The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1920-07-01
A SHAMEFUL, DIS
GRACEFUL TRANSACTION

Goldsby, notorious negro criminal,
has Spilled the beans" and made
sensational revelation concern
ing wys and means to get out of
the Mississippi penitentiary.
1t costs Goldsby, according to
his confession, $4,000 to secure a
60-day suspension of his 5-year
sentnec in the penitentiary, and he
paid that sum believeing that he
was getting a complete pardon.
The beneficiaries of the pay
ment, according to Goldsby, were
ex-Gov. Theo. G. Bilbo, Capt. A. B.
Schauber, Russell's campaign man.
ager, A. H. Wilson, sergeant at
the Parchman convict farm, and
Site Senator Harry K. Murray, of
Warren county.
Goldsby claims that he was
doubled-crossed by these warm
personal friends of Gov. RusselPs,
that they promised him a pardon
outright, saying that the suspen-
sion of sentence was merely to
cover the period until July when
they could get before the state
board of pardons and secure his
release outright; that he left for
Chicago expecting to never return
to this state, believeing that the
Governors friends would carry
out their agreement to make the
pardon final.
Goldsby lis now in the Warren
county Jail where he will be held
for a few days. 1t was learned
here this morning that the War
rem county authorities who
brought the noted crook back
from Chicago, are not inclined to
surrender him to the prison au-
thorities until they first learn what
steps if any the Governor is going
to make toward an investigation
of the sensational charges he has
preferred against Russell's per-
sonal political friends.
While it was doubtful whether
the Warren officials have the au-
thority to hold Goldsby indefinite
ly, it is at least significant that
they took hi indirect to Vicksburg
instead of delivering him to the
authorities at Parchman.
Bilbo, according to Goldsby, got
$500 of the money; Senator Muir
ray $1,000; Capt. Schauber $1,000,
and the rest went to .Sergenat Will
son of Camp No. z and possibly
others.
Goldsby also says that Bilbo
made two visits to the Parchman
farm to see him and to arrange
things" for his release, that nego-
tiations were opened even before
he went to the penitentiary to COM
mence his 5-year sentence.
THE noted crook says that he
signed one check for $4,000 which
was written out for him by Bilbo,
and signed in the presence of C.
c. Cohen and James w. William
son, the latter superintendent of
the penitentiary.
The sixty days suspension of
Goldby's sentence is unprecedent-
ed in the criminal annals of this
state, and much credence is put in
GOldby's statement that he was as
sured by Russell's friends that the
suspension was merely to cover
ixty days period until action could
be obtained from the State Board
of Pardons at it's regular meeting
in this city.
The preamble to the document
bearing Russell's signature, and in
compliance with which Goldby
was given his release from prison,
sets forth that petition had been
filed with the Governor, when as
a matter of fact no petition was
ever published in Warren county,
as required by law, and it would
be illegal to grant a pardon with
out first. going through this for
mality.
The revelation of Goldby tends
to confirm a report that was cur
rently circulated during the recent
Legislative session concerning the
commercial traffic in pardons, and
it was because of these reports
that an overwhelming majority of
the members of the legislature
favored the bill introduced by Mr..
Stone of Warrington, to abolish the
State Board of Pardons, and place
it's duties in the hands of the
prison board of trustees.
Many ugly rumors were current
during the Bilbo administration
concerning prices ranging any
where from $500 to $4,000, being
secured for pardons, and both
houses of the legislature passed
the Stone bill, abolishing the State
board, but it was vetoed by the
Governor, and failed to pass again
by the required majority of two
thirds.
Colby claims that his principal
negotiations were with Ex-Gov.