The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-01-05

1t directly and not Indirectly. Every convict in Alabama whose sentence ex- caeds six months should be sent to the penitentiary. and those under six months should be hired in the County of conviction. If all persons convicted of crime were sentenced to the peni- tentiary they would be better cared for and they would be distributed accord ing to their physical condition so that their work would be neither burden some nor dangerous to them, and in ad- dition to this, whenever they became sick they would be transferred to the general hospital where they would re- ceive the very best Of attention.
 4"As. 1t is, this Board has no author ity or power to- transfer a County con- vict. If he develops tuberculosis or any other disease, he has to take his chances at the camp at which he Is lo- cated. and in a large proportion of cases this means death. I am well aware of the fact that this would add additional cost to the State, but con- ceding this. Is 1t not the duty of the State to see that proper treatment Is accorded these poor defenseless crea- lures, many of whom ought never have been arrested and tried at all?'
 pr, Bragg announces himself be- liever in indeterminate sentences. ale though he Is convinced that the bulk of the criminals are degenerates be- yond reformation. Still there are some whom might be reformed under ad- vantageous conditions.
 Fayors Indeterminate Sentences.
 There are many eases in which a man is deprived of his liberty where an indeterminate sentence would un- doubtedly do good" says Dr. Bragg. '.swe give a convict now so much on a year for good conduct. then why not give him a sentence, and let him know ut the. same time that he could work out his salvation?
 q do not wish 1t understood that l would favor an indeterminate sentence in all cases, for I have very strong convictions on burglary and highway robbery. In my Judgment those con- victed of burglary and highway rob- bery should suffer death, and it should not be left discretionary with the judge and jury"
 Dr. Bragg alludes briefly to the re- formatory for negro children at Speig- ners, and of the fact that there are no white boys in the State prisons, they being senr to East Lake.
 The report of President Bragg is &C., companfed by a report from Assistant Inspector M. W. Camper and Physician Inspector Nat G. Clark The report of pr. Clark mentions the epidemic oi croupous pneumonia at Prison No. ID during which time out of twenty cases four of the convicts died. pr. Clark compliments the way In which the con- tractors who are employing State con victs have ondeavored to comply with the law He says:
 at nr aXArtAd then1- selves to make everything work smoothly, and in accord with their con- tracts and with the law"
 Would Destroy Three Prisons.
 Dr. Clark also speaks well of the sanitary conditions of the various camps. He mentions that there arc three prisons which are old and not we'll ventilated and suggests that the prisons be done away with at the ex- piration of the present contracts, which will be within a year. He complf- ments the excellence of new prison recently built at Dothan.
 . In his report. Dr. Clark says: S "The walls at wetumpka are reserv- ed for weak and sick convicts, prin- ciallp tuberculosis ones. The improve ment made by these tuberoulous con yicts after being transferrd to the
  From a Humanitarian point of view, the establishment of this hospital for convicts is one or the greatest achievements of the present Board.
 we continue to receive convicts in very bad physical condition from the fails. In my opinion, this is very fre- uuent source of tuberculssi infection. Bad hygiene, with nostalgia and lack of exercise on the prisoners part. rem der these men peculiarly susceptible to and it Is to tuberculosis that our greatest convict mortality Is due. This can be remedied to large extent by better constructed jails (hy- systematic exercise of pris- 3ners daily in the sun if possible, and quick trials to keep our jails as near smpty as possible.
 Disposition of Convfcts.
 In his report, Inspector Camper gives the number and dispositioH of the State convicts. The list follows: The Tennessee Coal, Iron and Rail-
 road Company. Pratt City, Coal
 Mining ... .........,. :. 4lS sloss- -sheffieid Steel and Iron Com
 pany, Flat Top. Coal Mining 1s7 Alabama Manufacturing Company.
 North Birmingham, Hollow
 ware ....' '''' U" ". D. McCurdy. Lowndesboro.
 Farming =. ... =. .......'' % louis McCurdy. Lowndesboro,
 Farming ..... =. ..' S4 Walter Brothers. sprague Junction.
 Farming =. ',.''.' f* ounham Lumber Company Dun land Sa%; %amSer sS@-ml;o Company, Doiive. yo.ss SaS Shna fmn,her Company.
 River Falls, Saw-mill .. ..... S7 Henderson Lumber Company, San
 ford, Saw-mill .......... l4S Boyd Lumber Company.
 Richburg, Saw-mill ..... .... loS Lumber Company, Doth-
 an, Saw-mill =. ........ bo Union Naval Stores Company,
 Wallace, Turpentine ... ...... ST River Falls Turpentine Company,
 South. Turpentine ..... .''es W. W. Yarn, Sanford, Turpentine, sl ;weatt Brothers, Lowry, Turpentine' sS ,ellers. Bullard and Company,
 Pera Turpentine ~ The Walls, Wetumpka, Hospital I6S No, Four, Montgomery, Farming. 4S ;peigner Speigner F. and c. Com
 pany ... =. ''' '.' '''' S4"
 ----- Total ..... ... =. ......... 2.o5s Mr. Campers time has been spent in the inspection Of the ,arIous prisons and camps throughout he State where convicts have been ,ept, and he reports interestingly on he work that he has done. He re- ports an improvement in the prisons md A reasonably satisfactory condition. ;everal new prisons. models of their yind. have been erected. They are de- Ided improvements over the prisons