Jeff D. Harris was convicted of the murder of Oscar Lowery. His conviction constituted manslaughter and he is now serving a term of 50 years in the penitentiary of this State. Both of these young men, who served in the World War in behalf of their country, had the reputation of being honest, sober, industrious, and law-abiding farmers; so far as has ever been known they were never engaged in any kind of law violation. Lowery was wounded while in the service in France. He left a widow and one child, a little daughter 3 years of age. At this time the dependents are destitute, have been for a long time, living upon charity and the kindness of their friends and neighbors who learned to know and love them. Without exception, the people of this community join in the request that the Government do its duty under these circumstances and make some reasonable provision for the support of this unfortunate widow and this unhappy little child. To say the least, and it is the least the Government could do, and that would be to prevent the starvation of the dependents of a useful citizen who offered his life in the defense of his country when he has been murdered by an agent of the Federal Government, who has apparently no respect for the law. Trusting that this message will aid some in securing a just although belated relief for these unfortunates, I am, Very sincerely, To Whom It May Concern: TOM WALDREP. SHAWNEE, OKLA., July 6, 1931. On July 4, 1929, Oscar Lowery and James Harris were killed at the home of James Harris in this county by Federal prohibition agents. I was county attorney of this county at that time and investigated the facts concerning the murder and prosecuted the case against Jeff D. Harris for the murder of Oscar Lowery; Harris was convicted of manslaughter and is now serving a 50-year sentence in the State penitentiary at McAlester, Okla. Both of the deceased young men were sober, industrious, and law-abiding farmers and on the day of their deaths were not engaged in any kind of law violations; in fact, as far as I know, neither of them had ever at any time violated the law in any manner. They were both ex-soldiers, having served their country during the late World War, Lowery having been wounded in France. Oscar Lowery left a widow and one child, a daughter 3 years of age. were left destitute and since that time Mrs. Lowery has worked as best she can to support herself and child. They In my opinion she is deserving of help from the Government of the United States and should be granted a pension sufficient to support herself and to support and educate her little girl. Respectfully submitted. STATE OF OKLAHOMA, RANDALL PITMAN, Former County Attorney of Pottawatomie County, Okla. Pottawatomie County, ss: My name is Mrs. Lethe Long, and I am the wife of W. M. Long, and I have attended the Northview church and Sunday school during the past 5 years and was associated in the church and as neighbors with Oscar Lowrey and his family and James Harris and his family, and knew both of these men personally, and I have never known or heard it said that either one of them ever drank, and neither of them were ever suspected by anyone that I know of to have been engaged in the liquor business. Both of them were good, reliable, substantial citizens, and were good husbands and good fathers, and trying to make an honest living by farming and truck gardening. Signed and sworn to before me this 11th day of July 1929. [SEAL] LETHE LONG. MABEL MARLATT, Court Clerk, О JUNE 5 (legislative day, MAY 28), 1940.-Ordered to be printed Mr. HUGHES, from the Committee on Claims, submitted the following REPORT [To accompany H. R. 5303] The Committee on Claims, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 5303) for the relief of Solomon Brown, having considered the same, report favorably thereon with the recommendation that the bill do pass with the following amendments: On page 1, line 6, strike out the figures "$1,000" and insert "$50 per month in a sum not to exceed $1,000". On page 1, line 6, strike out "sum" and insert "sums". The facts are fully set forth in House Report No. 2229, Seventysixth Congress, third session, which is appended hereto and made a part of this report. (H. Rept. No. 2229, 76th Cong., 3d sess.] The Committee on Claims, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 5303) for the relief of Solomon Brown, having considered the same, report favorably thereon with an amendment and recommend that the bill as amended do pass. The amendment is as follows: At the end of the bill add: ": Provided, That no part of the amount appropriated in this Act in excess of 10 per centum thereof shall be paid or delivered to or received by any agent or attorney on account of services rendered in connection with this claim, and the same shall be unlawful, any contract to the contrary notwithstanding. Any person violating the provisions of this Act shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction thereof shall be fined in any sum not exceeding $1,000." The purpose of the proposed legislation is to pay to Solomon Brown, of Walterboro, S. C., the sum of $1,000, in full settlement of all claims against the United States arising out of the permanent disability sustained by the said Solomon Brown, due to the amputation of his right hand, necessitated by severe injuries to such hand received on October 22, 1932, while he was at work in the laundry of the United States penitentiary at Atlanta, Ga. STATEMENT OF FACTS On June 6, 1931, Solomon Brown, Negro, then aged 16, was sent to the United States penitentiary at Atlanta, Ga., to serve a 2-year sentence for violation of the National Motor Theft Act. He was assigned to work in the prison laundry as a flat-work ironer. On October 22, 1932, while at work, Brown walked around the back of another ironer, apparently to get a trash box, and in doing so got his hand caught in one of the flat-work ironers, and same was badly crushed and burned. He did not work on this particular machine, but on a larger one where there was not so much danger. Another inmate working nearby saw the accident and stopped the machine, thereby preventing the claimant's whole arm from being pulled into the ironer. Immediately after his hand was released Brown was sent to the hospital. Mr. Brown was given treatment but his hand became steadily worse, and gangrene infection set in. On November 7, 1932, amputation of the hand just above the wrist was necessary as a lifesaving measure. Congress has from time to time passed private bills to pay compensation for injuries received by prisoners in the performance of their assigned tasks and in view of the permanent disability that