The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-01-07
ALABAMA HAS THE
 ONLY WOMAN JAILER
She Subduec RecAlcitrantr and
 Assistr at ExecutionS.
fy Marie Bankhead ntgomery in The Sunny south

.As tall as Molly Gradyt "As brave as Molly Grady!" Twice in day had heard that name, and made inquiry con- cerning 1t.
 .'who is Molly Gradyr' said my host ! in surprise "Do you not know her? She Is our jailer. and there Is no better in | the countryw Forthwith I began to plan A meeting with this Talladega Amazon My escort pulled at a rusty knob beside the gate and presently we heard a bell tinkling within the jail vestibule. A firm. swift step approached down the stairs and cruhched the gravel on the walk. A woman's voice challenged us through the closed gate. 'T have a visitor with me, Miss Molly" and, recognising the voice of the man with me, the Jailer threw open the gate and admitted us. Four ibloodhounds were sprawled out In the half shade of a withered peach tree. One bir fellow sprang up and sniffed at us, but at the bidding of his mistress he slunk away.
 I think I am correct when I say that Miss Molly Grady is the only woman jailer in America The census shows over five millions of women engaged in gain ful occupations in this country. There are over a million engaged in agricul- tural pursuits. half million in profess sional pursuits, two millions in domestic service and a million in manufacturing and mechanical pursuits. The female farmers include laborers, farmers, over seers. gardeners, florists, fruit growers. milk farmers, stock raisers, herders, tur- pentine farmers, wood choppers. lumber men and raftsmen. Of the women in professional life there are actresses. ar chitects. teachers. clergymen. dentists, newspaper writers, lawyers, Government officials, doctors veterinary surgeons. etc. There are also barbers, bartenders, | trappers, guides and scouts. In trades and transportation there is host of wo- men merchants, clerks, commercial trav- elers, livery stable keepers and coal min CTS, blacksmiths. boot and shoe makers and repairers, book binders, cotton mill hands, knitting machine operatives and miscellaneous trades galore, but as a jailer I cannot recall another one.
 Of course wanted to know all about the woman. but she is modest and keen. therefore gathered most of the facts of her life from other sources.
 She is feet inches tall about 35 years old and deeply in earnest Her parents were both Irish. She was born and reared in Etowah County, which also was the home of Emma Sansom, that fearless girl who piloted General Forrest across a safe ford of Black Creek and thereby made possible the capture of General Straight, the raider, and his forces.
 When Mss Molly was IS years of age she decided to enter a convent, and re- paired to Selma, Ala, where she was ad- mitted to the Catholic convent at that place. Her mother was soon afterwards burned to deth and her father, falling III. she wisely decided that her first duty was in the shadow of her paternal roof tree. She accordingly, with profound re. gret, renounced her religious vocation and returned to the world.
 Doesn't Know Meaning of Fear.
 She was showing us through the jai when asked her if she was not afraid to be in so trying a position: if she did not suffer from nerves after an execution in short, if she was not 'skeered ot hants" "Afraid!" She looked at ma scornfully; then laughed apologetically Afraid! why don't know the feeling oi fear. I wish could get good scared just to see how it feels. I never wal frightened in my lfe." She has a bold gray-brown eye that looks you clear through, an unfiinching, lnblinldng gaze and I could easily believe her statement '.The nearest I ever came to being fright. ened," she said, twas about eighteen years ago when was visiting in Chat tanooga. Tenn, A house caught fire and everybody was safely put except a B. months-old baby, which In the panic had been overlooked until too late for any one to safely re-ehter the house. volunteered to go in after 1t. although everybody said 1t was certain death to try it. went in and brought the baby out safely. The house collapsed in my
 aI -A the nerve she displayed she modestly dwelt on the instindt of the baby in recognizing her as savior and how il clung to her. refusing to satisfy the bangs of hunger. vas anxious to ana lyze the cause of the partial emotion of fear which she cofessed at the outset oi her narrative and therefore asked her il she was apprehensive over losing her own life or allowing the taby to perish. "Oh It was the baby! Think of the little darl-
 ing burning to death!' She has no chil' dren of her own.
 We continued our sightseeing through the little jail. and the cleanliness of ev- cry nook and corner was most gratifying
 Later I heard of a real drubbing she gave a burly negro who was reputed to be the most dangerous fist fighter in the county. His face was scanned with razor scars. He refused co obey one of hel orders and gave her some ''sass." She quietly walked into the cell, collared hin and administered thorough chastisemen to him. He cringed with awe ,whenevel she turned her eyes in his direction and was never heard to again boast of hi: pugillstic prowess.
 There are sixteen prisoners in here now" She threw open the door and pushed me into the aisle of the cage Glaring through the grating. close to me were a pair of piercing black eyes. They