Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1923-04-15
PUSH !H / FIGHT TO END
10 CONVICT CAMPS
Tales of Brutal Whippings
Stir Florida Prisoner Re-
formers to Action.
BY the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. April IA
Alleged mistreatment of convicts in
Florida remained the subject of fore
most discussion during the week end
recess of the Legislature here today
with prison reformers marshaling
their forces for the expected fight on
proposed legislation to abolish the
whip along with the county convict
lease system. They consider their
tight as good as won in so far as the
PLEASE system goes, but their efforts to
do away with corporal punishment is
slated for some opposition If present
indications hold good.
The possible scope Of the legisla-
i've inquiry, started last week and
low halted over the week end. was
enlarged today when Senator II. B.
Lindsay began gathering material in
support of his effort to cha zee the
investigating committee with an in
quiry into all reports Of convict
ABUSES. whether they he state or
county prisoners.
Would End Lease System,
The point seems to be lost in all
the excitement growing out of the
death of Martin Tabert Of North Da-
kota, alleged victim of a private boss
whip.
Mr.. Lindsay stated today that like
abuses can occur just as we'll IN state
camps
The private camps are maintained
Under the supervision OF the state,
ne declared. and when you abolish
me county lease system there Is
mo assurance of good treatment, nee
esSarIly, for the prisoner
Inc human element is still involy-
60, he said. Mr.. Lindsay did not say
mat he favored the abolition of the
whip, out made known that he want
cd thorough study of conditions
now that the thing is under fire and
IN his studies he unearthed the ef-
torts or Commissioner of Agric ulture
w. A. MacRae to have removed since
last January d state convict boss in
fDuvall county, alleged in several re-
ports to the commissioner by State
Prison Inspector J. b. Thomas to have
carried on brutal practices
Told of Severe Beating.
Thomas periodical reports dealing
with the boss, C. l.. Denmark of state
road camp No. II. began last Novem-
Der at the instigation OF Mrs. w. S.
Jennings. prison reformer Of Jack
sonville. who had forwarded reports
mere that one man had been beaten
On the highway. fifty or sixty lashes
being administered.
not substantiate the reports. and ac-
cording to the correspondence be-
tween him and the senator made
pubic today. he considered him some
VIVA. inexperienced in the work of a
warden. but believed he could make
4 good warden out of him.
Refuses to Remove Denmark.
The inspector was forced to change
has opinion the latter part Of Deem
her, however, the correspondence
shows, and he recommended Den
mark S summary removal. The com
OF the state road commission to dis
miss him. but in the chairmans be-
lated answer under date OF yester-
day. he said he had found the charges
against Denmark largely without
him. as he believed 1t was a move
by private parties to get Denmark
out of the service
Mr.. Phillips answer came after
periodical REQUESTS from the agricul-
rent reports Of abuses In Denmark's
camp These reports ran the way Of
private charges of brutality to those
contained in the. prison inspectors
reports. There was another letter in
the correspondence from a night
job through sickness at the sight he
said he witnessed. in addition to the
whfppings the men are alleged to
have been worked at too hard a pace,
SO hard that no human being" could
stand up under the strain, in the
opinion OF Inspector Thomas.
Publishes Parallel.
Mr.. Thomas also became the fig
ure in the discussions among the
legislators in another light, because
of statement he issued Friday night
saying the reports Of conditions at
-nrlVatn IN
r. y Knabb had been exaggerated.
A Jacksonville newspaper published
in pa rallel columns the statement In
defense of Mr.. Knabb and his pre-
TipuS report to the commissioner of
agriculture. in which he likened the
knabb camp to human slaughter
'carsf 1t was through Mr.. Thomas
original report that an inquiry started
convict boss named Roddenbury in
connection with the alleged treat
ment Of Paul White.
Inspector Thomas report said he
had found Whites feet and hands in
Capt. Roddenbury not to put him
on any kind of work until his hands
and feet had healed. Capt Rodden-
bury put him on all kinds Of work the
next day after was there and gave
him a thrashinE for showing me his
feAt.s Whipped him several
times during the second and third
DAYS
Ought TO Stop Torture.
Il went on the theory Con taking
the boy away from Senator knabb
over the personal protest of the lat
ter) that any 100 per cent American
had a perfect right to put stop to
torture and murder, and it meant
murder to leave this man at this
camp" the report continued. Ills
statement said:
licity and exaggerated statements
r. J.. Knabb's place in Baker county
are far in excess of the facts" His
statement added that had he had the
authority to discharge Roddenbury,
he did not know of a time when he
would have ever seen fit to do SO.
While John T. Gardner. Fort Sam
Houston, Tex: Glenn Thompson, Sid
ney, Iowa. and A. B. Shivers. Doerun,
Ga, are being kept here to testify
before the committee as to being
actual eyewitnesses to the fogging
which they say brought about death
of Tabert in Dixie county, letters ad-
dressed to members of the legislature
and to G. Crimson, a states attorney
of North Dakota. are being received
frSrn many states declaring that the
writer's were willing to make affi-
davits covering alleged brutality they
either experienced or witnessed while
confined at a lumber camp In Dixie
county. All Of these letters are being
turned over to the investigating COM
mittee for consideration.