Mr. Brown will suffer through the loss of his right hand, it is the opinion of your committee that he should receive the amount of $1,000. The Attorney General has no objection to the enactment of this proposed legislation. Appended hereto is the report of the Attorney General, together with other pertinent evidence. Hon. AMBROSE J. KENNEDY, OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, House of Representatives, Washington, D. C. MY DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: This will acknowledge your letter of September 28, 1939, requesting my views concerning the bill (H. R. 5303) proposing to pay Solomon Brown the sum of $1,000 as compensation for permanent disability resulting from the amputation of his right hand, because of an injury received while at work in the laundry of the United States penitentiary at Atlanta, Ga. The files of this Department show the following facts pertinent to this claim: Solomon Brown, about 16 years of age, was, on June 6, 1931, sent to the United States penitentiary at Atlanta, Ga., to serve a sentence of imprisonment for 2 years for a violation of the National Motor Theft Act. He was assigned to work in the prison laundry on a flat-work ironer. On October 22, 1932, while at work, he walked around back of another ironer, apparently to get a trash box, and carelessly put his right hand on one of the rollers while the machine was in motion. His hand was caught in the machine and badly burned and crushed. Another inmate working nearby observed the accident and stopped the machine, thereby preventing claimant's whole arm from being pulled into the ironer. Brown was immediately sent to the hospital and given treatment. Gangrenous infection occurred and on November 7, 1932, as a lifesaving measure, it was necessary to amputate his hand immediately above the wrist. When the prisoner was discharged from the hospital on January 12, 1933, the stump was completely healed. The Congress has from time to time passed private bills to pay compensation for injuries received by prisoners in the performance of their assigned tasks. In view of the foregoing circumstances, I find no objection to the enactment of the bill. The committee may perhaps care to consider the possible desirability of a provision that the compensation be paid in specified monthly installments rather than in a lump sum. Sincerely, FRANK MURPHY, Hon. THOMAS S. MCMILLAN DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, House of Representatives, Washington, D. C. DEAR MR. CONGRESSMAN: I am returning herewith the letter from Mr. R. M Jeffries which you forwarded with your letter of January 31, 1933. I have the honor to submit herewith the report from the doctor in charge, representing the United States Public Health Service, on the injury to Solomon Brown, together with a copy of the foreman's report. I am informed that machines were all properly guarded against accident during ordinary operation but apparently this accident happened in such a way as to be unpreventable. Irrespective of the question of contributory negligence on Brown's part this Bureau would not oppose the award of reasonable compensation to this boy. Yours very truly, SANFORD BATES, Director. Re Brown, Solomon: No. 38291 (injured Federal prisoner). The SURGEON GENERAL, United States Public Health Service, Washington, D. C. SIR: I have the honor to transmit the medical report of the injury of the abovenamed man received during his incarceration as a prisoner in the United States Penitentiary, Atlanta, Ga. Solomon Brown was received in the penitentiary June 6, 1931, on a sentence of 2 years for violation of the Motor Vehicle Theft Act. He was 16 years of age at time of admission. HISTORY OF INJURY Patient: "While at work Saturday morning, October 22, 1932, I caught my hand in a small hot mangle at the laundry. It was early in the morning, so the mangle was not as hot as it would be later in the day. My hand could not be removed from the mangle, except by reversing the mangle by hand. I was brought to the hospital immediately." L. Guy Matheson, foreman of laundry (letter): "About 8:30 or 9 o'clock this a. m. (October 22, 1933) the above prisoner, employed in the laundry, through his own carelessness, got his hand caught in one of the flat-work ironers. This man did not work on this machine although he did work on one of the larger irons where there is not as much danger. "He walked around on the back side of the machine to get the trash box, and without realizing the danger or with absolute thoughtlessness put his hand on one of the rollers while machine was in motion. In sliding his hand down the roller as he walked along, it became caught in said machine and was burned. "Prisoner No. 39830, Jones, pushed the safety guard on and stopped the machine which prevented his whole arm from being pulled into the machine. Immediately after his hand was released he was sent to the hospital." PHYSICAL EXAMINATION (Dr. Ossenfort) October 22, 1932: Essentially negative, except for right hand. Right hand and wrist shows a dry recent denudation as from hot iron and extending through about two-thirds thickness of skin. The fingers are semiclawed and movement of the hand is painful. Point of maximum tenderness is over knuckle of ring finger and between third and fourth fingers. There is no swelling. X-ray shows fracture of fourth metacarpal. In good condition. Diagnosis: Fracture simple, fourth metacarpal. Third-degree burn right hand. Laceration of right hand. Remarks: Injury is due to mangle burn. Amount of permanent disability cannot be determined at this time. Patient was admitted to the hospital and given the usual treatments of dressings and observation. Three days later (October 25, 1932), the right hand was markedly swollen and tender, fever was present. Consultant surgeon, John B. Cross concurred in the diagnosis of infection, and the patient was taken to the operating room, and the usual incisions were made for drainage. The diagnosis of infection was not sustained at operation table, but deep gangrene was discovered. Dressings were applied and the patient returned to the ward remarkably relieved from pain. Temperature returned to normal. Surgeon, Dr. Ossenfort; assistant, Dr. Cross; anesthetist, Dr. Hendrick. On the night of November 2, 1932, a severe secondary hemorrhage took place from a small vessel on the back of the hand. The patient was found in moderate degree of shock. Bleeding was controlled and the patient was supported with physiologic saline by vein. On November 6, 1932, the patient's temperature became markedly elevated and the pulse rate correspondingly increased. During the remainder of the day |