The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1923-04-20
JOSEPHUS and
CAM. HAVETALK
State Capital Bubbling Over
With Curio sity Tc Know
What They Said
BY o. J. COFFIN
Special Raleigh Correspondent
THE INDEPENDENT.


THE INDEPENDENT.
RALEIGH, Apr. 19.--Thc State
Capital has so far refused to become
exercised over the possibilities of an
into prison conditions
in the State. II is rc&lizcNhat con-
ditions are not I'LL that they should
be; but it is felt that f.. T.. budding
of the Prisoners Relief Society has
not presented evidence 10 support his
chargrS--cSpccially of the flogglng
of the women and the use of dungeons
ut the State Prison-and that he has
begun ut the wrong end.
If It were proposed to investigate
county chaingangs. for instance. ard
the treatment of stock aS we'll aS OF
convictS by the guards and Supcrvi-
sers of road working camps. there
would be considerable more interest.
and if county and city jailS were in
cluded in the inquiry everybody would
be sitting up and taking notice.
But the abuse Of each other by
budding and Superintendent pOu of
the State Prison. a clean. young chap
who rcscnts any insinuation that his
institution is not humane, is not at
tracing much more than casual at
tention.
Cam Speaks to Josephus
Now if somebody could have used
dictaphone on the conference held by
Joe Dan'lS and Cam Morrison Mon
day-about two hours of it and sup
posed to have had to do with the Dud-
ding charges-he could hire hall.
charge admission and turn EN- away.
Everybody would like to know how
the Governor greeted the former
Secretary of the Navy. to whom he
quit speaking for months. Most folks
would be gratificd to have the III
formation aS to whether Cam Is mel
lowing in his older age or whether
the head of the State Administration
has at last decided to use his ears
for something more than keeping his
hat from Sliding down onto the back
of his neck.
1t is realized that the Governor
must nave been in considerable pain
to have remained silent over the
week end and it is known that he has
made ready at least three times TO
make statement and has thought
better of it. Is he proceeding cauil-
ously and under control. Maybe so;
but you can bet he hasn't weakened
in the slightest in his withcring con-
tempt for budding or in his conf
dcncc in the Prison board-whch he
appointed himself and must pcrforcc
be all right.
But he called in JosephuS.-thcrc
is not doubt about that. And that
in itself is proof positive that the
Governor has been listening. To
whom: Not to Editor Daniels. YOU
may make sure Of that. Indeed
this is the first thing in Il long time
that Editor Daniels has not advised
the Governor how 10 handle. No.
we don't mean to suggest that Mr.
Morrison is developing Il sense OF
humor: his :. of h. was Slill-borl
and that phenomenon is ut IT," bottom
of most of his difficulty in dealing
with other people.
The suggestion of Commissioner "i
Welfare Kate Burr johnson. that MIR
Dudding'S charges be looked into. do
not please the Governor extremely
we'll when first made: but Mrs. john
son knows something about the lacE
of humanity in the treatment OF con
victS by the counties and put SomC
of it into her biennial report. Thrl
a. w. McAllister of the State BOart
of Welfare, an cminently respectable
personage and. like the Governor ant
Treasurer Ben Lacy. Il good ole
Scotch Fresbyterion," has issued
statement to the press at Greensboro
and evincing q desire to go to the
bottom of any and all charges made
against authorized inhumanity.
If an investigation is ever made
it will not be undertaken to satiSf!
budding. who will hardly be invited
but there is one thing you may b'
sure of: it will not be so pcrt1lnct
orily done as some previous Hkt
undertaking and it will not be con
fined to the State Prison. 1t is th'
counties really that those who know
most about penal conditions in tins
State hold responsible for the bull
of the remaining atrocities.
Not few in and around official
dom heartily condemn the practice o
shooting down by guards of petit!
criminals who make Il break for libcr
ty. The killing of young hobo wh'
serving thirty-day sentence in Nasl
B ro,,t,. ,pI nf n Opprn miS1pmp1n nj; n