Evening journal., 1920-01-17

confined
since my appointment a. warden
the duties " my Office have more than
doubled from former administrations
The development and new buildings on
our new farm, tremendous increase In
court work. and the difficulty OF buy
Ing supplies have only been few OF
The things ] have had 10 contend With
spend an average OF ninety days q
year from eight-thlrty a. m. TO seven
D. m. on Court OF General Sessions
work alone. In tlis work have handled
many hundred prisoners without any
escapes and think in manner salts
factory 60 the court. some OF these
men have been notorious criminals and
very desperate men.
"The actual escape u Price has been
described SO many times that II ap-
pears unnecessary FOR me to describe
70, but I wish 20 call attention to a
few points.
"Tlie guard whose duty Il was to sec
that Price was locked IN his cell not
only locked the door without looking
10 see II he was in, but reported that
he was locked in. Had this man done
his duty Price could not have escaped,
and vet, strange TO say, this guard has
not even been reprimanded by he
board Of trustees, and IS still on duty
here. The clerk who let Price out had
no right 10 pass out a prisoner unless
he knew him 10 be all right. These
are details that | have to necessarily
leave 20 the guards, for II Is simply
impossible for me 90 be at the door 10
identify each man who goes out. On
the day Of Prices escape 7 had Just
returned from Judge Rice's Office with
some releases for the discharge OF prls-
oners and the daily mail. / was busy
reading this mail when the clerk let
Price out. did not 20 TO the door 10
examine him, for had every confidence
in the clerk, who had been employed
here for four and q half years, and
who was familiar with The rules ana
upon whom | would have 10 depend
II / had been ten minutes later any
way. 10 was not unusual for a man
10 be going out at that time. as the
home farm men and the flremen always
20 about 3 O'Clock or shortly after.
In fact, trusty from the Delcastle
Farms came down only a few nights
after the escape at almost the same
time 10 get a bag Of bread for break
fast at the bunk house.
In the matter OF the locking device,
according 10 the rul u Is the duty OF
the deputy warden 10 make frequent
and thorough examination Of them and
report 10 me II they are out Of order.
had not received any report OF Prices
door OF the corridor door being out Of
order up 70 the time Of his escape.
Judge Ball las made many criticisms
Of my administration, ] freely admit
but. instead Of being constructive crlti-
clsm, Il has been In the nature OF con-
tlnusl heckling or bounding ever since
the Ganges case IN which ! flrst Offend
ed him by permitting the states wit
nesses 10 see II they could pick Ganges
out in a line mp OF other prisoners. This
animosity has continued from that day
on, and was clearly shown in his state
ment.
..The whole AFFAIR has been handled by
the board Of trustees with the evident
Intention 10 save their faces and while
wash their records at my expense as
shown clearly by the publication OF
their statement 90 the Grand Jury by
the newspapers before they tthe Grand
Jury) had reported their findings. This
was IN my opinion a clear attempt to
anticipate the report OF the Grand Jury
and influence public sentiment in Their
favor and al my expense.
"In conclusion. ! only ask that you
read carefully the report OF the board
and the statement OF Judge Ball and
YOU can easily see where the maleNol-
ence and anlmosity Jays. have not at
this time received any demand from
the board for my resignation, ana lall
10 see their right 10 ask it. when the
Grand Jury found them equally guilty.
unless they first submit their reslgna-
lions 10 the Court, which seems doubt
ful considering the amount Of while
wash they applied TO themselves. !
am willing TO assume any responsibility
that may fall on me, but refuse TO be
a goat for anyone, and hereby change
thst any laxity OF discipline In the
yyorkhouse has been caused by the
cheapness anc mistaken ideas or the
hoard OF trustees in regards to the pay
ment of deosnt salaries and by the con-
tlnual interference with discipline Sy
II Frank Ball by the issuing Of indis-
crlminate passes and the general opinion
among the prisoners that If they gel
him for their lawyer they VIII get
special privileges.
~ have been in the prison business
for nineteen years and never had any
criticism OF my methods before. The
hoard examined my record very care
fully before | was appointed and they
seemed 10 be entlrel.' satisfied with my
conduct of the institution up TO the
tiple OF this escape. Since that time
they have been very busy applying
whitewssh 70 themselves, and have sud
denly found out that J should resign.
n Is needless for me 10 say any more
as / am willing 10 let the verdict rest
with any fair, impartial persons to see
that justice is done.
Respectfully submitted,
"RiCHARD +. CROSS"
sharp denial by Attorney General
Relnhardt OF any personal animus
to,yar former judge J. Frank Ball In the
Investigation Of the County Workhouse
and intimation by friends OF Captain
Richard Cross, suspended warden OF the
yorkhouse. Of some further disclosures,
were latest features today TN the public
furore caused by the escape OF Lem
price. Negro murderer OF Patrolman
Zebley.
In formal statement issued through
his clerk. w. r. Minor, the attorney
general says:
"As 10 the report OF the board Of
trustees Of the workhouse, have no
comment 20 make upon II. AS to the re-
port Of Mr.. Ball, l desire to state that
he Is mistaken when he says ! had any
personal animus against him. ! never
have had such animus against him and
do not have Il now.
THE Grand Jury's report was based