The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-03-11
PROBATION BOYS ARE MUCH WANTED Demand Promises to Exceed the Supply at Present SEVEN TELEGRAPHED FOR w. T. Simpson Wires Ills Son to Get Seven Probation Boys Sent Hlm
 at once-To Be Sent
 Today.
SEVEN TELEGRAPHtD FOR

In his effort to reform boys brought be- fore the police court, Judge FeagIn has gone into a wholesale home procuring business, and the supply of boys promises to run far short of the demand. Requests for probation boys to go on farms around the state came in slowly at first one at a time, but now telegrams are being re- ceived asking for from one to seven. and the supply Is running low. The present demand has, however, been supplied, but unless more little negroes will show willingness to be bad and put on proba- tion, it will be some time before any more farmers can be accommodated.
 Yesterday telegram was received by J. W. Simpson, medical student, from his father, W. T. Simpson, asking that he secure seven of the little probation negroes and send them at once to his farm at Berry. Ala The boys will be sent this morning. as Judge Feagin has compiled with the request. and this will take about all the stock on hand.
 Twenty Boys Disposed Of. Yesterday five little negroes were es- corted to the union passenger station by Jack Curran, constable of the police court, and shipped away, three to Dade- vile and the other two to J. H. Oswalt at Fayette. This makes about twenty lit- tie negroes who have been sent to the country to be raised properly and to be kept away from the evils of city life.
 Judge Feagin has had a receipt printed and it must be signed by all those re- ceiving little negroes. They must also promise to give the boys a good home, educate them, teach them a good trade and lastly report to him as to their con dition every month.
 Judges Safeguards. Judge Feagin fears that peonage will creep Into This scheme of his, so he will furnish Judge Jones with list of the names of all these little negroes and the farmers to whom they are sent. and ask that United States secret service agent be sent around occasionally to see as to the condition of the boys. and to prevent any cases of peonage
 Andrew Charles Jackson, the probation officer of the court, will be also sent around to these farmers houses to see if the boys are receiving proper treatment.
 Three of the boys sent away yester- day were Charlie Scales. James Gilbert and Frank English, all under 12 years of l age They were sent to Dadeville.
 Interesting Statistics. 1 Yesterday Judge Feagin was discussing thls plan of his. and said:
 'I find by statistics that 60O0 probation boys have been sent to the farmers out west from the sums of New York, and | that the slums of London have been greatly relieved of their overburdened humanity by sending children to the colonies. Australia having received a goodly number. The record also shows that many of these children have grown up and have become wealthy and promi- | nent people in the colonies, while if they had stayed in the cities they would have become criminals.
 History shows that all great men come from the country. and that the city is not conducive to greatness. Presidents, bankers, financiers and in fact a great majority of the great men of the ooun- try were country boys For this reason there is hope that some of the boys will be aided by being sent to the country" ~~---~~~-~-~--~--~-~>>--~- the bonds of the southern railways are not attracting the investment public to any great extent As to stocks. the hapless experiences of the south In Louisville and Nashville. Southern railway and seaboard will probably act as a deterrent for some time to come"
 At meeting of the local freight agents association last night. Col. A. H. Stevens resigned as chairman and J. c. Putnam, agent for the Alabama Great Southern railroad, was elected to succeed him. J. W. Meares. who succeeds Colonel Stevens as agent for the Central of Georgia rail- way company, was elected a member of the association.
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