Letters, Aug. 27, 1934

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    and had committed a felony for which he entered a plea of guilty in open court, and I sentenced him to a term of years in the penitentiary and gave him his own commitment and told him to take it to the warden, and a bystander remarked that he might not get there, I made the statement that I was too thoroughly versed in human nature not to know that this boy would go to the penitentiary and not attempt to escape, and that I thought every judge should play poker at least five years in order to gain an insight to human nature. I also stated that it gave me pleasure to see Charlie Dumas, a Negro who plead guilty before me for raping a 15-year-old girl, and whom I sentenced to die in the electric chair, electrocuted, because I did not believe and do not now believe that a malefactor of his kind has any place among human beings. . . . Since I expect to have to deal more or less with the public and especially with the press, I just thought that I would let you know the facts about myself and I assure you that any time you desire to know anything about me, that I consider it from such a nature that you would have a right to print it, I'll be more than glad to give you the facts. . . . (P. L.) PERCY LEE GASSAWAY

    Democratic Nominee for Congress, 4th District Coalgate, Okla.

    To Reader Gassaway, thanks for the facts of his life.—ED.

    Governor's Hat

    Sirs:

    Apropos your review headed "Comedie Louisianaise," p. 13, Aug. 13 issue, in which you give a picture designated "Governor of Louisiana" and which purports to be a picture of Oscar Kelly Allen, present Governor of Louisiana, please be advised that you err and the picture given is not a picture of Governor Allen, but of someone else. This is substantiated by the fact that the figure wears a high top hat. Governor Allen does not own a high top hat. . . . J. I. MCCAIN

    New Orleans, La.

    Wearing his own silk hat, his own silk muffler, his own dress clothes, Governor Oscar Kelly Allen appeared at the Inaugural Ball at Washington on March 4. 1933, where TIME'S picture was taken. If the sight of his Governor in such ceremonial attire is unfamiliar to Reader McCain, let him reflect on Louisiana political tradition, which says "It hurts you with the country vote to be shown wearing a stovepipe hat." —ED.

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