The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1913-08-15
MISSISSIPPI GRAFT
SHOCKED BY COURT
Recent CONVICTIONS
OFFICIALS ARE BEING RAp,n, y
FORCED INTO WEARING
STRIPES.
GOVERNOR BREWER IN EARNEST
axes the lnitiatory In Hunting Down
the Thieves = Prominent Men
Caught In the Net,chairman Of
Prison Board Among Them. Il

|
Caught In the Net, Chairman o,
Prison Board Among Them.
!, JACKSON, Miss, Aug. 1l.-Inyesti
cation OF irregularities in Mississiu.
PTS state institutions, principally the
prison system, which already has "a.
suited in conviction and sentencing
,of eight men, will be pressed yigor.
Iously the coming week and 1t is free.
ny predicted that the scandal which
startled citizens all over the state
has far from reached climax. Gov
brewer has headed the inyestiga-
ton and brought charges before
grand juries that have resulted in mn.
merons indictments and convictions,
;for thievery, graft and embezzlement
lie now is investigating stories Of So
rious conditions at the state prison
farms. h
The scandal broke when Lawrence
Yerger, secrtaIy of the prison board
OF trustees, was found short in his ac-
counts about $4,000, confessed and
was sentenced to ten years. seryi-l
tude. He implicated others in his
downfall and working on this evidence
Gov. Brewer and his assistants have
been instrumental in convictine nris-
on officers and former officers Of
crimes even down to petty thefts of
products raised on prison farms Of
the state. He is now probing into
charges that prisoners on the Parch-
man farm suffered severely last win,
ter because state officers a. the farm
sold for their own account large
quantities of supplies purchased to
feed and clothe the prisoners.
Charges of general laxity of per-
orming duties at several Of the farms
~ the three members of the prison /
board of trustees. resulted in the in
lictment of each Of the three mem.
'ers on charges of malfeasance in /
'ffice Col w. A. Montgomery. a
nemter OF the board and one Of the
'est known men In the state, was {
ried on this charge, convicted, fined
100 and ordered from office. He ia
olding his Office, however, pending
ppeal Of the case.
Indifference to duty is spoken Of,
connection with the disastrous o.
rison fire on the Oakley farm when n
lirty-five, conEicts, trapped in an an. al
lquated wooden r.cage,r lost their in
yes. A special state committee that c;
Investigated the fire reported general q
Encouragement and lack of protec-
on for prisoners at the Oakley farm. h,
The chairman of the prison board Sc
no faces the malfeasance charge bl
IS been convicted OF embezzlenent. to
g Is G. C. Smith, who now is serving in
five year sentence. He was found
lilty Of taking 5000 he obtained on be
automobile deal made for the M
ate. fst
With the prison scandal stirring or
9 whole state and prospects of te
archlng investigate ninto every I'M
ate department, Leigh Watkins, a pl,
ERIK In the state land commission.
8 ONCE, confessed to embezzling be
% and was sentenced to, years m;
prisonment. ! ~ 9a La,
Other convictions in connection la,
tn the prison system include j. L. an
,Lendon. former sergeant at Ran. du
farm, who pleaded guilty to steal.
cotton grown on the farm. He vii
IS sentenced to six months impris. or
ment. Gaines Purvis, McLendcn,s tbs
'istant. pleaded guilty to the same
arge and was given the same SEN -
zee. A. P. Miller, a wealthy plant. u
peladed guilty to assisting Prryis
McLendon. and was fined $500.
mere has been only one conviction
. lar as result of investigation of
er departments. That came last Uk
onesday when T. H. Turley. for.
steward at the state insane asy-
) was found guilty of embezzlIng
and was sentences to two years
prison.