Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-10-29
| U1UUU UHHHULU
UPHELD BY MAN
JUST FREED

Reiterating his charges made Mon
day against Warden Meyer and con-
ditions at the Federal penitentiary,
w F. Burtlebaugh, formerly No. $3.50
at that institution, in a letter TO The
Georgian, received Tuesday, detailed
| the prison cruelties he declared were
being endured by the men there.
Burtlebaugh, whose home is q Oak
man, Ala, cited as his authority his
% months penal servitude, which
ended with his release last Sunday.
In his letter ne commended Julian
Hawthorne, the novelist, and DR.. j.
W. Morton, the New York physician,
on their action in denouncing the
warden upon their release some weeks
ago. He coroborated their sensa-
tional charges
Defends Dismissed Guards.
| Burtlebaugh came out strongly in
defense Of the prison guards who
have been dismissed by Meyer on
charges of melting the prisoners to
riot. He declared his statements
were made for the cause of justice
and humanity.
| Many times when left the dining
room of the prison to return to my
cell | was so weak from lack Of food
! that l could not work, and was forced
to lie on my CO. he entire afternoon"
| Mr.. Burtlebaugh's letter asserts.
There would be nothing to eat BUT
| greens, dry bread and salt pork. Plep-
! ty of sand from the earth was cooked
| with the green's, which were never
thoroughly, washed. Day in and day
out we Jared thus, no matter how
sick the men became of it.
Mentions Dungeon.
"A young fellow named Gilbreatn,
from Kentucky, complained to the
prison doctor that he could no, eat
| the fare any longer. He was thrown
into the hole for fifteen days. The
| time prisoner spends in the hole
or dungeon is added to his term.
Il read in the paper where several
| guards were dismissed on charges OF
encoura ging the prisoners to become
rotous. There must be some mis-
take about that, for during my time
| in the prison | never knew Of any
thing Of this kind. Not one OF them
ever approached me for that purpose.
| Il say this because ! want to see
| those guards get square deal, and it
| doesn't look as If they will.
! Saws Men Oistrust Mover
zone Of the worst features of Moy-
| ef's administration happened recent
| w. A prisoner named Anderson sued
| out a writ Of habeas corpus before
Judge Newman, asking for his release
on the claim that he was doing two
| five-year terms on one crime
Attorney Lamar Hill was his law
! yer. Judge Newman ordered the man
| discharged, but no sooner was the Or
| der given than Meyer appealed the
case to the Federal Court Of Appeals
| at New Orleans. and Judge Newman's
! decision was set aside.
This simply showed that Meyer
was not friend of the prisoners II
went a long way toward placing dis
trust Of their warden into the prison
ers' hearts. Mover never made an
explanation of his action, and so kthe
men there could only believe it was
| due to malice.
What few statements j have made
| here are in behalf of the several hun
dred men who begged me to help them
when / got out, | am going to the
| Cumberland Mountains, and just as
| soon as I get few square meals and
get my nerves steady enough to hold
pen properly. / will have few more
words to say on this subject"