Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1922-03-14
PRISON FARMS
HANDY man IS
DR.. CHAPMAN
Life Convict, Now Trusty, Greets
Friends On Street Here AS
Citizen

DR.. Chas. X. Chapman, although
life term convict, was happy man
today-or as happy as father could
be who had been called home to the
bedside of a daughter whose life
hung in the balance. The daughter,
Miss Lollie Chapman, was consider
ably improved today and it was be-
lieyed that she would recovr, al
though she is not out of danger. The
tonsil hemorrhage has been checked,
but the poisons from the infection
are causing some anxiety.
Coming to Americas as a trusty
from the state prison farm at Mil
iedgeville, accompanied, he said, by
''the best guard that ever lived" he
was up town today and spent several
hours shaking hands and conVersing
on the streets with friends, for the
first time in more than five years.
Dressed in a natty salt and pepper
suit of clothes, clean shaVen and we'll
groomed, he seemed to enjoy his
.reedom in his home town immense
ly.. The guard kept himself in the
BACKGROUND most of the time---lA fact
out Of sight-so that the prisoner
was no more conspicuous than any
other citizen who had long been away
and had come back home.
Although a little thin of appear
ance, as remarked by his old friends,
his complexion bears a ruddiness of
good health. He is a gatekeeper, dem
tist, physician and handy man about
the state prison farm, and gets plenty
of exercise, outdoor atmosphere, and
activities enough to keep his mind oc-
cupied.
Works Early and Late
Il work early and late" said he;
81 am up before day and for the
last three weeks have been on the
gate until 10 o'clock at night. do
the dental work for all the prisoners,
and also practice medicine good
deal of the time. Not long ago there
was an outbreak of influenza in the
prison and we had something like 40
patients. | was asked if | would go
over and help take care of them.
told them it was not for me to say.
/ was told such service was not COM
pulsory, so / told them | would go
and | did, doing all kinds Of service
for those sick people, from treating
them to acting as servant. We lost
six Of them, but the others all loved
me when they got well.
Keeping SO busy here, there and
everywhere keeps me rather thin,"
but it has kept my mind occupied;
couldn't 'thave stood it at all had not
been kept busy; it would have killed
me. As it is, | am trusted and make
the best of the situation. | am sent
over to Milledgeville occasionally on
errands without guard.
Johnson In Wagon Yard.
Warren Johnson is getting along
well enough, there, to. He has a
place in the wagon yard and has fit
himself into the routine the best he
can"
Asked what he knew about the
progress of the movement to obtain
his freedom, he stated that Judge Da-
wilson, one of the three members of.
the prison board, had told him he be-
icNeu his CpltVlCCloH ana COnllnemenC
was the greatest injustice that ever
was.
And as there is a God in Heaven,
| am as innocent as this man right
here of the crime for which | am in
prison. said he. "Why it all had to
be | cannot understand. But, some-
how, ! feel that there are many peo-
pie right here in Americus who do
not even now want me freed"