Evening star., 1937-02-24
NEW BOOKS
AT RANDOM
BY MARGARET GERMOND.
DEATH IN THE DEEP SOUTH. BY
Ward Greene. New York: Stack


Ward Greene. New York: Stack
pole Sons.
Particular importance attaches in
Washington to Death in the Deep
South" for the reason that Ward Greene
has large circle of friends in this city
who are keenly interested in the an
nouncement that motion picture rights
have been sold to Mervin Leroy and that
the story is to be filmed and presented
under the title Fugitive From Chain
Gang" Perhaps this title, like those
of most screen productions and many
books, is intended to capture attention
rather than to signify the nature of the
story, for it is difficult to arrive at any
logical reason for the fugitive" theme
unless the screen version is to be
adapted with an ear cooked for the
rattle of change in the cash drawer in
stead of in accordance with the very
important matter of historic fact.
There Is, of course, always the excuse
that screen drama, to be at all success
full, must be. acceptable in all parts of
the country. And it is quite human for
the people of a community which has
brought upon itself the condemnation
of the Nation to have no desire to be
reminded of their folly and no DISPOSE
tion to take advantage of an opportunity
to see themselves as others have seen
them. Death in the Deep South" pic
tured in facts under the cloak of fic-
ton, will most assuredly not be relished
by the community upon which the black
hand of shame descended not so many
years ago.
Ward Greene was born in North Caro-
lima, studied at the University of the
South and became newspaper reporter
on the Atlanta Journal in the year
which recorded the beginning of one of
the most sensational murder trials in
the history of the Nation. 1t was
case that rapidly developed to the
point where it became front page news
throughout the country. Though the
public disposition to seize upon tragedy
for the making of Roman holiday was
not SO flagrantly in evidence as recent
occasions have proved it to be, Atlanta
was the Pennington of 1913 and the
State of Georgia the scene in 1915 of
the most unspeakable of all acts of
vengeance.
Three novels have been written since
those sensational days by Mr.. Greene,
who left Atlanta in 1917 to join the
staff of the New York Tribune, served
as correspondent in France and Ger
many in 1918 and 1919, and is now as
Sociated with one of the large feature
syndicates. 1t was to be expected that
eventually he would produce a novel
based upon his f1rst-hand knowledge of
the details of the famous trial and his
intimate acquaintance with the tenn
perament and the prejudices Of the
people of the deep South.
Mary Clay, young and pretty student
in business college, is the victim of an
abominable crime in Mr.. Greene'S 1886
model of the murder committed nearly
quarter of a century ago. The char
acters as presented by the author are
fictitious. as are the circumstances and
immediate surroundings of the crime
but the actualities are unmistakably
those which in 1913-l5 centered the at
tention of the entire country upon At
lanta. A colored man. the first suspect,
is arrested, is committed to the con-
fessional' ten feet below the stone floor
of the city Jail, where the rubber hose
and the heavily shod feet of doubtful
minionS of the law prevail in preference
to more intelligent methods of persua-
sion, and is framed" when cruelty fails
to wiring from his lips an admission of
gross conduct and murder.
The district attorney, not confident
that the f1imsy evidence produced
against an ignorant black man will con-
vince jury and wipe out the stigma
incurred by series of unsolved crimes
Of more or less major character directs
suspicion against Robert Edwin Peary
Hale, a professor in the Buxton InSti-
tute. A Yankeei Just as good as a
black man in the judgment of a pref
udiced people more bent upon vengeance
than upon justice.
Outside agencies of investigation. in
dulging in the same tactics and meeting
with the same personal assaults accorded
the Burns staff. and the political cor
ruption and entanglements which in
volved senatorial election In the fac
tual case, are exposed in all their fla
grant violations of honesty in the pres
ent story, which is carried to its cli-
max in the objectionable crime of mob
vengeance against a man whose guilt
| to this day remains in doubt.
Death in the Deep South" is not a
ulcic HlyoCCly oIOly COllCOStCu 1OI tIlc
delight of devotees of the modern de-
tective novel. 1t is true story, wrapped
in cellophane, depicting the lengths tc
which mob, swayed by emotions rather
| than by intelligence. will go in order tc
| crafty its insensate passion for ven
geance against a suspected offender
whose guilt may or may rot have been
proved.
MARY LAVELLE. BY Kate OBrien
New York: Doubleday, Doran & Co
A pretty little Irish girl is the heroine
of this entertaining story about life with
well-to-do family in Spain in the
| years before that unhappy country was
torn by the strife and rebellion which
for the past half-dozen years has turned
beauty into horror and famed the rest
less spirit of a naturally impassionec
people into flames of hatred and re-
venge.
| Mary Lavelle, weary of the serene and
uneventful course of her life in the vii.
lage of her birth, takes advantage of ar
opportunity to see bit of the world by
accepting a position as governess in ar
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