Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-12-23
Whisky and Bad Compan-
ions Blamed for Murder by
Youths Sentenced to Be
Hanged January 9

Five page letters, upon which two
boys pinned their last hopes to es-
cape hanging on January 8, were
received and real without public
comment by Governor Walker Sat
urday.
The letters were painstaNingly
penned in the Muscogea county jail
lat Columbus, by G9-vis Rloodworth,
20, and Willie Jones, 10, who are
awaiting execution for me murder
of II. f. Underwood, q travelling
salesman, in Taylor county, about
one year ago.
The boys were convicted of the
murder charge in the Taylor supe-
rior, where they allege an inf'ar'ed
feeling against them existed at the
time, and the sentences We're affirm
ed by the Georgia supreme court.
They then appealed to the Georgia
prison commission, winch Ieh1ed
their pleas for Communication of the
sentences to life imprisonment, and
as a last resort tried Governor
Walker, who Announced Thursday
that he would not stay the execution
further, after having granted res
.pite over the Christmas holidays.
In their letters, both youths placed
the blame for their situation on
whisky and evil associations, and
both claimed that they have seen
the error of their ways, and Will de-
vote their lives to trying to save
others, if they are spared.
81 never had anything against
Mr.. Underwood, and ,ouldnNt have
harmed him for anything in the
world" Jones declared.
Both letters were written on sta
tionery of the Georgia Association OF
Business Mems Evangehstic clubs.
Letter from Bloodworth
The letter from Bloodworth was
as follows:
Hon. Clifford Walker
ito your Honor accordingly
"of my last remembrance | am
going to state 10 you my whole lie
although / can't write a first class
letter. But I want to if possible to
give my trial to you so it can be
understood as it has not been so far.
Il was born out very far in des-
perate country in the year OF lJ04
September the about s miles of
Reynolds, Ga, and when | was one
year old my mother and father sep
Grated. Mother came to Columbus.
Why mother left papa he was affaI
british to her Soon afte" she came
here she gave me to my grandmoth'
er because she had to work for her
living. My grandmother carried me
back to the country and she was
disable to care for me as she should.
| were always carried around by
rough boys. She tried to send me to
school but most of the time [ could
not study for my eyes were weak
and would rot allow me TOO and be-
cause [ was = poor and was always
with rough boys which l could not
understand my teacher would not
take any pains with me and the
children was always talking about
me and would not have anything to
do with me and findly l quit and the
ones | was always with was a help
to persuade me. then | was per
suaded to leave my grandmother
while very young. l came 10 Column
bus a While but I was not satisfied.
l did not know where my father was
at that time so with a bunch of affal
boys l started to rambling.
Il didn't know anything about how
human way was only such as / was
always with always drinking whisky
gambling fighting and such things.
findly l larued where papa was and
went to him and it is affal hard to
say but with him there were mo
chance TO larn anything. Him and
my stepmOther was always fighting
if not fighting there was quarreling
and cussing. he were very often
drunk. Such things as church and
Sunday school was unknown to me.
[ was never learned anything about
them and of course l cared nothing
about them. then I left him in 1921
and went to Cuthbert, Ga, to work
with my cousin and was treated very
wrOng. l worked months for him
with lust enough clothes 10 hide my
nakedness and that was all | got I
came back to papa then. I had TO
ride mule from Cuthbert Ga to
lchal. Ga, could not pay my rail
road fare then l was always drink
ing whisky. help to make il steal it
take it or anyway I could set it.
nobody but such would keve any
/ thing TO do with me- But I did not
know why and I was told to not
care. I never had any clothes fit
to wear out of the swamp 1 hardly
ever went TO town because would
gaze at me.
in the latter part OF 1922 I be
came acquainted with Willie, we
were always rambling from place to
r'soo, neither one didn't know how
/ 10 take care Of ourselves and every
/ chance We got We we-e drunk.
thought it was something big to