Florida Sweat box

On the afternoon of June 3, Arthur Maillefert, 22. of Westfield. N. J., serving nine years for stealing $30. was found strangled to death in the "sweatbox" of Duval County's Sunbeam prison camp. A sweatbox is a windowless outdoor solitary confinement cell little bigger than a coffin. According to Florida law it should be 3 ft. broad. There should be ventilation. Arthur Maillefert. called "Jersey" by his prison mates, had passed the previous evening in the sweatbox naked and inside a barrel out of which he tried to gnaw. He had also used a trusty's knife in an attempt to liberate himself. Four times during his stay at Sunbeam he had tried to escape. Once, when being returned in a police car, he plunged into the Halifax River, swam free in spite of handcuffs.

Once, while being held in a jail, he tried to poison himself. The second night he was placed in the sweatbox followed his fourth break for freedom. He was not wearing the barrel, but his neck was chained to the roof. His feet were nailed down in heavy stocks. When he was found dead a justice of the peace directed that there be no inquest. The Press stirred up a fury of public indignation over the affair. County Detective Gasque investigated. Murder indictments were returned against Acting Guard Captain George W. Courson, a 285-lb. hulker, and Solomon Higginbotham, his assistant. Their trial concluded last week at Jacksonville, Fla.

The defense maintained that the prisoner committed suicide. Testimony:

Convict Harry Schneider (one of the last to see Maillefert alive in the box) "I said 'Jersey, it looks like they got you in a pretty tight spot.' He made a motion like he was going to hang himself. . . . Almost every day he said he was 'just as well off dead as to stay there and work.'

Convict Coy Mitchell--He told me about his girl back home. He said he was going to kill himself. I never made no reply.

Captain Courson (telling of his reluctance to discipline Maillefert even after he had refused to work with the road gang)" Jersey said, 'Captain, I done served my sentence. I don't intend to hit another damned lick.' I told him, 'No sir, your time is not made. You were sentenced here for nine years and my job is to see you do it.' Jersey said, 'I've served my time. If you don't kill me you're yellow.' I told him I must be yellow then because I was not going to kill him. I asked him if he was sick or anything and he said, 'Not a thing wrong.' I told him I was going to have to put him in the sweatbox. Jersey said to me, 'I'm going home.' I said, 'No you're not.' He said, 'Well, I'm going to hell then.'

Testimony for the prosecution:

Chief Trusty Bob Blake--Courson told me to go in and get him five or six witnesses who might be able to clear him at the trial. I did. After I went out I told Courson I thought he had a story that would hold water.

Convict James Birmingham--Blake wanted me to say I saw Jersey make signs. I told him I didn't want anything to do with it.

Another convict--Higginbotham said he would rather kill Maillefert than eat.

Another convict--I asked Courson, 'Ain't that chain too tight?' Higginbotham said, 'That chain ain't tight enough. He can still drink water.'

Another convict--There were, large bruises all over Jersey's legs, arms and back where they had whipped him.

Medical Examiner R. R. Killinger--Examination of the stomach and intestines showed there was no food present. I imagine he had nothing to eat for 24 hours or longer. There is practically no such thing as self-strangulation when able to aid one's self because the desire to breathe is too great.

When prisoners showed the jury how the Sunbeam neck chain and stocks were applied, Mrs. Julia Maillefert, the dead boy's mother, nearly fainted. Rallying, said she: "I am going to sit through the trial to see what kind of justice they mete out down here. I wish they'd just get one man from New Jersey on the jury."

Having listened to testimony for two the jury took less than three hours reaching a verdict: Captain Courson, guilty of manslaughter, which carries a sentence of from one to 20 years in prison; Solomon Higginbotham, not guilty.

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