The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-08-15
CARMICHAEL TALKS
ON CONVICT HIRE
Says Cunningham Was Re-
SponSibIe for Change
MANY STORIES ARE PUT OUT
Former President of Board of Convict
inspectors Says He Wants to See
Credit Put In the
Proper Place.

Montgomery. August -(Special)-In
an interview given to the press today,
Judge ]. NJ. Carmichael, state auditor.
but formerly president of the state board
of convict inspectors, It Is shown that the
present plan of working the convicts in
the mines was adopted on the suggestion
Of DR.. R. NJ. Cunningham. lieutenant gov
ernor, and candidate for the democratic
nomination for governor.
1t is shown in the interview that under
the old plan, in 1901, the state received
from the Tennessee company ss4.114s4.
and in 1902. s66,1O755. Under the new
plan, in 1903, s271,O7512; in 1904, $2s2, 400 "a;
in 1905, s2665SO.69.
From the Sloss-Sheffield Co., old plan,
1901, s39,12217; 1902. s21,2SS.52; new plan,
1903. s72,592.o9; 1904, SOL, 1898; 1905, $780,
6S2.47.
This statement is given out to refute
the reports that DR.. Cunningham had
nothing to do with the present contracts
with the miners, out of which the state
is making so much money. 1t is noted
that bids had been asked under the old
plan and that before they were taken in
and let the whole thing was changed at
the suggestion of DR.. Cunningham, who
was in conference with the governor and
the president of the convict board.
There have been some affirmations
and some denials OF a proposition con-
nected with the administration of the
convict department during Governor
Jelks' term. and for the purpose of giving
a correct version of the question, 1 beg
to call attention to the facts hereinafter
set forth.
cat the inception of Governor Jelks' ad-
minstration, the convicts working In the
mines of the Tennessee Coal, Iron and
Railroad company and the Sloss Sheffield
Steel and Iron company, were earning
for the state of Alabama from each of
said companies the following amounts:
First class men, $i4; second class men,
$40; third class men, 81. The contracts
embracing these several amounts were
to terminate on the 31st day of December,
1902
KNOWING such to be the fact, l. as
president of the board of convict inspec-
tors, published notice in several papers
in the month of October or November,
1902, inviting bids for the convicts sub
ject to hire under the old plan. con-
versaton, at first with Governor Jelks,
led to the consideration of the propriety
of the hiring of the convicts by the piece.
or, in other words, so much money for
so much work Speaking, however, more
explicitly, the state to receive so much
money for each ton of coal mined The
state to have the use of the contractors
mines,1 buildings, equipments and the
like. and to care for and maintain the
convicts in all respects. The notice In
viting bids was accordingly Withdrawn.
Governor Jelks Informed me that ne was
greatly strengthened in the purpose to
,11o ind fad nv Cunning
ham. who Insisted that the new departure
as II was sometimes called. would result
financially in great benefit to- the state
as we'll as to the convlcts, from a human
itarian standpoint. The new plan was
adopted. and with what benefit TO the
state may be seen from that which mere
matter follows
.'IJnder the old plan the state received
from the Tennessee Coal, Iron and Rail-
road company
For the year 1901. ..................S b4,ll454
For the year 1902. o6,lVLoo
Under the new plan for the year
1908 1tliVio.l4
Under the new plan for the year
1904 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 2Sz,4 5O.54
Under the new plan for the year
1905 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS zoo,oouo5
From the sloss Sheffield Steel and
Iron company under the old plan
For the year 1901 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 80 ~ ~
FOR the year 1902 .................. 1882
Under the new plan for the year
1903 OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. fz,oJzVJ
Under the new plan for the year
1904 NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. 5l,lo9oc
Under the new plan for the year
1905 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 100, $50 At
ut will be observed that these state
ments of receipts are made for the cal
endar and not for the fiscal year"
The Governor Talks.