Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-06-13
BRUTALITY CHARGED =
At STATE PRISON
BY PROBE WITNESS
BY ED III. BRADLEY
(JournaI Staff Correspondent

BY ED III. BRADLEY
journal Staff Correspondent
MILLEDGEVILLE Ga, June II.
| Severe criticism of the conditions
at the operations of the state prison
| farm was voiced at the opening SEES
sion here today of the special in
vestigating committee named by
! Governor Hardwick.
Brutality toward prisoners, lack
| of proper food and clothing and
failure to provide medical treatment
| were charged by J. Christie, for
mer prisoner at the state farm, tes-
tifying as a witness before the
board of superior court judges.
The first session of the investi-
eating body was held at the court
house and was open to the public,
although it was announced by Judge
w. E. H. Searcy, chairman of the
commission, that the testimony of
prisoners at the institution would
be taken in executive session.
The hearing was attended by many
spectators and officials at the state
farm, including the three members
of the state prison commission and
A. J. Perryman, of Talbotton, chair
man Of the house committee on the
state penitentiary.
The investigating commission has
indicated that several days will Re
consumed in the probe, and has
summoned about a dozen witnesse
in addition to the prioners to be in
terviewed at the state farm. Bert
Donaldson, agent of the churches
prison commission of Atlanta, is
among those summoned to appear.
Christie a Witness
ment from Judge Searcy, chairman
Of the commission, to the effect that
the investigating body would probe
the physical condition Of the state
prison farm, would take testimony
as to charges of inefficiency, mis-
management, or brutality to pris-
orers, but would not go into dis
cussion of theoretical method Of
prison operation.
1.-THE testimony Of all persons eX-
cept inmates of the state prison
farm" said Judge Searcy, will be
taken in public, but executive SEES
sions will be held to take testimony
from prisoners.
J.. Christie, a former prisoner at
the state farm, now on probation,
was the first witness. He described
several incidents at the state farm,
following the line OF his statements
issued recently to newspapers re.
garding brutality to prisoners.
Christie declared that an ex-serv-
ice man named Robert Lee benson,
of Atlanta, sent up for automobile
theft, was brutally whipped at the
prison, although he was afflicted.
mentally, being subjected to a form
of epilepsy. The witness declared
ne ndu IO cIS CllAloL oAAJ ~ 49,
on official Having no grievance,
except that he was not fed as wen
as might be expected at an instltu'
ton Of that kind.
Physician Criticized
Another case, that of w. r. Lips
comb, a prisoner from Atlanta,
was related by Christie. Lipscomb
was ill with diabetes, the witness
declared, but the prison physi-
clan, DR.. P. M. Compton, refused
to examine the prisoner for sew
eral days prior to his death. "Men
who are critically i'll at the farm
are shamefully neglected." declared
Christie, adding that ]. E. Smith,
warden of the prison farm, himself
criticised the lack of medical atten-
ton given prisoners.
practically every official at the
prison farm has criticized the pris-
on physician in my presence" said
Christie. But when there is attack
or criticism made against the prison
administration, the officials all hang
together and cover up the true state
of affairs" Christie asserted that
the tradition at the farm is that
prisoners who tell things outside
are dealt with harshly.
Questioned by Judge Hammond,
the witness stated that while the
prisoner Lipscomb probably would
have died regardless of what medi'
cal treatment was given, the prison
physician refused to visit Lips.
comb even when the latter appealed
for attention. Efforts by Lipscomb
to obtain money which he had de-
posted with the warden to buy
certain articles of diet were un-
availing, the witness declared, al
though at the last, just before his
death, the warden sent two dollars
for this purpose.
1.-THE tradition of the prison is
that if prisoners put money in the
hands of Warden Smith, they get
it back when he gets good and
ready" the witness said.