Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-01-09

WASHINGTON, Jan. 9.-Senato Or
Hoke Smith has Joined Congressman
William Schley Howard in demand
ing a probe of conditions at the Unit
ed States Penitentiary in Atlanta.
Senator Smith in his public utter
ances consistently has RETAINED from
any comment indicating his attitude
in respect to the prison scandal, but
he made ii plain in letter sent to
the Civil Service Commission that
he considered it imperative that a
thorough investigation of affairs at
the prison be made.
He cited the fact that seven guards
had been discharged from the penl-
tertiary in December, and suggested
that this was a circumstance that
called for an immediate inquiry by
the commission.
This investigation, if made upon
the demand of Senator Smith and
Congressman Howard, will be entire
ly independent of any made by the
Department of Justice or by a Con-
gressonal committee.
Morse Allowed to Gamble.
Charles w. Morse, the ice trust
head, has been brought into the in
vestigation. it became known Friday,
through information given to the De-
partment of Justice that he was ac-
corded every facility to continue hts
stock manipulations while in the pen
itentiary, in defiance of all the prison
rules, and that he was in other re-
spects one of the favored convicts.
Assistant Attorney General Graham
is conducting the investigation Of the
alleged abuses at the prison, growing
out of the charges made by Congress
man Howard. He is in possession of
two formal complaints which cite va
rious ways in which Morse is said to
have been "petted" and favored while
a Federal prisoner.
Additional charges were contained
in a letter written to the Department
of Justice by ovid V. Shaw. a for
mer guard at the prison, who now lie
living IN Washington.
Shaw represents that he was forced
out of his job at the prison because
of the Vaccinations of an unscrupu-
lous clique the members of which
preferred charges against him. He
was suspended while the charges were
being investigated. he says, and then
after his dismissal the only way he
could get back home to his family was
through the kindness of the board of
charities.
Es-Gusrd Names Clique.
The ex- guard named as members
of the clique Captain Tucker. Guard
Clure, Guard Cobb. Night Captain
Schoen and others Shaw told of acts
Of unnecessary harshness he had wiz
messed on the part of some of the
guards.
His letter continues
From April 4. 1919. TIL Sep
TENDER 13 of last year excepting
few weeks when was sus-
pended ! was guarding, during
which time a general complaint
was made by prisoners to me and
other guards about their not hav-
ing enough to eat-no sugar and
their bread raw. one prisoner In
particular, whose name is Bun
van Bradley $3.50, with HON /
came in daily contact, becaJse he
was engaged In moving grass
about the warden's lawn and
field where | was guarding pris-
oners, stated that he could hardly
stand up on what he ate for
breakfast--a few "grits"
Because of this faction, dis
sension arose among the guards
and subofficials and persons liv-
ing in proximity to the prison
because they were dependent up
on the guards for a livelihood, in
that they ran boarding houses ex-
clusiveiy for them, and conse-
quently the whole prison was
thrown out of harmony, involv-
ing the murde" of Connors, the
prosecution Of Vance and my dis
mlssal from the service.