Interview with Foster Parsons, Who Killed Negro Jitney Drivers, Now Released from Penitentiary, March 18, 1920

From the Rockingham Post-Dispatch, Thursday afternoon, March 18, 1920. To see a photo of Foster Parsons, go to https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn91068736/1920-03-18/ed-1/seq-1/.

Parsons Interviewed. . . Post-Dispatch Representative Visits Foster Parsons in Jail Monday Morning. . . Some Impressions of the Young Man

Inasmuch as everything pertaining to the Foster Parsons case is of general interest throughout the county, the Post-Dispatch representative last Monday morning visited the young man at the jail for the purpose of obtaining an interview.

The young man was very pleasant speaking, and perfectly at ease. He freely answered all questions put to him. He appears to be quite changed from his condition of last fall. At that time he was clean shaven, and much thinner than now. In fact, he weighs fully 30 pounds more than when he was on trial October 6^th; and he has turned out a small moustache, sandy in color, which makes him look somewhat older. As a matter of fact, he is only 23 years old, his 24^th birthday being next August 25^th.

Foster says he was well treated during his several months confinement in the Criminal Insane Department of the penitentiary. He was carried there last October 1^st, and immediately the prison physician began treating him for nervous trouble. His hair was shingled, but it has since grown out, and he brushes it back from his forehead as of old. The doctor painted the back of his head and neck with some substance, and kept up this treatment for some weeks; besides that a tonic and stimulant was given him for some time. He had been drinking much Jamaica ginger for some time prior to the killing of the two negroes in August and confinement in the jail at Rockingham, and later in the pen, enabled his system to recover from the effects of the awful stuff.

At first he was kept confined in a cell, but gradually he was allowed privileges. The rising bell sounds at 5:30, and the men (except those who are violent and have to be kept in the cells continually) go to the big dining room for their breakfast. Then they return to their cells, make up their beds, sweep out and o odd jobs about. Foster was used in sweeping mostly; and each fair day, after the odd jobs are done, the better class of patients or prisoners are allowed to exercise in the prison yard. Foster says the food served is especially good and has not a word of complaint as to the fare or treatment. And he says the attendants are very kind.

As his system gradually became clear of the accumulated poisons of his weeks of drinking, and nourishing food with regular habits and hours forced upon him, he steadily improved until on Thursday of last week Dr. Knox told him that he was normal again both in body and mind and that they were going to send him back to Rockingham. On Sunday morning the warden informed him that Sheriff McDonald would come for him that day, and for him to be ready at 3 o’clock; accordingly he was ready, and the two reach Rockingham Sunday night.

He has but little recollection of what happened last fall, but he says he is glad to be back in Rockingham, even if it be in jail; and that he feels that he will be acquitted of wrong intent.

Feeling that those who had known the young man, and who saw him in the trial last fall, would like to see whatever change has taken place in him now, the Post-Dispatch asked did he object to having a picture taken of him and published. He replied, “No, if his attorney thought it would be O.K.” Mr. Jones, being interviewed, saw no objection; and so the writer with Sheriff McDonald went with Foster to Morgan’s Studio about 11:45 Monday morning and had three pictures made of him. One of these appears on the front page of this issue.