Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-06-28
MIL RAWLINGS
IS PAROLED AFTER
TERM Of IS YEARS
Executive -CIemency Based
on Domination of Father,
Who, With Negro Assist
ant, Was Hanged

Milton Rawlings, Lowndes county
man who has served more than six
teen years on a life sentence for par.
ticipation in four murders for which
his father and a negro were hanged,
was granted a parole by Governor
Hardwick Tuesday. Two brothers Of
Rawlings, who also had been given
life sentences for participation in the
crime, were pardoned by Governor
Hoke Smith in 1911.
The crime for which Milton Raw.
lings at first was sentenced to be
hanged, was one of the most afro.
ciouS in Georgia history. The Raw
lings' family, aided by ALI Moore, q
negro attacked the home of a man
named Carter, residing in d remote
section of Lowndes county, and
wiped out the entire family, consist
ing of Mr.. and Mrs. Carter and their
two children. The children, who
went to the door to see what sthe
disturbance was about, were shot
down first, evidence showed.
Governor Reviews Case
Reviewing the case, Governor
Hardwick made the following com
ment:
1.-The crime for which the appIi-
cant was convicted at the July term,
1905, of LoWndes superior court,
was horrible and atrocious, but it
was undoubtedly true that it was
planned entirely by his father and
executed, in large part at least, by
a negro named ALT Moore, though
Milton Rawlings and his two young
er brothers were undoubtedly pres
ent, aiding and abettnig, and to
some extent, at least, actually and
actively participating il the com
mission of the crime.
~. G.. Rawlings, the father Of ap-
plicant, and ALT Moore, the negro
who was hired to do the murder,
have already paid the death penalty
for this crime. In committing the
penalty of Milton Rawlings from
death to life imprisonment, Governor
Terrell, in his order of September
6, 1906, stated that the showing
made convinced him that the boys
were under the complete domination
of their father, who was brutal,
forceful and cruel. 1t seemed that
they all lived in constant fear of
their father, and were brought up
to obey his slightest commands, I'M
der threats Of the most awful pun
ishment.
Younger Boys Pardoned
''The three Rawlings boys convict
ed of this crime were, respectively:
Milton, aged IS; Leonard, aged 16,
and Jesse, aged Is, at the time Of the
homicide. On November Is, 1911,
after only five years service, Leon
ard and Jesse were pardoned by
Governor Hoke Smith, on unani1
nous recommendation Of the prison
commission, OH account of their ex-
IRENE youth, their domination by
their father, and their good conduct
in the penitentiary.(
During the eleven years that
have elaspsed, the prison commits.
sion has three times unanimously
recommended Milton Rawlings for
either pardon or parole, the last
recommendation being made on Au-
gust Fl, 1912.
EVERY reason that can be given
for the communication of Leonard and
Jesse Rawlings applies with almost
equal strength to Milton Rawlings.
He was fully as much under the
domination of his father as either OF
the others, and had no more to do
with the actual preparation of the
crime than they did, especially than
Leonard did Besides he has served
three times a. long in the peniten-
tiary"