The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1907-01-09
SUGGESTS SCHEME
TO LESSEN CRIME
Does Not Cease When Prisoners
Reach Jail
GAMBLERS ARE PROTECTED
Assistant City Attorney Ia Annual Re-
port Says Robbery, PIIlaee and
Assault Occur In the
City Jail.
GAMBLERS ARE PROTECTED

! City jail.
| The annual report of the assistant city
attorney James Quinton Smith. who has
conducted the prosecution of criminals In
the police court during the past year, was
submitted yesterday.
| Mr.. Smith recommends that stricter at
| tention than ever to vagraney and gamb-
| ling is essential. calls attention to the
allegation that gambling is conducted in
hotels of the city, and that in them the
players are protected by watchers" sta
| toned in the lobbles and that the city is
| sorely In need of paid stevedore at the
city jail, in which, the prosecuting attor-
ney states, much robbery, pillage and as
| sault has occurred.
| An item in the report of unusual inter
est is that during the past year, on for
| felted bonds from the police court, $1400
was collected. Mr.. Smith reports that dur
ing the year. 256 cases were appealed from
the police court to the criminal court,
and that of that number more than half
were dismissed.
The report, incorporated in the letter to
|
Hon. Il. d. Smith, City Attorney, City:
Dear Slr-I beg to submit you herewith
the report in full of my services as as
sistant city attorney of Birmingham for
the year 1906, and also a few recommen-
| dations which ] deem proper to make at
this time.
l have appeared in behalf of the city
in the police court at each daily session
of said court, and have represented the
city in the prosecution of all cases where
my services were deemed necessary and
when called upon by the judge of the po-
lice court.
| | have also appeared in behalf of the
city in the criminal court of jefferson
| county and prosecuted all appeal cases
from the police court of Birmingham to
said criminal court and you will find at
taehed to this report a list OF all cases
and the disposition of the same during
the year 1906 and marked exhibit "a"
There has been kept nisi docket in the
| police court for the collection of money
due on forfeiture bonds You will also find
a list Of monthly COLLECTIONS from this
source, marked Exhibit "B."
Tried Many Gamblers.
During the year 1906 there have been
215 cases appealed from the police court
to the criminal court of Jefferson county,
| a great number of these cases being
gambling cases.
| beg to state that | have given the vio-
laters of the gambling law, Sunday law
and Vagrancy law special attention, and
during the year 1906 there have been ar
rested and tried GAG gamblers. A large per
cent of these cases has resulted in con-
viction and about 100 have been appealed
to the criminal court of Jefferson county,
and are now pending.
Should Watch Vagrancy
! would earnestly recommend that for
the coming year the police department
would pay particular attention to the en-
| forcement of the vagrancy law and keep
a watchful eye on the saloons and pool
rooms of the city, and see that the class
of people who frequent these places be
| prohibited from loafing and lettering
around same. In my opinion. from ex
perience as prosecuting attorney for the
city, this class of people are dangerous to
society, and commit large majority of
the crimes that are brought before the
courts of this city.
| | would also suggest that the police de-
partment pay equally as much attention
| to places where gamblers are known to
| resort. mad see that these men are ar
rested for vagrancy and lettering
Gambling In Hotels.
1t has been brought to my attention
that gambling rooms are run In a good
many of the hotels OF the city. and that
men are stationed at the entrance and in
the Hobbies of said hotels. and that when
officers are seen approaching they give
| the alarm, and before these rooms, where
| gambling is going on. can be reached by
the officers. the gamblers make their es-
cape. These men stationed In the hotels
should be arrested for vagrancy and lott
erlng and given the full limit OF the law
I would suggest that whenever con-
| viction is had for gambling In hotels
pool rooms and over saloons. that the city
| Council revoke the licenses OF such places
and in my Judgment that will have a ten
dency to get such practice out OF these
places and the police officers will be bet
ter able to handle this class of crime
RobberIes In Jail.
also desire to call attention to the city
Jail AS you well know, during the past
year there have been many thefts, rob-
berries and assaults committed in the city
Jail In some instances by the stevedores
wish to state in this connection that II
Is not the fault of the wardens In charge
Of said jail, but ii Is the fault Of the stew
edores, who are prisoners themselves and
men OF bad character. l would earnestly
recommend that paid man Of good char
acter be kept on duty on the inside Of the
Jail and let 1t be his business to see that
the prisoners are protected and given
| 1alr treatment during tnelr incarcerdtlon
| I would also recommend that the po-
lice officers be more careful In accepting
and approving appearance bonds. / would
suggest that the officer approving the
bonds make inquiry as to the property
owned by the person signing the bond.
and see that they are persons who would
be responsible II the bonds were for
feited.
Females Dead Weight.
| During the past year there have been
quite number of women who have been
imprisoned In the city Jail and serving
time for failure to pay fines. These
women have to lay In jail at dead ex-
pense to the city and would recommend
that the City Council provide some place
where the women can be worked and be a
profit 10 the city or at least be self-ssus-
tanning and not burden.
In conclusion. viii say that II the