The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-12-16
.H|GDON To RETURN
DURING THIS WEEK
May Announce Appointments
About January
HE IS NOW IN CHICAGO
Studies Methods of Management In
Some of the Largest Prisons In
the Country-S Some Poll
cies Indicated.

Col ~ L. Higdon. who was elected
sheriff of Jefferson county in the Novem-
Der election will return from Chicago,
where he has been spending several days
as the guest of Artemus P. Shaver of the
Armour Packing company, tomorrow or
Tuesday.
zen of Birmingham and is well known in
business circles here He and Colonel
Hisdon are said to be very close personal
friends, and after his election Colonel
Higdon received pressing invitation
from Mr.. Shaver to spend few days
with him in Chicago
Colonel Higdon has taken advantage of
the opportunity to study the methods Of
management of large prisons in the mid
die west, and will use the information
secured in improving the management of
the Jefferson county Jail wherever i'm
provevents are feasible.
Capt. Lucian Brown, who will be chief
deputy for Colonel Higdon, has been in
the sheriff's office for two or three weeks
familiarizing himself with the details of
the office He has also visited prisons
in other cities to study plans and methods
for Improvement in the Jail here.
important Appointments.
There are several important appoint
ments to be made by the incoming sheriff,
and it is believed that Colonel Higdon will
announce some of them about the first of
Tho
before he enters the office, January a.
So far he has made no announcement of
any appointments except that of chief
deputy
One of the principal appointments to be
made is that of chief deputy at Bessemer
which office is one of the most important
In the county, since the deputy in charge
has full control of that division covered
by the Bessemer city court, which is a
large part of the southern section of the
county.
The late Jerry Fountain held this posi-
tion for several years. He resigned, how
ever, a short time before his death and
was succeeded by Rush Randall, who is
the present incumbent.
In discussing the probable policy of the
new administration in the sheriff's office
yesterday a gentleman closely connected
with Colonel Higdon said, 81 am still of
the opinion that Colonel Iigdon will make
one of the best executive officers that
Jefferson county has ever had. He is fun
of energy and is fair man, and is study
ing every means possible to improve the
service in the office to which he has been
elected by the people.
Is In Chicago.
He is now in Chicago the guest of some
friends, and is taking advantage of the
opportunity to study the methods en-
ployed in keeping some of the largest pris-
ons in the country. The chances are that
he will have many improvements to in
augurate in the Jefferson county Jail and
in the administration of the sheriffs Of
flee after his Inauguration into office in
January
II understand that one policy of his
administration of the office will be to
confer with the judges and clerks of the
several courts in the county as to the
appointment of court deputies. that the
service may reach the very highest eff
ficiency.
Colonel Higdon will also take great
care in the appointment of his regular
deputies in the county, that the people
served may receive the very best service.
He will, of course, consider first his
friends who assisted him in securing the
office. but will go outside of this if nee
essary in order to secure the most eff
ficiency.
Colonel Higdon will probably return to
the city Monday or Tuesday, but will like
ly make no announcement of appoint
ments or other plans until after the first
of the Xear.v