The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-08-04

After lapse or several Hlontna. III fact since The Advertiser exposed the employed. Butler County again comes into prominence because of the wholesale arrest and conviction of per sons charged with unlawfully riding on railroad trains. Not a single arrest was made on this charge during May, the month in which the grand jury was in session. Not a single arrest was made in June. It is said that the noted Deputy Sheriff Storey was 're-engaged by Sheriff Hartley and went to work July 1st. During July twenty-six per- sons were arrested. The first of these arrests was made July 1st.
 It will be remembered that The Ad vertiser exposed the manner in which persons were arrested and convicted in Butler County on this trivial charge early in the present year, and that af- ter an official examination of the cases the late Governor Sanford pardoned fifty-two convicts who had been sent to the mines from Butler County.
 When pressed by an Examiner of Public Accounts. Sheriff Hartley of Butler County, made affidavit that the law had been abused by Deputy Sher- person arrested. and that he had dis charged Storey from his employ.
 Two Montgomerians Arrested.
 Among the persons arrested at Green vile on this charge during July are two young men of a respectable Mont gomery family. They are William l.. Ellis and Odie E. Ellis. They are now at Pratt Mines serving sentence, and Police Chief Gerald has written a let | ter to Governor Jelks urging him to grant them pardons.
 The resumption of this practice by Butler County officials has been brought to the attention of Governor Jelks during the past week, and it is | understood that he will order an inves- | tigation made with a view to pardon ing all of this class of eonvicts sent to the mines from that county. The Governor is at his home in Eufaula and he could not be seen yesterday. At the Executive Office | was ad mitted that the Governor had the matter under consideration but his Private Secretary, Hon. J. k. Jackson, said he preferred not to discuss the matter in the absence of the Chief Executive.
 A State official who has taken more or less interest in the Butler County scandals, said yesterday that he thought the Governor was powerless to relieve the situation further than to pardon the prisoners as fast as they are sent to the mines. He might order impeachment proceedings acanst the county officials, but this would be a rather extraordinary remedy. If the citizens of Butler County are incensed | over this practice as they claim to be- | said the official, "it would seem that | they would demand relief from their grand juries. This is where the fault lies. I we'll remember the direct charge to the jury in May by Judge Richard son of the Circuit Court, but that jury returned a verdict that the county otti- cials were as white as snow"
 Letter from Chief Gerald.
 Captain Adolph Gerald. Chief of Po- lice of Montgomery, yesterday address ed the following communicat tion to Gov ernor Jelks in the interest of the Mont . gomery young men now in Pratt Msanes on charges of riding on trains:
 Montgomery. Ala, Aug. ?, 1901. To His Excellency. W. D. Jelks. Gov
 ernor of Alabama:
 This will be handed you by ,.MA A. D. Ellis a citizen of this placeV lah old Confederate soldier hDving--been a member of company K. 1st regiment of Alabama infantry.
 MT. Ellis desires to appeal to your Excellency for executive clerfency in behalf of his two sons. William l.. El- lis. age 20 years and Odie E. Ellis, aged r years. both of whom were con- victed last month. July, 1901. in But Ter County. for unlawfully riding on railroad train and are now serving a sentence at Pratt Mines.