The Washington times., 1932-07-15
GET ALL FACTS,
. INSPECTORS
ARE TOLD
Executive Anxious. to Shed
Full Light on Killing
of Young Convict

inquiry INTO the killing OF
Harold Bradley, a 20-year-old
Pennsylvania youth, by 6
guard in Indiantown Ella.
prison camp last May, was un'
der way today by State prison
inspectors under orders from
Gov. Doyle E. Carlton.
Reaction to Charges
The governor apparently was
dissatisfied with the meager re.
ports given his office on the
Bradley case by State officials
He ordered State prison inspec-
tors to "get all the facts. and
make them public"
This was the governors reac-
tion to charges, voiced in Loretta,
Pa, home town Of young Brad
ley, that the youth had been
streated "cruelly and inhumanly''
Wv GAIC
The governor was determined
70 end all dispute both over the
treatment of Bradley, prior to the
killing, and over the manner in
which he came to his death.
The governor was much upset
over charges that Bradley was
shot four times by the guard, one
shot being fired into his body
after he had fallen wounded by
prior shots. He went so far as to
order a new report from DR.. S. L.
Parker, camp physician, who per-
formed an autopsy, calling in
particularly for the number of
wounds.
The governor and other State
officials were disturbed by the
widespread publicity given the
torture death" of Arthur Maille.
fert. 19-year-old New Jersey boy,
in a prison camp near Jackson
vile.
Both Northern Boys
They feared public reaction
against the State of Florida if a
fresh scandal developed over the
death of Bradley. They saw no
way to escape the coincidence
that two Northern boys were
killed in Florida prison camps.
A search of records, filed in
the office of Agriculture Commis-
sioner Nathan Mayo, revealed
that Capt. Peter TomaSello. ST..
in charge of the camp where
Bradley met his death, asked per
mission to deny reports that the
boy had been treated cruelty
as the fully equipped sea soldiers
marched into the grounds.
After the departure OF the
and inhumanly" and to stage an
independent investigation.
When he was granted that per-
mission, the camp captain curl
ously enough announced he would
issue no such denial and make
no such inquiry because he did
not desire to get into a news
paper controversy.
State officials declared Capt.
Tomasello was an honorable
man" and a splendid prison
official"
Details Kept Out
They were unable, however, to
give any details of the manner
in which Bradley met his death
Their only record was a report
from DR.. Parker that Bradley died
of a gunshot would in the alb
domen and the preSentment of a
Martin county grand jury that his
killing was "justifiable homicide. "
The grand jury report merely
read:
1--WE investigated the shoot
ing of the State convict by Guy
Gillet, guard, the State convict
being named Harold Bradley.
: and we found this to be justi-
fable homicide"
This was all State officials
knew about the Bradley cast
until two weeks ago when the
solicitor general of Pennsylvania
asked for more complete details
The Florida authorities were
surprised then to find their re
cords didn't show how Bradley
met his death. 1t was then, too
that Captain Tomasello asked
permission to deny the cruelty
charges and to allow an indie
pendent inquiry only to reverse
himself when granted thai
authority.
Commissioner Mayo, in charge
of all State prisons, wrote Tomas
clio:
"YOu have my permission to
write anyone and deny the re-
ports that this prisoner Brad
ley, or anyone else FOR that
matter, has been subjected to
cruel and inhuman treatment,
and make such statements as
you see fit which will help to
allay the fears of those con-
cerned.
81 regret that prisoners will
take such chances and thereby
endanGer their lives, but 1t
seems that occasionally they
forget"
Now the governor has stepped
into the case and ordered the
independent investigation which
the camp captain declined tc
make
William H Gasque. Duval Coun
ty detective. who arrested the
guards after Maillefert died. con
tinued a search for further :
dence.