The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-01-05
Should Be Wiped Out of ! Existence. SAYS PRISONS REX WITH FILTH DISEASE AND VERMIN President of State Board Scathingly Denounces Present | Conditions. Believes Ideas of Civilization Would Be Better Carried Osf If Torch
 Were Applied to Every Jail
 In Alabama V, x,

A damning} indictment of the county convict system, a damning indictment of the jails of Alabama. are containing in the annual report of President Shfr- ley Bragg. of the State Board of con- vict Inspectors. made to Governor JeIks, and yesterday given to the press Of the County Convict system. Presi- dent Bragg says:
 Tt is. if anything, worse than ever before in it's history. The system should be wiped out of existence, and it can not be done too soon. IF the State wishes to kill its convicts. It ly."
 Eoualiy as scathing is Dr. Bragg's arraignment of the jails of the State. Of them he says:
 T have not changed my opinion In reference to the iails of the State; In fact, If anything. I am more convinc- ed than ever before, that the ideas or humanity and civilization would be bet tor carried out if the torch were ap- piled to every jail in Alabama It would be more humane and far better to stake the prisoner out with a ring around his neck like wild animal than 10 confine him in places that we call jails that are rocking with filth and disease, and alive with vermin of all kinds. They are not only harbin- gers of disease, but they are nurseries of death.
 'To see a man, strong and healthy. go into jail in Alabama. and in a few mo-ths come out physical ana mental wreck, with death staring him in the face Is not an overdrawn pie ture. and one seen more often than the general public would believe. The State appropriates thirty cents a day for the feeding of the prisoners. and yet we receive prisoners from these same jaiis who are on the verge of collapse for want of nourishment. Surely there must be way of reach- ing those in authority. There should be a jail inspector, perhaps two. with power to see that the places are kept in proper condition, and that prison CTS are properly fed These inspectors should be men who know something about sanitation. T and above All eIse' would be fearless In the performance of their duties.
 q tell no secrets when I say that in many iails of the State, men and women remain for months without the means of washing stAeir7 faces and hands"
 Questions Mine Labor.
 But the portions of pr. Bragg's re- port dealing with the county con vict system. and with the State jails are not the only sensational features. He intimates. for instance, that the to employ the convicts in the mines, although the system is undoubtedly In this connection he says:
 T have very grave doubts as to the moral rights of working conviets in the mines It Is argued that free la Dor works there in safety, which is true. but free labor can work two or three days of the week and remain in the sunshine the balance of the time. whereas the convict works six days in the week.
 Another point is the number of &C., ,idents. It is a well known fact that he bulk of our convicts are Of very careless class, with little idea of talk ng care of themselves. and to make myself more clear, the accidents oc- ,arring at Pratt Mines in two years lmong the State men amounted to 800, however. with only three fatal acci- ients. In the county men, or short ime men, it amounted to 463. with six atal cases: and at Flat Top mines. we nave had 435 accidents, with eight ieaths. as the result. These accidents 10 not include injuries received from lighting. but from accidents alone due n the mines.
 pr. Bragg in his report, which IS mainly directed to the improvement If unsa atisfaetory conditions. as he sees hem, pays but brief attention to the financial returns from the present sys- Am. which have attracted such gener- Il attention. The financial statement s covered in one paragraph in which le says:
 Receipts Exceed Last Year.
 The receipts of this department |. 1905. were $450.s39.sS. and the re- ,eipts from September 1, 1905, to Sep ember 1, 1906, re $759.757.41. The \ uditor's and Treasurer's report will ,how a much larger amount by req lon of the fact 1t embraces one month nore."
 Dr. Bragg mentions the fact that he mortality has been low during the ,ear. with the exception of an epidem- q of pneumonia at Pratt Mines dur 1 nE the spring. At other places the leath rate has been practically noth- ng.
 He mentions, too, that the States otton mill at Speigner's has been luite remunerative, and says there Is 10 reason 1t should not be so in the uture. He says the number of spin lies ln the HILLS IS OAlS' o.oVV anu AN l is judgment the State would take | wise step if 1t would increase the ca | ,acity of the mill to 12,000 or l5,OOO pindles.
 The agricultural operations of the | Convict Department were not as re- | as they might have been. | )r. Bragg says in his report that the | river overflowed Its banks hree times and destroyed growing | rops at Prison Number 4, as result | if which the State lost large amount if corn. Consequently. only a half A TOD was made at that place. He re- ports a fair crop year at Wetumpka, md a good crop at Speigners.
 Perhaps the most scathing portion of he entire report is Dr. Bragg's ar- raignment of the County Convict, sys- tenn from which a quotation has been already made. In full his discussion of the County system is as follows:
 CritIcIses County Convict system.
 "The County convict system if any thing is worse than ever before in its history. The demand for labor and fees has become so great that most of Them now go to the mines where many of them are unfit for such labor; con- it is not long before they nass from this earth, for as a superin tandcnt of one of the mines once said. that the company had only two places for A convict. one Tn the mines and the other in the hospital. This system should be wiped out of existence and 1t cannot be done too soon. If the State