The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-03-29
WARDEN TELLSOF
CRUEL TREATMENT
OF THE CONV|CTS
Thrasher Says Sawyer De-
liberately Killed Man Who
Had Offended Him
TENNESSEE co. MEN
ON WITNESS STAND
Testify That Company Had No OPP
portunity to Renew Contract
for Convicts in Fall
of 1911
By L. s. BETTY

Montgomery, March S-(Special.)- 1.-The
killing of a negro convict by sawyer at
the Henderson Lumber companys plant
at Sanford, in the spring of 1912. the sub
seouent removal of the warden who re-
ported the occurrence TO James G. Oak
lev and Lon f. Greer. president and as
sociate inspector OF the state board OF
,yaehylctr. and the transactions leading up
to the transfer OF convicts from the Ten
nessee Coal. Iron and Railroad company
to the Banner mines. owned by the Pratt
Consolidated Coal company, were the
most important features brought out in
the testimony before Examiner of Pub
lie Accounts c. e. Mccall this afternoon
in the convict department probe.
Disclosure of the death of convict at
Sanford caused by the agency of saw
yer employed by the Henderson Lumber
company, was brought out in the sworn
testimony of e. W. Thrasher, warden at
the camp at Sanford from the fall of
1el1 to the spring of 1872 Thrasher was
lately employed as guard at the peni-
tentiary at Wetumpka, position from
which he resigned one week ago.
Thrasher told the board of inquiry that
Inspector Greer had transferred him to
StnTDTu lOf Tie puIppSc Vi ptCFcHtiHS 81
many escapes He testified to abuses
heaped upon the convicts, and declared
that he protested TO an official of the
company concerning the action of a saw
YER after certain convicts had made COM
plants to him relative to that employe.
Convicts Reported Sawyer
Witness said that the sawyer became
enraged because the convicts had report
ed him and threatened to XIII one of
those - before Saturday night
The sawyer's opportunity came, accord
ing to witness, a short While later A log
became loose, and convict was COM
manded to go beneath the machinery and
place the log in position
when he was under the ramp the saw
yer pulled the lever and ran the carriage
upon the convict" declared Thrasher
Witness testified that he went to the
superintendent and demanded the saw
yers discharge. The superintendent pro-
tested and witness declared he told him
|, he would take the matter up with the
convict board Later they came to Mont
eomery together and discussed the mat
ter with James G. Oakley and l.. f..
Greer.
That afternoon, according to witness,
he was told by Inspector Greer that he
was to be transferred to Belle Ellen
DAYS later he was Informed that he would
have to take the position at Belle Ellen
as assistant warden.
Thrasher could not recall the name of
the convict who was killed nor could he
, remember the name of the sawyer. He
said he understood that he had subse-
auently been discharged for neglect of
duty.
Thrasher said he Quit the service of
.,..f Il ts-
day, but gave no reason for his action.
He was serving as guard at the main
penitentiary at Wetumpka.
Following the sensational testimony Of
Thrasher, officials of the Tennessee Coal.
iron and Railroad company were exam
ined by r. V Evins, counsel for the
state the greater part of the testimony
brought out having to do with the trans
actions leading up to the transfer of the