The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-09
Convict Board President Will Answer Charges
 Made by Harrison
AGEED TO APPEAR
 WITHOUT SUBPOENA
Harrison's Testimony Regarding Mis- treatment of Alabama Conyicts Has Aroused Interest All
 Over the State
BY HUGH ". ROBERTS

Montgomery, February S.-(Special,)- James c. Oakley president of the state
 convict board, left this morning for Wash | ington. He will appear before the com
 mittee of Congress which Is Investigating | the consolidation of several steel and 1 iron companies into the United States l Steel corporation.
 | Monday afternoon MT. Oakley received a telegram from Chairman Stanley of the steel committee, asking If he would | come to Washington without the formal I ity of subpoena. MT. Oakley replied in 1 the affirmative and as it was stated that he would be expected to take the stand Saturday, he left this morning.
 He was requested to carry to Wash 1 ington all contracts entered into by the
 Tennessee company for the employment of the convicts of the counties and of the state. In addition to this data, MT. Oakley carried to Washington all corre- | spondence which has been had between ! the company and the state of Alabama. I It has been impossible to learn today whether or not other members of the official family of the state have been
 summoned to Washington. It is reported that Governor ONea4 may receive a summons to appear. According to the l general understanding here, the officials | of the Tennessee company with head quarters in Birmingham will be ordered 1 to Washington. In state circles there Is considerable excitement.
 Oakley's Statement
 MT. Oakley, before leaving, gave The | Age-Herald the following statement: Some days ago l received a telegram from Washington, asking me if l would 1 appear before the committee which is investigating the Steel corporation with out a subpoena. Of course, l answered in the affirmative. l was then instructed to be ready to take the stand Saturday. I will carry to Washington with me the present contracts of the Tennessee com pany for the employment of county con- victs and copies of all previous con tracts made between that compa ny and | the state. Of course, further than this, I cannot say just what will be expected to give testimony about"
 As a result of the testimony of MT. Oakley it is believed in Montgomery that it will be definitely established whether or not the Tennessee company yolun- tarly yielded it's contract for state con victs or whether that company really desired to employ them again in mine No. P. It is expected that MT. Oakleys testimony will show whether or not the Tennessee company was behind the recent effort to break the contract between the state and the Pratt Consolidated Coal and Iron company, and whether or not the
 Tennessee company is still actively gagged in the controversy as concerns the contracts held by the state and other iron and coal corporations.
 Arouses Intense Interest
 Tie announcement that MT. Oakley has left for Washington, following the sem sational testimony yesterday by Shelby
 Harrison. the Survey magazine muck
 raker-in-chief, has caused intense interest
 throughout the state. Concerning the
 testimony of Harrison MT. Oakley issued
 strong interview last night. in which
 he made emphatic denial. of the charges
 that the state of Alabama is winkng at
 the alleged brutality of convict guards
 There is no doubt but that members of
 the investigat ting committee will ply MT
 Oakley with questions concerning the
 treatment of convicts. and there is also
 no doubt but that MT. oakley will de-
 clare from the stand that the sensational
 utteranees of Harrison were false in
 every essential detail. MT. Oakley will
 give his testimony Saturday and will
 reti,ru to Alabama Monday afternoon