The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1914-03-27
GATHINGS SPEAKS IN OWN DEFENSE.
Replies to Attack of G. 6. Smith and Tells Many
Things that Make Interesting READING.

Why didn't he tell YOU that up to
the time took charge, and some little
time after, the unfortunate sick among
the white cOnvicts were forcibly con-
fined in the same building with negroes
suffering from tuberculosis, who were
allowed to mingle with the other pris-
oners, thereby subjecting all to infec-
tion, and that | segregated the tuber-
culosis patients?
The Oakley hospital, being conven-
iently located, within twelve miles of
Major Smiths lnsmore farm, he was
enabled to make frequent visits to
Oakley, possibly visiting this place
twice to my once. Why didn't he state
the facts to you that he grossly neg
lected his plain duty to visit the other
farms monthly. as required by law,
(See sec. 1896, Code 1861 and that he
failed to visit the Rankin farm for
months consecutvely in 1912. and that
his neglect to visit and inspect certain
camps at Parchman caused him to be
actually unacquainted with some of the
camp sergeants, whom he had not met
or known for as long period Os year
and half after their appointment?
(See testimony of Sergeants Burkett
and Murphy, in the hands of the Gov
ernor.)
In attempting to draw fire on my
head, Smith has hidden from you much
of his own shortcomings that need to
be shot at-and suppose that is why
he fails to explain, among so many
things that are dark and crooked, of
his doings, how he managed to draw
pay for duties that were never per-
formed. Why didn't he tell you, gen
tlemen, what disposition 'wass made Of
the carload of farm produce sent to tht
state fair for exhibition purposes from
J Parchman, and also TIE wagonloads OF
same excellent stuff sent from the 9th
er farm nearer Jackson? Why didn't
he tell you who paid for the buffet es
tablished at the state fair and main
tanned to dispense campaign liquors
Major Smith in charge, and why thi!
'liquid cheer" was go lavishly distribu
, ted that the Mississippi state peniten
tiary exhibit became as a stencil in tn
nostrils of all good people?
:, | feel sure that none better was abl
E to explain to your honorable and fair
minded committee than the convivia
Major why the state should pay for tn
r whiskey, or any part of it, dispensed a
, the penitentiary office at the Capital il
| the year 1912 during the session of tn
: legislature. while the cotton investiga
r ton was under way; and why did h
v fail to tell the committee who it wa
s paid for the liquor used to attempt
lobby a bill through the legislature t
8 curtal the power vested in the superb
v tendent of the penitentiary and plac
: that power into the hands of himself?
l. Also, who paid for the 'booze" s
J., freely dispensed at the pen-otfice 81
d loon lobbying his bills through to ad
It more trustees to the penitentiary boar(
n making argument at the time that h
l. reason was that "Old Montgomery ws
q merely a notch on the stick, not fit fl
t. a trustee, and Taylor was too old, - ar
e that he needed these additional tru
tees to relieve him of the burden {
n running the whole show? And. upe
o the Governor seeing the ''nigger in Il
10 woodpile" and vetoing this bill, M
], Smith, in frenzied disappointment
s. proceeded then to apply such vile eI
is thets to the Governor as to be unprin
n able, and swore dire vengeance upt
n him.
ne He should have told you why he us.
ne that $50 check with my name signed
s. Yerger, without authority, for the pu
as pose of buying whiskey during the s.
at ting of the legislature of 1912, and wi
he didn't he explain who paid for tho
two cases of whiskey stolen from t
IL pen-office saloon during the same S
e. ting? And in what manner Yerger W
\ instructed to so manipulate whisk
e. money that it would not appear as
ur matter of item on the penitentiary rt
ID ords. In order that may be borne c
MS in some of this, shall here request y
,ct to call Mrs. O. M. Spickard, our pr
de ent secretary, and question her as
the use of the secretary's office as
of saloon, etc as she was then acting
NJ. Yerger's assistant secretary.
a Major Smith surely forgot to info
he Won about certain horse transact
he wherein his horse down at lnsmore
came affected with the lockjaw, fou
ith his way to Jackson, and finally was c.
) | veyed to Parchman. becoming prope
ent of the state penitentiary at Camp
the /. and another horse in good condit
vo- was sold as substitute from Camp
ich check for same applied to pay for
In answer to Smiths claim that
- conspiracy existed to kill him and Bill
the I desire to say that if any such prep
ate ferrous conspiracy existed at all. it m
on. have been in his own maudlin bra
,lso and | am surprised that he did
ent mention seeing green lizards, frogs
0ohlins of the same kind of halluci
,;ch fion. At the time he tells you OF
and exnerience at Parchman, and the
L