The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1914-03-27

III east mississippi, ana the sergeant at
Camp No 9, Tom Dent, got up out of a
sick bed and went to meet Smith, Bilbo
and company unarmed, to answer
charges brought against him, and which
charges, just prior to this, had been
passed over and dismissed by the board,
and while now Tom Dent was not per-
mitted to hear testimony introduced
against him, in secret session within
walls, nor was he permitted to make
defense. Dent was unarmed there,
while Major Smith had with him his
arsenal, fortified by quart of whisky.
l do agree that there was a conspir-
acy-a conspiracy in which C. H. Ney-
land was offered the job of superintend
ent in Jackson before any charges were
ever preferred against me; but when
the time was thought to be ripe to put
the scheme into execution to depose me,
Col. Montgomery would not stand
hitched, and the whole measly plan fell
to the ground. thank God that the
old Bilbo story of Haman and his gal
lows was here repeated. l want to call
yeur especial attention to the fact that
Major Smith and his cohorts visited
Parchman at time when the real Gov
ernor was absent from Mississippi, to
try to do this mean, dirty little trick.
The public can readily see his reasons
for so doing.
If it becomes necessary for the Gov
ernor to sit in trial of little farm SER
geant (which authority is delegated by
law only to the trusteesl, then why
didn't they take Governor Brewer up
there to perform this honorary duty?
When and while an effort was being
made to fire me for not removing the
white prisoners back to Rankin farm,
in accordance with the request of the
legislature, the board well knew had
Letters on file from majority of the
lawmakers giving me right of authorl-
ty to keep the white contingent on at
Parchnian till the crop was laid by in
August. ..
should like to have MIR. Smith eX.
plain why he never posed as the prison
ers' sympathetic friend, but was the
rabid advocate of the free use of the
leather until became superintendent
and then, and not until then, had 81
sudden change of heart, falling in with
Col. Montgomery's plea for less fog
ging for the first time and then mad'
it his business to visit and stir up tn,
white camp against me and all author
!ity on every occasion, putting it int
the heads of the white prisoners that
was their oppressor, when it is wei
known fact that in the years prior t
my induction into Office, ne advocated
the free use of the lash, saying that i
took not less than 80 lashes to conque
man, and was heard to admonish Nc
ClendOn that he was too tender-hea
and did not use enough leather on tn
white men.
Now, after am made superintenc
ent, Colonel Montgomery plea TO
! mercy finally prevails and the lashing
J were reduced from 80 at fiogging
Is.
If Mr.. Smith is so good and kind
poor convicts, trying now TO pose as
, humanitarian, why did he order larg
number of negro convicts whipped {
} camp No. 10 under the former superb
: tendent simply because they had con
planned to Col. Montgomery for SON
real or fancied grievance. And VIII
) didn't he vote to abolish the use of tt
S lash, which have frequently requests
r them to do because of the too much co
! poral punishment, and substitute SON
: other humane method of punishment
when he we'll knows that the boal
n alone pass all rules and regulations go
e erning the convicts, and it is the du
:. of the superintendent only to see tn
!, these rules and regulations al
! carried out? (See sec. 1893, Code 1906
: have heretofore refrained from sa
n ing much about "Poor Charley" pen
ing the final disposition of his case, b.
d | have little sympathy for a man wi
y knows nothing of the finer feeling
: who grossly insults his benefactor; W
t. is never animated by higher mott
y in his everyday life than the practi
e of chicanery in a business transactio
Ie and being utterly devoid of gratitud
t. spitefully turns, like mean dog, a
As bites the hand that extends kindne
y at time of deep distress. Alas, pc
a Yerger, the goat. ]. c. Gathings.