The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-03-19
SENT TO
MINES TO
make FEES
Young New York Physician Has
a Trying Experience In
Alabama.

! Birmingham, Ala, March i9.--Dr. J. FL
mer Adams, the young New York physi'
clan who was yesterday released from
Pratt Mines Penitentiary, was sentenced
10 serve ninety days at hard labor on the
charge of Nlnlawfully riding on trains in
| Butler county. He gave correspondent
the story OF his arrest and his experience
In prison. lie said
II had just left hospital in New York
and on the advice of friends had come
South for my health. l was making my
way 10 New Orleans. My money ran
short and l started walking from Mont
gomery. but rode part of the way on "A
freight, paying n bra keman small sum.
II left the train before IL reached
Greenville and walked into that place. No
sooner had arrived than ! was arrested
at the point OF a pistol by one ]. w.
storey. a deputy sheriff. and thrown into
a dirty jail along with hardened criminals
and kept there for two weeks. Then l was
notified that was to be sent TO the
mines TO serve ninety days.
II had no trial. was not sentenced and
never saw the judge. | was not even
taken into court. Handcuffed along with
eighteen other prisoners. | was brought
TO Pratt Mines. clad in the uniform OF a
convict and sent mile under ground TO
mine coal.
Il was not able physically to do this,
the authorities then put me to driving
coal carts i'm the mines. l was treated as
well as any OF the convicts, but my expe-
rience was very severe.
mo one can tell the hardships that
convicts have to endure until he becomes
one. Associated with the most hardened
criminals. ] was treated as one OF them.
Yesterday I was notified that friends I'm
New York had sent the amount of my
fine and costs about s25 10 get me out.
Having learned that the governor has
begun an investigation into the practice
OF the Butler county officials in arresting
every passing stranger and sending him
10 the mines a.s l am told 10 make court
fees, | am going to Montgomery TO give
the state authorities my experience and
aid them i'm their investigation.
THE entire proceeding seems like a
dream 10 me. so difficult is IL 10 realize
that a gentleman who has offended no
one can he treated as have bean treated
i'm civilized country. 1 do not Care to go
into all the details of my prison life, but
/ will say that these Alabama prisons are
little hells on earth"
DIR. Adams will go 10 Montgomery to-
morrow. a partial report TO the governor
by Examiner Wood discloses shameful
practices in Butler county, and already
the deputy who arrested Adams has been
dismissed.
lie seems TO have made a business OF
arrcsting passing strangers by the whole
sale on tho charge OF stealing rides OF the
trains so as 10 make fees. lie used prac-
tically the same witnesses i'm each case
and these witnesses got their part of the
fees.
Dr Adanna saws no will rap,aip Il, this
state for some time seeking whatever re-
dress It is possible for him to obtain. lie
served eleven days I'm the mines
Judge CASTOR, of the Butler county
court, In his report to the governor says
that Adams pleaded guilty and that on
Adams own request he passed sentence
on him In Jail.