Evening journal., 1920-08-26
URGES PROBE OF
CRUELTY TALE
fContinued From First PAGE. !


Baltimore evening paper, July % and
subsequent days -four publications
in ALI, an account OF alleged mis-
treatment Of the prisoner by the Sher-
iff before the execution, with the
view OF securing a confession from
him. inclose you the clippings re-
ferred to. The other Baltimore papers,
so far as l know. did not comment
upon the matter at all.
After that the incident was re-
ferred to more or less extensively in
some Of the county papers. / in
close you typical accounts, one from
the Cumberland Times OF July 2S.
1EO, and another from the Frederick
News OF the same date, denying the
report. | inclose also a clipping from
the Afro-American.
In addition, ! have received several
letters Of protest, all OF these, how
ever, being based upon she above
newspaper accounts.
The report as published is so
shocking that It's truth, particularly
III view Of the high regard | have al
ways had for Sheriff Soulsbv i m-
conceivable to me. and yet il IS one Of
those things which, however great
may be our sense Of doubt, should not
be allowed to pass unnOticed. because
II true those responsible should be
punished, and II untrue those charged
with, responsibility should be vindi.
Gated
Accordingly, | have interviewed
Colonel Baughman. the Commissioner
of Motor Vehicles. who was on the
scene with 10 Of the State motorcycle
deputies, and | have also seen some
OF the representatives Of the press
who were present. From the best
| Judgment have in this way been able
to form, feel that none of the motor
cycle deputies either participated IN
or witnessed anything Of the kind that
that has been alleged and what | was
able to learn in the nature OF cor
l rOboration Of the charges rested too
lmuch on hearsay and inference fOe me
/ to place real reliance upon it. The
| Sheriff has publicly denied the
charges, and one of the leading citi-
zens Of Easton, in whom | have the
most implicit confidence, advises me
/ that, after careful inquiry, he has not
been able to substantiate them.
Necessarily, however, any investi-
/ cation | could make must be 10 4
certain degree informal because
have not the powers of the grand in
| quest. II an INVESTIGATION is TO bf
made, II should ! think, be made by
a tribunal which has complete power
to inquire, and TO punish or to vindi.
I cate.
"The charges are. Of course. al.
rected at the sheriff, and do not
understand that have any iurisdic.
tion or control over him. lie Is. how.
ever The sheriff Of your court. anc
subject to the grand jury Of Talbot
county; and If the occasion warrant.
it, YOU can, Of course, ask the granr
jury to investigate. AS YOU have no.
done this. assume that, with III,
actual knowledge which your pres
enec in .Easton may give YOU. vol
have not felt that a grand jury in.
quiry IS called for.
Il DO not for one moment mean Il
say That it is. Indeed, as have al.
ready said, such Investigation as
have been able to make happily ha,
not substaniiated the charges. Thi
charges have, however, been mad
publicly IN 4 cirnlmslan,iqi wav an,
regard the matter as Of sufflcien
/ importance to Justify me in formal,
bring ne 20 your aitfuil0n The flct
/ which ! have outlined. and at leas
some ~ which you may not know
with the additional statement tina
Colonel Baughman and the Stat
motorcycle deputies are at your serv
T, ice or that Of your local authorities a
lsny time
81 feel confident that any disposi
ton You sec Gt to make Of the mat
Ter. whether il be to refer it to tn
grand intN dr. q VIII b. ih
result OF your deliberate and souni
judgment. properly Influenced by sucl
personal knowledge as You have .
may acquire, and that the people 0
the State win be entirely satisfies
with your decision, as, assure you
. I viii ho