Evening star., 1923-04-22

cial whipper, during which he ad.
ministered twenty-eight punishments
as his reports would show. he said
Two whippings were at his own ini-
tiative, one for general principles, :
he continued, but the others were oc.
casioned by representatives of TIL.
working foremen. He sometime:
gave twenty-five blows. sometime.
fifteen, sometimes only four or five.
You see." he explained, when tn,
inspector Estate prison inspector
came, l had to give him a repor
showing the average number O
whippings." He construed the tern
to me and the average number o
blows given and his aggregate Iashe!
averaged about ten to a man, he said
No copy of the prison regulation:
was posted on the company's prem
Uses that he knew of, he said, though
he had seen copies. He had beer
official whipper for four camps bu
he really believed the strap at tn,
Putnam camp was heavier than an,
he had ever seen. He estimated 1t.
weight to be about Ave or six pounds
Paid $50 a Head.
In an effort to show that a collu
sion existed between Sheriff j. r
Jones and County Judge B. F. Willis
both of Leon county, the prosecution
counsel. Assistant Attorney Genera
Crimson and Kneeshaw, called Jerr,
NJ Poppel. former Leon county jailel
before the committe to testify as t
the alleged wholesale number of ar
rests and convictions brought about
after Sheriff Jones entered an agree
ment with the Putnam Lumber Com
pany to furnish them prisoners at s2t
head.
PoppeIs testimony also was adducec
to bear out the contention that Ia
bert was arrested. convicted and LEASED
to the lumber company, where, after
serving only a few weeks, he died. al.
legged to have been the result Of Z
whipping administered b. Waite,
Higginbotham. whipping boss.
The former jailer. who said he wa!
in charge of the Leon Jail for twenty.
eight years before being discharged
Tor complaints about mistreatment o1
prisoners. declared Sheriff Jones i'm.
mediately after entering into the
agreement with the lumber company
issued orders to his deputies to "geI
busy for this means money for me"
Says sheriff Started crusade.
Poppel testified Sheriff Jones begar
a crusade against gamblers, hoboe!
and moonshiners" and would average
from four to ten arrests a day. Theil
chief field Of operation was meeting
freight trains and arresting men q!
fast as the train crews would kicl
them off the cars
This extensive drive became known
TO the hoboeS. he said. so the sheriff
and his deputies, including himself
went out at night to round up the no
boes.
They had a stand by the railroad
tracks, he said, near where the train
would stop at water tank. 1t wa
at this place that the men would ge
off the trains and take to the high
way TO get around Tallahassee.
Used Two Autos.
Poppel testified that Jones used W.
/, automobiles. bringing them back ful
of prisoners each night.
We would get back to the court
house" testified PoppeI. late at nigh,
and on our way Sheriff Jones and W.
deputies would tell the prisoners tn
best thing for them to do would be t
enter pleas OF guilty. On our ar
rival at the courthouse, sometimes a
late as 10 o'clock at night. all o
them who were willing to plead guilt.
We're arraigned."
How would you get the count,
judge there at that time of night :?
Senator John p. Stokes asked the wit
ness.
Says "Drunks" Tried "Drunks.-
oh" responded the witness, "h
would be sitting there all the tim,
with his demijohn."
His what?" Senator Stokes oueried
His demijohn, with which he uset
to get drunk" Poppel replied.
"Did you ever get drunk yourself .
he was asked.
Yes. faint no use lying about it,
he replied.
deputies were drunk, you were drum
and the county judge was drunk?'
asked Senator Stokes.
Yes, sir"
"And you would gather there, all O.
you drunk. and try people for betni
drunk"
"Yes, SIR"
Says Sheriff Took Liquor.
Later Poppel said he had seen Sher
iff Jones take a gallon of confiscatet
moonshine, which the court ordered
destroyed. and empty its contents int,
another jug, which the sherifr KEEP
for himself.
Then what would he do?" querie,
Senator Stokes.
"He would call the county clerk
Mr.. Lang, out into the courtyard ant
ask him to watch while he destroyed
the Jug" declared Poppell.
Poppell was asked why he had no
told Gov. Hardee about how Sheriff
Jones was conducting his office. H,
declared Sheriff Jones had come t,
him and threatened to discharge hin
"Then you just simply told the gov
ernor that the sheriff was all right i?
| he was asked.
yes. sir: just lied"
The question related to an investi
cation of Sheriff Jones office by tn
governor several months ago.
| Later Senator Stokes asked Poppel
| IL he had been sworn before the gov
! ernor to tell the TRUTH. and he sal,
he had not.
"Did Sheriff Jones discharge yo
] mo, sir, If he wanted to discharg
me for drunkenness he ought to hav
done 1t long before that" said Poppel
Poppell said he received a salary Q
| S65 a month and witness fees a
jailer. He added that he receive
4 WlInoB6 1OOo ouo AoN0I dlICHOcu Tn
court, nor was he ever summoned t
attend.
The former jailer told the commit
: tee of a whipping administered to
negro woman held in the Jail on sus
picion in connection with a loca
shooting case. Poppell declared Jone
and two deputies and he took tn
woman out in the woods. laid he
! across a tree stump and whipped he
because she would not reveal certai
1 Information. Ten licks, he said, wer
| given the woman and finally. whe
| She refused to talk, it was decided t
hang her.
| zone of the deputies, P. l. Barri
neau, produced q rope from the auto
| mobile" said Poppell.
I'VE were all drunk. and we stoppe
| in the procedure to take anothe