Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-06-15
PROBE COMMITTEE !
||VSPECTS AFFAIRS
At STATE PRISON
Abandonment of Present
Site Likely to Be Recon-
mended- Criticism Laid
to Shortage of Funds
BY ED HI. BRADLEY
(Staff Correspondent of The Journal


(Staff Correspondent of The Journal
! MILLEDGEVILLE, Ca, June IA.
Defense of the administration of
the state prison farm by Judge R. E.
Davidson, chairman of the state
prison commission, and the introduce
ton of testimony tending to indi-
cate that perhaps prisoner who
| died recently at the institution; and
whose death has been the subject of
charges against the prison manage
ment, might have died from the ef-
fects of poison administered by an
other prisoner, constituted the out
standing features of today's session
of the special investigation author
lied and ordered by Governor Hard
wick.
Judge Davidson, in a personal
statement to the investigating body.
which will be supplemented by a
written statement to be field later
| by the prison commission, defended
| the administration of the institution,
although admitting that certain inn
provements and additions to the
equipment are needed.
The chairman declared that when
he took charge Of the place many
years ago it was in bad shape gen.
orally, but that it has been brought
up to a rather high state Of develops
ment in recent years. He admitted
the poor quality of the prison farm,
saying that if the entire farm were
planted in cotton the proceeds would
not pay the guards salaries.
Limited appropriations from the
legislature are responsible for the
lack Of modern equipment and other
facilities, declared Judge Davidson.
He said deficiency appropriation
never has been asked.
End of Probe Near
The conclusion of the special IN
vestigation was in sight today when
the commission resumed it's inspec-
ton of the institution and its ques-
tioning Of officials and inmates.
All of yesterday afternoon was
spent at the prison farm. the investi-
gators making thorough inspection
Of the buildings, interviewing pris-
oners and finally quizzing various of,
ficials with reference to charges
made by other witnesses and as to
physical conditions prevailing at the
institution.
That the investigating commission
will recommend drastic changes IN
the system OF prison management
and operation, is fairly well under
stood by those who have attended
the sessions and followed closely
the trend of things as indicated by
the questions and remarks Of the hVe
judges. Recommendations urging
the complete abandonment Of the
present prison farm and the erec'
ton Of a new plant on another ana
more suitable site, would not be at
all surprising to close observers. In
deed, such a recommendation is ale
most expected in some circles.
Lack Of funds to provide necessary
sanitary facilities, adequate water
supply, modern accommodations
for the prisoners, and other needed
improvements, is assigned by the
prison officials as the principal Gauss
Of dissatisfaction and criticism.
Brutality Denied
That the need of these things ex'
lists was admitted yesterday after.
noon By prison officials testifyins
before the investigating body. The
investigators themselves he--- just
| finished an inspection of the plant
and had seen conditions with their
own eyes.
Warden J. z. Smith, an official at
the prison for the past ten years,
candidly admitted on examination
that The operation Of the prison farm
| is Improbable because the land is
unfertile, that there are no funds
available to install a modern refrig-
Grating plant, an adequate water
supply system. an outdoor enclosed
space where prisoners may exercise,
or proper sanitation facilities. He
denied emphatically the charges OF
brutality to prisoners that had been
made by previous witnesses, insist
ing that no inhuman punishment
had been inflicted.
Completing the examination Of tho
other witnesses Tuesday morning,
| the investigating commission in the
afternoon transferred it's scene OF
| operations to the prison farm. Per-
sonal inspection of the premises was
followed by a secret interview with
the prisoners. The five judges, with
a Col.rt stenographer, went into the
bull pen," or big dormitory, when
| the white male prisoners are con.
fined All prison officials, guards
and other employees We're sent out,
and for an hour and a half or two
hours the prisoners talked direct to
the investigators.
Officials Are Heard
| When the series of interviews was
over, Judge w. L. H. Searcy, chair.
man Of the investigating commission,
| told newspaper men that the COM
plants made by the prisoners in the
secret interviews were along the
same line as those voiced by former
prisoners testifying at the public
hearing. Lack of medical attention,
| poor quality and scarcity of food,
improper sanitation, unhealthy liv-
ing conditions and brutality on the
part of prison employees constitute
ed the bulk of the complaints, &C
cording to Judge Searcy, who, of
course, declined to give the names
of prisoners interviewed.
At the conclusion of the inter-