The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1922-06-06
PRISON COMMISSION
ASKS INVESTIGATION
AT REQUEST OF BOARD GOV.
HARDWICK NAMES FIVE SU-
PERIOR COURT JUDGES TO
INQUIRE INTO A L L E G E D
MISTREATMENT CONVICTS.

INQUIRE INTO AL L E G E D
MISTREATMENT CONVICTS.
ATLANTA, Ga,-Following a re-
quest by the prison commission Gov
ernor Hardwick Saturday appointed a
committee of FIVE state superior court
judges to make a full investigation OF
the state prison situation.
The committee is composed OF
Judges w. E. H. Searcy, Griffin;
Moses Wright, Rome; H. A. Mathews,
Fort Valley; r. c. Bell, Cairo, and
Henry c. Hammond, Augusta.
The governor has asked the mem
bers of the committee to confer with
him in Atlanta Wednesday.
The prison commission IN a letter
to the governor stated that they had
heard Of criticism being made as to
conditions at the state farm, and that
they wished the chief executive to
name FIVE judges to make thorough
survey of conditions and tell the pub
lie the facts as found.
The prison commission suggested
the investigation in letter to Govern
or Hardwick, under date OF June Ind,
The letter follows:
"Hon. T. w. Hardwick, Governor,
State Copitol.-Dear Sir: There has
been some newspaper discussion for
the past several days concerning the
treatment of prisoners at the state
farm, and there being desire on the
part of the prison commission to give
the people the fullest information on
this subject, we would suggest that
you appoint committee of prominent
Georgians Superior court judges II
you see fit, for they sentence most OF
the prisoners to the farm) in whom
the people of the state would place
confidence and let them proceed to the
farm, make an investigation as to this
and to report to you.
THE prison commissioners are us
ing every means in their power to
prevent abusive methods, but OF
course they can not be at the farm
all the time and some people might
think they would shield an official who
is guilty of cruelty and inhumanity
through personal Friendships; and, too,
committee might obtain information
that this commission is unable to get.
We recognize that in an institution
created for the punishment of those
who have been convicted of crime,
conditions cannot be IDEAL for persons
who will not obey law on the outside
will not at all obey the law on the
inside, and yet as it is necessary for
society to punish those on the outside
for disobeying the law, it is likewise
necessary for prison officials to punish
those on the inside who disobey the
laws.
The people on the outside are
sometimes harsh, even going to the
extent of mobbing and killing those
who violate the law, so cruelties may
sometimes creep in on the inside in
spite of all the vigilance we may ex-
ercise. 1t is also true that just as most
OF the people on the outside are fair
and lust. this is true of the officials on
the inside. People are human, after
all. and officials are necessarily taken
from the people and perfection can
not be expected. However, it is our
desire to do everything in our power
to make our penitentiary system as
free from fault and abuse as possible
and we have always desired to offer
helpful assistance to those engaged in
and interested in our problem.
with very great respect, we remain
yours truly,
OF GEORGIA.
(Signed) "R E. Dawson, Chairman,
Take Little Stock in Rumors.
The prison commission and the pub
lie generally are taking but little stock
in the charges that are being made
against the conduct of affairs of the
state prison farm, going largely upon
the idea that convicts discharged from
the farms are usually disgruntled and
say a lot OF things for the purpose OF
stirring up trouble when they are re-
leased This is especially true of those
who were not obedient to prison rules.
Since the whipping of a woman at
the state farm some twenty years ago
and since the famous investigation OF
the lease system of 1906, few if any
charges OF cruelty made by convicts
have been sustained after a careful in
vestigation of facts.
While it is admitted that convicts
are human being and are entitled to
treatment as such, still the fact re-
mains that they are convicts, legally
convicted OF crimes against the state
and are in the penitentiary for punish
ment and not for comfort and pleas
ure.
Convicts are prone to talk a great
deal upon their release, and harbor up
grievances against officials and guards.
Chairman Dawson has made a thor
ough investigation of the charges
made by Christie, the discharged con-
vict, as to the treatment of an eX-
soldier at the state farm and has
branded the Christie charges as a it's
sue of lies.
The commissioners have no fear as
to showing clean sheet.