counting, the hours. some Sigh
! infraction of the rules. such as walk
! ing irregularly in the line OF march
. hat awry. or alleged bad work vii
be charged against him. punishment
follows. and all hope for parole Il
, lost for two years.
u People on the outside don't realize
the terrible results Of such hellisf
: methods uncuI bed.
4 ,I.m must ,nnt dwell Longer on - y.h.
Davis Boot and Shoe Company. lie
= US return to our mutton-Mr. Cohen.
On the 18th Of September. 1911. coun.
= sci for the Davis Boot and Shoe Com
pany, having learned that one of ths
Richmond PAPERS was contempla tins
: a publication assailing the Shoe Com
pany, and charging them with being
responsible FOR the effort to defeat me
came to me and said: Doctor. have
called up Hutch (Hutcherson, man.
aGer of the Shoe Company, and told
: him TO call up Sam (Cohen). ano
call off all this ight on YOU and Cohen