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ad my ideas about what a jail should look like had come fromwatching old George Raft mov-rophones in a conference room. Then we held the conference.tes.The sheriff was present, and be asked us if we were surekansas River outside.We had onlv one cellmateThe Pulaski County jail was entirely faithful to these ideas. It looked like a jail in a movie. How Jack Baker of the Ar-we knew what we were doingWe said we were.James Dean Walker, 26, convicted of the 1963 murder of a North Little Rock policeman.Except for a short time on Death Row at Tucker Statetress, so Baker and I sat onhis, was directly across fromWalker’s. On Walker’s TV set.bullet scars.we watched ourselves on the 6Thenkansas Gazette and I came to spend nearly 30 hours there is now a well-known story.Judge William J. Kirby sentenced us to indefinite termsThen the press conference was held. It was not a pleasant experience. Lights I was usedto standing behind now shone in mv eves. I was used to ask-in the county jail without bond.He said we could get out when we told the grand jury what it wanted to know.ing the questions, now I wasanswering them.After a session which lastedabout 15 minutes, we were taken back to our cell. It wasSo we found ourselves walking from the courthouse to the county jail, in the company of a deputy sheriff, and a couple of handcuffed gentlemen wedid r.ot see again.a small, rectangular room, about eight feet wide and 12 feet long. The entrance was secured bv a steel door. TherePrison Farm, WTalker had lived in the cell for nearly fourwstraight years while his case has been on appeal.He had made quite a comfortable place out of it. He used all the bunks except his as shelves for his belongings,but he quickly cleared bunks for us, shook hands, and introduced himself.began coming.All the fuss and television equipment that accompaniedour arrival had apparently impressed our jailers, and they allowed us telephone calls and visitors throughout our stay. Our first visitors were re-He was convicted of shootinga policeman in the heart. The policeman shot him five times in the bodv with a .33-caliberLater in the morning, we got up, washed and shaed, anddressed in the only clothes we had About 11. we had anotherconference with the lawyers.pistol. Walker maintained that Our lawyers had us signhe had not shot his gun at all. some papers, and told us theywould try to get Judge Kirbyto set bail that afternoon. Weand poured forth all the details of his complicated case Walker was full of talk. Helater learned that the JudgeThe cell was kept immaculate. A clothesline ran acrossiOnce inside the electric double-doors of the jailhouse, wewas a narrow glass window near the top of the door, which could be covered by a steelplate.Near the bottom of the doorthe back wall, below it, on acardboard box, rested a smallporters from the Gazette, and a Little Rock friend of The Commercial’s executive editor. We were assured that lawyers were already working for us, and that we had the support of our papers. That was very good to hear.may have been trying to impress a couple of newspaper reporters with his innocence. T am more inclinced to thinkwas out of town that day, on a bird-hunting trip.We spent the afternoon in the cell. No one came to see usthat he was just lonely, since he had talked with no one butall afternoon and the noveltvhis jailers and his lawyers for months.of being in jail was beginning to wear off We listened to our-television set. A radio, a phonograph and records were set onone upper bunk, together withOur first look at prison food came when three tin plates were shoved through the slot in the door. Thev held twoThe jailer finally brought me a mattress about 11. It wasclean Mavbe even new. We watched television, read and talked until about three in the«clves on the radio every time the news came onmorning. Then we slept.I had onlv one blanket and1Walker set up his phonograph and played some Nancy Wilson records. We read, talked and dozed Walker had two kindsof literature in his cellRible-books and magazines. On an- slices of bread each, a freshwere perfunctorily frisked, and asked to make lists of ourvaluables. Watches, money,was an opening through which we got our meals. This slot was kept closed and lockedother, several pairs of freshly shined shoes were lined upagainst the wall.sugar doughnut, and a tin bowl full of the main course.Isince the windows were open to the outside, it was draftv in the cell. I doubled the blanketstudy tracts and Playboy magazines He had centerfold nudesThis was a glutinous red soupwarmthcomplishing a very great deal, getting the results you want. Get day’s duties cleared up quickly. Then you can be with romantic attachment.Handle own affairs quietly. Be 1 illllinitllililllllllPilHilllHillHlllltiiHniillllllll^very much on the practical side.LEO (July 22 to Aug. 21)Avoid higher-ups early in day since thev are not in a goodears4bby...sists on wearing brush rollers in her hair when she retireshung on the wall over the sink. He changed the pictures, he said, at regular intervals.Bottv mv wife, came for a visit late in the afternoon. Baker's fiance—who had flownPISCES (Feb. 20 to Mar. 20 mood, but later you find theyGet your most personal aims clarified in vour mind and thencontact the persons involved and state your desires. A close tie can give you very constructive ideas. Follow' through on them.IF YOUR CHILD IS BORNappreciate your finest attributes. They do much to help you get ahead faster. Forget business and enjoy yourself tonight.Commercials are Stupidevery night. Not only do I find this extremely repulsive looking, but occasionally Iwas within from Memphis — her. They made plans to stayovernight in Little Rock, andwill get a brush roller in the | 10 look as if we**aaianeye.I have told her I don't likeran(ifcNiniBt syndicate Inc jTODAY ... he. or she, will beVIRGO (Aug. 22 to Sept 22) New ideas and projects can heher coming to bed with those things in her hair, but she continues to do so.going to spend another night injailSometime after that the radiocarried a statement from Gov.Tell me. Abbv, why a wo-one of those fascinating young ones who has sufficient vision tomade workable, but they re-DEAR ABBY: Mav I sav iknow how to put ideas on a Dractical basis. There is alsoquire further study before this is possible. Get added data youneed. Don’t permit that new ac-something about the idiocy of television commercials, especially those directed to the American housewife? Aa “powerful” detergent Mother cuts the kid's shirt in halffman would present herself to her husband in such hideousWinthrop Rockefeller indicatingthat he was sympathetic with our standWalker told us not to worrv.with a shiny scissors, washes one half the shirt in “BrandY” and fhp nthpr half in thpget-up every night in order to look good for the people at the office?We had, he said, too manv important people on our side tostay in jail very long.
Newspaper Details
Blytheville Courier News
Blytheville, Arkansas, US
Sat, Apr 01, 1967
Page 2
Full Page
Clipped by
Mary D.
NA, NA 01 Feb 2023
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