The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-12-17
JOHN w. PACE HAS ASC'ONTRACT TallapOosa County Leases
 Him COnVictS. STATE MAY NTHRPosE President Carmichael Points
 to the Law. He Declares IL is san unseemiy Act' on Part es ----aty C~---- --'--'~---s.s.
 Governor May Take .
 Hand.
|sTATB MAY NTERPosE
He Dsclares Il E ..an unseemly Act''

it !. .9-1 John W. Pace, of peonage notoriety. has been awarded the lease of the, conyicts cf TaIlapoosa County, but he may nov pc permitted to work them.
 The State administration, 1t is said In semi cfflciai circles, will not allow Pace with his peonage record and his record for alleged cruelty to :convicts. to work the Tallapocsa County prisoners, if 1t can ba prevented. In other words Pace will be allowed the convicts only in the event that there is no law or power allowing the Governor or Board of Convict Inspec- tors to cancel the contract.
 Delicate Law Point.
 delicate law point is involved in the matter. The code of Alabama provides that County conytcts, hired outside th County in which they were convicted. shan be under the superintendence and control of the Board of Convict Inspec- tors
 But Pace is a resident of Taliapoosa County and his farm Is located in the County in which the convicts were con- yicted. The same section of tho code pro- videa that County convicts. hired in the County where they were convicted shall be under the control and superintendence of the Court of County Commissioners Under this condition of facts 1t would appear that the State administration. would be barred from action In the Tair iapcosA County matter. yet iA a state mer1t yesterday Judee J. M Carmichael said. q feel sure that the Board of h. spectors with the aid and assistance of Governor Jeilxs will find some remedy against this unseenaly act of the Commis- sioner's Court of Taiiapoosa County" It is an open secret at the Capitol that the State officials will do all within their power to prevent Pace from working any County or State convicts.
 President Carmichael Talks. In reference to the Pace matter Presi- dent Carmichael of the Board of Convict l Inspectors said. 2k s.sf eia' hf.k e4Aa.a | 'sJofin w. Pace has been awarded athe Icontract for the County convirts of Tats | llApoosa County. and the contract Is now | nn Nle in the ofIice of the President of | the Board of Convict Inspectors. It was
 made and executed on the twelfth day of December. 1893, by James M. Boone. Hard I Labor Agent for Tailapoosa County, and l J. W. Pace, and filed in this office on December IA. 19O8."
 'sThere is no law in the State of Ala.
 pama. so far as I know. providing tha'
 the State Board of Convict 1nsoertors shall have direct control and supervision | nf the leasing and working of County convicts. That such a law should have been enacted is to my mind quite aRpar- lent, but no one seems to have had the Impression that a man of Mir. Faces rep-
 utation. in connection with conyicts,
 would ever be awarded a contract for the hire of convicts, M
 '.Bection l521 of the code of Alabama, pi ovides that County convicts. hired in the County where convicted. shall be un- Edef control and superintendence of the County Commissioners. but If hired out
 side of the County. shall be under the su- lperintendence and control of the Board of Convict Inspectors.
 .'This Unseemly Act" .,sThe fact that the conviets of Talla- poosa' County have been hired to MT. Pace, and are under the control of the
 County Commissioners of that County,
 would seem to leave the Board without remedy against this apparent great wrong Idone to helpless people, but I feel sure
 that the Board of Inspectors with the aid
 and assistance of Governor Jelks will find some remedy against this unseemly
 act of the Commissioners Court" John W. Pace. according to official statements. had an unsavory record iu the
 working of convicts long before he was
 arraigned fin the Federal courts on the Icharge of peonage. On the grounds of
 mistreatment State convicts were taken \ from him by the State authorities as lar back as 1886. There were some ugly as-
 sertfons of cruelty to the convicts in
 Paee's charge. but he was never convict Ted or punished in the State courts. | It will be recalled that in the peonage
 cases of last spring Pace was one of the principal defendants. entering a plea oi guilty to the charge of peonage. He is
 now under five years sentence. but the
 sentence has been suspended,
 For these reasons the State officials are
 determined to prevent, If possible, Faces
 control of any more convicts.