The Press: A Man's Rights

• Share

Ever since the Tampa Tribune (circ. 105,248) and other Florida dailies began exposing crime and corruption in the state, Governor Fuller Warren has been battling against the papers. He has even threatened one of them with shutting off its sources of state government information. Last week the hard-digging Tribune (TIME, Jan. 8, 1951) uncovered another scandal right under Warren's nose. Checking on a tip, Reporter Clyde Shaffer found that a Negro orange-picker named David Reese had been sitting in a Hernando County jail for 18 months, even though there were no formal charges against him.

The prisoner had been acquitted in a murder trial in the summer of 1950, but he was not freed, because State's Attorney Jess Hunter had said he wanted to file another charge against him. In a Page One story the Tribune pointed out that the charge was never filed. Next day, on order of the state's attorney, the sheriff released his prisoner. Said hard-bitten Tribune Managing Editor V. M. ("Red") Newton, who has as little use for Northern reformers as he does for many politicians: "I guess that will show those damyankees that Southerners do have a regard for a man's rights, be he black or white."