The Washington times., 1932-10-08
TELLS HORRORS
! Of n. J. BOYS
'SLAY|NG'
Officer Gasque on Stand in
, Trial of Convict Camp
+ Guards in Florida

JACKSONVILLE, Fla, Oct.
8 (LN.S. 1.-THE man whose
detective ingenuity and per-
sistence brought murder in
dictments against two chain
gang camp guards after a
justice of peace court had by
a suicide verdict "white-
washed" the alleged sweat
box" torture death of a
young New Jersey convict
again faced his victim in court
today.
Resuming testimony after re-
lating yesterday how picked
witnesses at the Sunbeam road
camp had corroborated the stories
of George w. Courson and Solo
mon Higg enbotham, indicted
guards, that 22-year-old Arthur
N-aillefert had committed suicide
to escape service of a nine. ear
sentence, w. H. GaSque, Duval
county detective, took the stand
as the first witness in the sixth
day of the trial.
"Picked" witnesses
picked" enthusiastically pris-
oners and guardS-were presented
by Captain Courson, temporary
warden of the camp, when Gasque
investigated the youths death, he
told the jury. Gasque said Cour-
son told:
They're the only ones who
know anything about it"
Other prisoners gave a differ
ent version of Maillefert's death,
the detective said.
GaSque charged that Courson
objected to his investigation, re-
marking that the justice of the
peace has said none would be
necessary. GaSque said:
81 told him 1 was going to
investigate, anyway. 1 asked
group of other prisoners if they
knew anything about it. They
said they knew plenty"
Found "SweatbOx"
Courson, the detective said, ad.
mitted Maillefert had been nailed
in heavy wooden stocks and
trussed by the neck with chain
when placed in the "Sweatbox.
This admission, however, came
only after Gasque had found the
alleged torture instruments, he
said. GaSque said:
81 found the chain still hang.
ing from the rafter in the
'sweatbOx.' The stocks were
hidden in the rear of the box"
The two defendants are charged
with causing Maillefert's death by
strangulation. Testimony of con-
victs previous'v given in the trial
showed that the young convict
was placed naked in the Sitting,
dungeon-like "sweatbox," his feet
and legs bound in wooden stocks,
and his body drawn taut by a
seven-foot trace chain padlocked
around his neck and secured to
an overhead beam.
Measured the Box
Defense Attorney A. Avriett
opened up a barrage of questions
in cross-examination as court
convened.
Avriett attacked the detectives
testimony that changes had been
made in construction of the
''SWeatboX" since Maillefert died.
Did you measure the inside
of the "SweatbOx"?
eyes, sir, it was 2 feet 9@
inches SSuare the first time I
measured it. Later it was 2
feet IL inches.
did you see any cuts where
someone had tried to cut the
''SweatbOx"?
81 found one small Clipped
place inside"
Avriett then abruptly shifted
the questioning to Gasque'S ex-
animation of prisoners at the
Sunbeam camp.
isn't it a fact that COursOn
wasn't present when you talked
to the pr1SOnerS?"
absolutely not, COursOn or
some guard was within a foot
of me every time 1 talked to
the prisoners. They didn't turn
over any cOnvicts to me in the
yard"
Judge Issues Order
Avriett asked if admission
wasn't denied the defendants at
the inquest.
you. Mr.. Avriett, withdrew
your request for their presence
after I'd already made arrange
ment with the Jail to have them
taken to the inquest"
Judge George Couper Gibbs in
terrupted the ton
with a request for GaSque to re-
turn to the Sunbeam Camp and
obtain the present measurements
Of the "Sweatbox' to be placed
in the court record.