There was no element of surprise in the acquittal of Nevin C. Cranford, former convict boss in Stanly county. Charged with murder in connection with the deaths of two former prisoners under him, Cranford offered a defense that promised freedom for him from the beginning. In the first place the prisoners who died were negroes, a fact that worked in Cranford’s favor. And in the second place the State had of necessity to rely for the most part on former prisoners for their testimony. That fact undoubtedly was taken into consideration by the jurors, counsel for the defense in arguments making much of the fact that these witnesses might be expected to “have it in for” their former overseer.
Already we have heard several people say Cranford should be given his job back to prove that his system was right. That system is one that admits the use of the lash, although it is maintained that cruelty was not characteristic of the treatment. Cranford has no business overseeing prisoners, regardless of the fact that he was freed. While the jurors were convinced that he did not murder the two negroes, they must have been convinced that he was cruel on more than one occasion. Chain gangs are not maintained as pleasure resorts, to be sure, but neither are they maintained for torture.
Editorial in the Concord Daily Tribune, Saturday, July 31, 1926
newspapers.digitalnc.org/lccn/sn92073201/1926-07-31/ed-1/seq-4/
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