The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1921-12-16
OLDEST PRISON
OFFICIAL STATE
is VISITOR HERE
CAPT. JACK NELSON WARDEN AT
BRUSRY MOUNTAIN ENTERED
SERVICE IN 1894.
WAS OUT FOR A FEW YEARS
But Has Served Under Every Govern
or From Peter Turney to Az Tay-
Tor With the Exception of Hooper
Homo in Maury County.
tFrom Saturdays Daily Herald)

tFrom Saturdays Daily Herald)
Captain w. II. Jack" Nelson, war
den of the state prison at Brushy
Mountain, Morgan county and oldest
prison official in Tennessee in point
of service returned today to the pri-
son after visit to his mother at
Enterprise. Captain Nelson, although
he has been away from this county
nearly third OF century still
claims Maliry as his home.
1t was away back in 1894 when a
young man that Capt. Nelson entered
the service of the states prison de.
partment. That was before there was
a branch prison at Br,lshy Mountain
ADD when the convict lease system
was in full vogue. He was appointed
guard at Tracy City and served in
that capacity for several years. Later,
with the completion of the branch
prison at Brusby Mountain and the
abolition of the lease system in work
ing the mines, he was made deputy
warden. After service of several
years as deputy warden under num-
her of governors he was rewarded by
appointment as warden, an Office that
he filed with great satisfaction How.
ever, he was not re-appointed by Gov
Patterson and left the prison service
to enter that Of the Brushy Mountain
Coal Company But when Governor
Rye came to select a warden for the
Brushy Mountain prison Capt, Nelson
was again appointed and four years
later he was re-appointed by Gov
Roberts and is still in Office.
In his long career with the prison
system and altogether he has been in
the service nearly eighteen years, he
las served under every governor from
Peter Turney, who originally appoint
ed him. to Gov Taylor, with the sin
gle exception of Gov. Hopper. While
not appointed by Gov. Patterson, he
served several months as warden I'M
der that executive.
1t is rather remarkable circum-.
stance that Warden Linn, of the Nash
vile prison, entered the prison SER
vice about the same time Capt. Mel
SON However, Warden Linn left the
service to become county court clerk
and later sheriff of Bedford county,
and his whole service with the state
is less than half that Of Capt Nelson.
The Brushy Mountain warden has
reputation all over the country as one
of its foremost prison experts. He
has always been complimented on his
discipline, which has been maintain
ed at the minimum of punishment.
He combines firmness with kindness
in his dealings with the convicts, all
of whom respect him.
1--WE have had hard time with the
mines this year." said Captain Mel
son 1t has been almost impossible
10 market our steam coal, and most
of that mined at Brushy Mountain Is
steam coal We have had to cut out
our night work altogether and very
greatly reduce our output. This de.
spite the great decrease in the prison
population. There have been times
when we had as many as 500 prison
ers at Brushy/Mountain, but we got
down TO 400, the prison population OF
Tennessee having been greatly reduc-
ed in recent years. There has been
slight increase in the past few
months and we now have $50 prison
ers,. but that is not much more than
half the number we had at the peak
Of population