Mt. Gilead, NC—
April 14, 1919

Mr Earl Dudding
President Prisoners Relief Society
Washington D.C.

Dear Sir

Your interference in behalf of Prisoners in this state is a god send. We have protested time and again to no good. Now I will place a few facts in your hand for investigation that can be substanciated by a number good people. In 1918 a number young men of good families were notified they would be called to go camp a certain date then they decided they would make them some liquor first. They were caught [ha'ld] before O. C. Burton, a J Peace who was Chairman Exemption Board bound to Court and sentenced to 12 mo- each on Stanly Co roads. Names of parties are Lacy McRae Wadeville NC Clay Smith Mt Gilead NC Rt #2. S. P. Thompson Mt. Gilead Rt 2 Jno Armstrong Mt Gilead NC. Will McRae Wadeville NC. Eddie Roberts Wadeville N.C. They were Beaten nearly to death some of them perminently disabled beaten with large Hickory Sticks and while there the Foreman one N. C. Cranford an Ex convict of Randolph roads did kill 2 Negro Convicts and made one Negro Convict Beat S. P. Thompson a white man with a stick we protested and had Mr. R T Poole a lawyer of Troy NC and Edgar Haywood Clerk of our Court to go and investige and the sd Cranford knew something was going to be done and he notified the boys that tales told out of school mearit death and they gave Mr Poole affidavits to save their own lives. Gov. Bickett pardoned the boys and had them sent to camps & they have just been discharged and their tales of murder and cruilty to prisoners are too bad for heathens. With all our protest we accomplished nothing only had Cranford discharged and they put his assantince Picler in his place and he is carring out same old plans. Now you have man names and address of boys please investigate and save the name of our state of any such [illegible].

Hoping God will aid you in your work.

Very truly

J P dulls

P. S. The boys says its understood if any one tell while a convict its death, so in your investigation see all of Cranford’s Ex convicts.

<Enclosed in: 1919, April 17. Dudding to Bickett.>