The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-07-05
OFFERS NEW PLAN
 ID RELIEVE JAIL Let Circuit Court Exercise Its Criminal Jurisdiction THE JUDGES ARE WILLING City Court Judge Would Not Object to Having Criminal Jurisdiction
 Conferred on Him to
 Aid In Relief.
THE JUDGES ARE WILLING

According to last report there were 203 prisoners in the county jail of Jefferson against whom the following crimes are charged:
 For murder 50.
 Forsburglary and grand larceny 29.
 For assault with intent to murder 15.
 For robbery 2.
 For criminal assault 4.
 For burglary 6.
 For misdemeanors 92.
 These misdemeanors are evidently for petty larceny, assault and battery and other minor charges, and 1t is fair to pre- sume that most of them are negroes Of an ignorant and helpless class. who can not afford sufficient funds to demand trial.
 "The common sense and the humane idea is publicly expressed by a large number of citizens of Jefferson county that so large a number of human beings, white and black, should not be incarcer ated for any length of time within the walls of the county jail of Jefferson.
 "It is a well-grounded belief, based up- on all records of county prisons, that not all of them are guilty of any crimes. That there must be some innocent ones among them, who, being unable to make bond, are detained merely for examina- tion. Many innocent men have been known to have been incarcerated while hundreds more guilty were at freedom"
 The above comments are those of a hu- manitarian, a taxpayer of Jefferson coun- ty, liberal in all his views and in his observations of public matters.
 Tt has been suggested" added he, "that one or more criminal judges be added to the bench of Jefferson county in order to try criminal cases more rapidly and to relieve the situation, both as to over lengthy incarceration of the unfortun- ates and the heavy tax upon the people of the state and county for supporting these prisoners and adding so lavishly to the coffers of the sheriff and other of- ficials.
 q am opposed to adding any more judges to the Jefferson bench. The num- Der is quite sufficient though under the present rule the duty imposed upon the two criminal judges may be too great. The two circuit judges have criminal jurisdiction, but by some peculiar circum- stances or conditions they seem to be re- lieved of such duty. It ought not so to be.
 "A few days ago 1t was suggested by one of the newspapers in Birmingham that Judge Lane of the circuit court, with his splendid reputation of doing things well and quickly, be assigned some of the criminal cases, and fin conversation with me he intimated, with his usual public spirited and patriotic views, that he would be perfectly willing to do so. I am sure Judge Coleman would do likewise.
 This morning I had conversation with Judge Nesmith of the city court, In which he said to me that he would be perfectly willing to have imposed upon him crim- inal Jurisdiction and absolute duty. He said: The city court of Birmingham Is already furnished with abundance of la- bor. While we are just at this time at recess, the early fall docket will show 27o0 cases for disposal, and see no possible chance of disposing of more than 24oo of them within nine months, which is esti- mated to be full years work for the court. In the interim the city court with criminal jurisdiction, might prove of some service.'
 Now" continued this worthy citizen and taxpayer. "we have the opportunity afforded by the interested. humane, un- selfish and patriotic disposition of a splen did county judiciary of relieving the tax payers of an unnecessary burden. large number of unfortunate human beings of the oppression of the laws delay and the consciences of a splendid citizenship from an evil condition, under which they must certainly suffer for which, in large measure, they have felt responsible"