Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1919-06-20
LIBERTY AT LAST.

John Henry Powell, a negro from
McConnellsville, who was sent to Fort
Leavenworth for twenty years, has
been released from the Fort Leaven-
worth disciplinary military barracks.
The release of the negro comes
through the persistent efforts Of Hon.
J. S. Brice, late chairman Of Local Ex-
emption Board No. 2.
The case involves one of those out
RACES that have been more or less COM
mon in the exhibition of military JUS
tice during the war. The negro was a
victim of military procedure that does
not take into account the fitness OF
things.
It is a rather lengthy story, but shorn
Of some Of it's details it is like this.
Powell is harmless kind Of a fellow,
who if not crazy, is at least mentally
deficient. He ought never to have been
sent to the army in the first place. AS
a matter Of fact he was turned down
on his first examination; but was sent
up later upon a re-examination. After
he had been in Camp Jackson a month
he showed up at the home of Mr.. S. V.
Aycock, for whom he had been work.
ing. He told Mr.. Aycock he had come
back for good nights rest and some
thing to eat. Mr. Aycock reported
him to the board, and he agreed to go
back of his own accord Sometime
later he showed up at Mr.. Aycock's
again. When the military authorities
were notified they sent a military po-
liceman after him. Later he was sent
back shortly aftcrward with the ex-
rlo !, ,af he Stnv
in a country Of Singing" snakes, rat
tiers.
Investigation had previously con-
vinced Mr.. Brice and the other men,
bers Of the board that the negro was
so deficient mentally that he had no
business in the army and they tried to
get him out The military authorities
at Columbia, however, refused to turn
him back to civil authority. They ex-
amined him and decided that he was
mentally and physically sound, and
they sentenced him to Fort Leaven-
worth for twenty years.
Mr.. Brice felt outraged at the pro-
cedure especially in view OF the fact
that the two Hardin negroes, who had
deserted and whose people were re-
ceiving allotment money, while they
themselves were hiding in l-ole under
Ii
been given honorable discharges.
In correspondence with the authori-
ties at Camp Jackson Mr.. Brice criti-
cised their conduct SO severely that
they declared that he should be pub
licly reprimanded for such attitude
against officers for doing their duty.
But Mr.. Brice was not deferred. Par
aphrasing an appropriate Scrlptural
text, he said that if John Henry POW
ell deserved to go to the penitentiary
for twenty years. those Hardin negroes
should be sent up for thousand years.
Unable to do anything with the
thick-headed Indifference of the Camp
Jackson authorities, Mr.. Brice took the
case up with Secretary of War Baker,
and enlisted the personal cooperation
of CONGRESSMAN Stevenson. Mr.. Stew
enson went earnestly into the matter,
and after a few weeks Mr.. Bricc got a
promise that the case would be inves-
tigated and adjudicated IS soon as it
could be reached. This was back In
March. Within the last few days Mr..
Brice has received the following from
P. c. Harris, the adjutant general of
the army:
with further reference to your let
ter of March %, 1919, requesting Glenn
ency in behalf of John Henry Powell,
confined at the United States disciple
nary barracks, Fort Leavenworth, Kan
,as, 7 am directed by the secretary OF
war to inform you that the unexecuted
norton Of the sentence in the case of
Powell has been remitted. Notifica-
tion to this effect has been sent this
date to the commandant Of the bar
racks"