Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-01-22
BLEASE OPENLY
VAUNTS HATRED
Of NEGROES
South Carolina Governor Charac-
terizes Blacks ''0n Order Of
Lower Animals"


;overnor Cole l.. Blease granted par
ions. paroles and combinations Of
.entence to hundreds of convicts last
ear is set forth in a message trans
united to the Legislature to-day. 1t
s printed book of 1913 pages. Since
,ssuning office, three years ago, Gov
srnor Blease has extended clemency
in 9s2 cases.
The striking feature of the re-
port Is the bold manner in which he
expresses his opinion Of negroes, as
being "on the order Of lower ami
mails"
The negro race" he asserts. has
absolutely no standard of morality
They are, in that respect. a class by
themselves, as marital infidelity
seems to be their most favorite pas
lime. II every negro in this State
that is guilty of bigamy or marital
infidelity is brought up and con-
victed. labor will be much scarcer
han it is and many acres that are
row cultivated will be idle
commends Negro Whippers.
In reporting that he had granted
with much pleasure" full pardons TO
three white men convicted of assault
and battery on two negroes, Govern
or Blease states that the blacks had
been engaging in dirty and SANDER
GUS talk and a party of white men
took these two negroes to the woods
and gave them what they deserved
p genuine, f1rst-class whipping"
These white gentlemen" the Gov
enor says, did exactly right
In telling of parole granted to
sam Gaskins, a negro convicted of
manslaughter Governor Blease says.
This negro, being engaged to ne
gro girl, called to see her, and IN
iooling with pistol it went off and
tilled her. 1t seems to have been 4
very sad accident; however. after \
second thought. possibly It was for
me good of humanity, for had they
married no doubt they would have
brought forth more negroes to the flu
ture detriment of the State
likens Negro to Mule.
Commenting on his action in com
muting the sentence of Stake Morris
ID negro murderer, from death TO life
Imprisonment, the Governor says:
This defendant was convicted of
Milling another negro. | am naturally
gainst electrocuting or hanging one
negro for killing another, because, if
a man had two fine mules running
loose in a lot and one went mad and
kicked and killed the other, he GER
tanly would not take his gun and
shoot the other mule, but would take
that mule and work it; therefore. l
believe that when one negro kills
another he should be put in the PEN
Tertiary and made to work for the
State"
Notwithstanding the contemptuous
attitude which he assumes toward ne
groes as a class, Governor Blease in
The message expresses compassion for
Individual negroes who he says have
been i'll treated in the penitentiary
and frequently gives as a reason for
liberating black convicts that they
are white mems negroes"
Cites Prison Cruelty.
In telling of a parole granted to
simeon Ellis, a negro murderer, Gov
ernor Blease submits letters to the
effect that the negro was cruelty tor
tured by the penitentiary authorities
for speaking to the Governor one day
without the guards permission. Nj
merous other cases of alleged cruelty
10 prisoners are cited by Governor
Blease in excuse of his extension of
clemency
One reason given for the paroling of
J. Allen Emmerson, a murderer, is
that the convict's sisters health has
been broken by the grief caused by
his imprisonment
Not infrequently the Governor in
MS report speaks scornfully or angrily
or the prosecutors of the convic,s
whom he has released.
In granting clemency to Bud VIII
is white man convicted on the evil
oence of private detectives of violat-
ing the liquor laws, Governor Blease
hercely denounces private detectives.