The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1914-02-07
HAVE GOTTEN NOWHERE IN
PROBE OF ALLEcED FRAUD
uLENT COTTON SALES.
BREWER AGAIN ON The STAND
Governor Htames Sergeant Byrd For
Holocaust at oakley Farm-Praises
Burns sIeuths for Efficient Work
Dan Lehon Is Witness.


mitting that they were accomplishing
nothing by pursuing the examination
of Gov Brewer to ascertain what he
had been able to learn concerning the
alleged fraudulent handling of the
states cotton, with special reference
to heavy purchases by Boyce & Co..
members of the senate and house
special penitentiary investigation com
mittee yesterday afternoon decided to
suspend that part of the program, for
the present at least.
Soon after the committee met Mr.
johnson, of Wilkinson, offered a reso
1ution to this effect. and it was adopt
ed. Senator Myers was the only mem.
Der of the committee present who be.
1feved the committee should continue
to wrestle with the mass of figures
laid before them by the governor He
said they might stop too quick" The
Others believed that inasmuch as Gov.
Brewer. with all the means at his COM
mand, had been unable to bring the
Investigation up to the clinching point,
as regards Boyce, they certainly would
be unable to do it, suggesting that aft
er all the courts would decide the
whole matter.
Wjthers Wants Explanation.
Leaving this feature the committee
took up other subjects. Gov. Brewer
(and Dan S. Lehon. head of the south
ern agency, In New Orleans, of the
Burns Detective forces, were the only
witnesses. However, those in the room
were treated to a near-thrill when
Senator Withers came in and asked
Representative Majors il the gentle
man from Alcorn enc ant any insinua-
ton" when. in a sworn statement, he
movements on the night when papers
from the desk of Mr.. Majors were
stolen. Mr. Majors assured the Sena-
tor he meant to cast no reflection on
him or Detective H. A. Pagan, the
other man mentioned, saying he re-
ferred to them simply to corroborate
his own movements on that evening.
He said he was sorry that the senator
had even suspicioned that he meant
any reflection.
Gov. Brewer was before the commit
tee for two hours, being quizzed main
y by Senator Norwood, Senator Myers
and Representative Nabors. He told
of frequent visits to Oakley prior to
the fire last summer, of his ideas re-
garding the methods by which the pen
itentiary department should be govern
ed, OF his conclusions regarding whom
he thought responsible for the disas-
trous fire at Oakley that cost the lives
of IS convicts, and of the efficient
work of the Burns sleuths in the whole
prison investigating. He declared that
without the help of experts he never
would have been able to ascertain
anything like the amount of informa-
ton secured, and said the services of
the Burns men had repaid the state,
or would do so when recoveries ON
bonds were finished, at the ratio of
two dollars to the state where one had
been expended for the investigation.
5lames Byrd For Fire.
Gov. Brewer took occasion to read
into the record of the committee pro-
ceedings letters that he had received
from Col. Leroy Taylor, former trus-
tee, offering him every aid and as
sistance in his power in the investiga-
lion, saying he wanted this done in
Justice to the former trustee
When asked whom he thought was
for the fire at the Oakley
Larm Gov Brewer. here questioned by
Senator Norwood, said the disaster
was An unfortuhate accident, but of all
men he would say that the sergeant
Who allowed the prisoners, even out of
he goodness Of his heart. to move
rom overcrowded cages to the one
vhere the lower floor was used to
tore corn. hay, molasses and other
arm products. The governor said in
ply to questions. that he did NOT hold
y. ], G. Gathines. the farm superin-
sndent. responsible, because evidence
bowed that he had not ordered the
lisoners removed, but on the con-
Nv had Instructed Sergeant Byrd
Irse The building IS barn. He said
- Gathines had known Of the con-
~ sleeping IN the doomed cage he
4 Z ia hsId him responsible. but