The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-05-03
LANE EXPLAINS
 ABOUT LEG IRONS
Says Abolition of Shackles
 Is Impracticable
PUNISHMENT NEEDED
Negro Convicts Released From the Mines Come Straight to Bir- mingham-Kind Policy
 Would Be Suicidal

Tn an effort to secure the discontinu- victs worked in the streets of the city. committee from the Pastors union, composed of Rev. Dr. J. T. Plunket and the Rev. George Eaves. appeared before the commissioners yesterday. The pas tors appealed to the commissioners to dis continue the practice.
 The pastors petition was the second received by the commissioners in behalf of the leg-ironed convicts The former one was from the medical society of Bir- mingham. Their action followed the vol untary order of Commissioner Lane that irons be taken off the prisoners at night.
 Judge La le, who feels deeply for the unfortunates, is not inclined to affirm the petition of the pastors and doctors. His reasons are very enlightening, and the following expression of yesterday may be taken as his correct position:
 ''No one who knows me at all can charge me with having no love for my am deeply appreciative of the fact that prison life at its best is not enjoyable and that leg irons are uncomfortable. I appreciate the other viewpoint that youths and young ladies walking on our streets may become accustomed to the apparently barbarous treatment of con victs who are worked daily on our streets, to their moral detriment. We feel the kindliest toward the doctors and t1a Int f,, i,rx +o ot,d 1n not think the commissioners can help feel but that their coming was actuated by the highest and most worthy motives.
 Unique Condition Here
 But we have a rather unique condition here. In the first place. unless damna- people, as the old-timer would say, few of us would get to heaven.
 Unless some punishment is held out for a transgressor of the laws, little good would result in mere Imprisonment. If we simply locked up the negroes and other violators in jail and did not punish them by working them on our streets at their with our city. The punishment, after all, must be there.
 Unless we shackle them we cannot hope to have them foreswear the tempta- tion of running away. The entire ques- tion is a broad one that will require some time to finally solve. But at this point in the question I would be utterly opposed to freeing the convicts of the restraint now placed upon them
 From Mines to Birmingham
 "I would point cut to the citizens of Birmingham who have not investigated theaquestion the astounding fact that ev- cry convict released from custody at the various convict mines hereabouts come to Birmingham. The law makes it impera- tive upon the company to send the re- leased convicts to their place of convic- ton. The companies, it Is believed, fur nish them with certain sum of money and tell them to go home. In place of returning as contemplated by the just law. the convicts stop in Birmingham. A few days finds them overflowing with the freedom suddenly thrust upon them They are without money soon, and in a short time have begun to prey upon the ClllZcIS Ol tllS ihCy oiS Ni rested, placed in jail. and there they rest unless we work them. That class of criminals is very dangerous as rule, and to hold out to them no fear would re- suit in frequent bloodshed here.
 Farm Too Expensive
 T would also suggest that Birmingham is in no financial condition to buy a work house or farm to keep these convicts from the gaze of the passing public. That may be a solution, but until some future day my idea is that the prayer of the physicians and the doctors cannot be viewed with favor at this itme I will go as far as anyone in the city for the people or the unfortunates. However, we cannot improve the situation now
 AT EV VANnFD CASE