Evening star., 1932-10-10
ADMITS FRAMING
SWEAT BOX AL|B|
Ex-Head Trusty Confesses
He Aided in Portraying
Prison Death as Suicide.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. October TO-
Bob Blake, former head trusty at the
Sunbeam Prison Camp, testified today
that George Courson, one of two for.
mer guards charged with numbering
Arthur Maillefert in the sweat box
obtained his help in fixing up a story
portraying the youth as committing
suicide.
Blake also testified he had seen Cour-
son beat Maillefert with heavy rubber
hose prior to the youths death.
The witness said after Maillefert died
Courson came to him and asked the
trusty to obtain Mrs. Maillefert's ad-
dress.
Liable to Be Trouble"
II got it," declared Blake, then Capt
Courson told me: Bob, there's liable to
be some trouble over this"
"Yes, capn, it is a pretty tight spot,
Blake said he replied.
He told me to 60 in and get him
five or six witnesses who might be able
to clear him at the trial"
Il did. After I went out told Cour-
son I thought he had a story that
would hold water.
II said Snyder is going to testify
At this juncture the defense raised q
volley of objections that the jury should
hear this portion Of Blake's testimony
Judge George c. Gibbs sent the jury
out while the argument proceeded. Ihe
court ruler the testimony admissible
and the jury filed back. Blake then
resumed, saying he told Courson that
Snyder is going to testify II 1t comes
to trial that Jersey (Maillefert) told
him he was going to commit suicide
that night"
The witness said they framed" it so
Snyder was to tell how Jersey demon
strated in the box how he was going to
commit suicide.
Several others of US were going to
corrobcrate it. Courson said. All right.
What am 1 supposed to say?' I told
him just to back up that story. He
agreed. When the coroner came, he
just looked at the body and said 1t was
a plain case Of suicide"
Used BOX Car" Hose.
Courson beat Maillefert with a piece
Of hose such "as is used in coupling
box cars" Blake said.
The day after the whipping, Blake
declared "Courson told me to stay
around the camp, that he might
need me-"
He said Courson left and returned
with a barrel which was placed on
Maillefert.
That is the barrel" answered Blake
as States Attorney Charles M. Dur
rance asked if the exhibit in the court
room was the same barrel
"Courson nailed one board back of
his (Maillefert's) neck; another In
front of his neck.
Jersey said: Capt. Courson, you are
putting that one on too tight
"Courson replied I don't give a
damn if I am
They left him there. I got him a
drink of water"
States Attorney Durrance told the
court the sweat box has been altered
since Maillefert died in it. He said it
has been ventilated better and has been
moved several feet.
w. H. Gasque, Duval County detec-
tive, who made the investigation that
led to murder indictments against Cour-
son and former Guard Solomon Hig-
ginbotham, also testified changes have
been made in the sweat box.
Saturday the court ordered him to
go to the camp and see If the box was
the same as described when Maillefert
was strangled to death in it with his
nI, ,oI ~ rot
locked In stocks.
Ventilator Is Raised.
Today he reported it has been moved
to 7 feet is higher from the ground
by 8 inches, and the ventilator has
been raised from 6 inches to "a inches.
Gasque said Capt. Williams, in charge
of colored convicts now quartered at
Sunbeam, had ordered the alterations.
Buddy" Pickett, a convict, was re-
called for cross-examination as the flrst
witness today.
He testified, under queries from c. A.
Avriett, counsel for Courson, that 1t was
20 to Is minutes after Maillefert was
placed in the sweatbox before the door
was closed.
About half hour after the door was
closed, Pickett said, the youth was
found dead.
was there any slack in the chain
between the rafter and his neck?" asked
Avriett.
There might have been few inches
slack" said the witness.
Were his knees quivering when he
was standing in the box?" asked Az
riett.
IT didn't notice his knees"
Pickett reiterated his previous testi-
mony that a convict asked Courson
how long Maillefert would be kept IN
the box and that the captain replied:
Until Christmas, or until he dies or
gets his mind right"
How many times do you recall Mall
lefert trying to escape?
None that am familiar with. l
remember that once he was supposed
to have cut his chains. I heard he
tried to cut out of the sweatbox.
Returns to Barrel Exhibit.
Avriett, turning to the barrel ex,
hibit on the court room moor, asked
rs that the barrel Maillefert was IN
just prior to his attempted escape?'
Yes" Pickett said.
Witnesses have said Maillelert was
confined in the barrel after he claimed
he was sick on highway JOB the oay
before his death in the sweatbox. They
said the youth got out Of the barrel
and fed through the woods after
climbing the stockade fence.
How high was that fence he
jumped?" asked Avriett.
About AZ or feet"
WAS the barrel left at or near the
fence?"
Eyes, he apparently got on the bar
rel to get over"
Were there any guards at the gate?"
II don't recall"
What physical aspect did Maillefert
appear in when they brought him
back?"
He looked weak and tired"
has haov, tocxiAad that Mailloferf