The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1912-08-06
OATES STANDS BY
disorder TO MOVE
PRISONERS AWAY
Cannot Comply With Petit
ton Sent Him by White
Men in Jail
HEALTH DEMANDS
CHANGE AT ONCE
Says If Gadsden Jail Is Not Large
Enough Others Will Be Taken
to Tuscaloosa and
Talladega

Montgomery. August 5.-tSpecial) -.'Fv-
erything in birmingham seems TO have
grown except the jail and courthouse-"-
Such is the declaration of DR.. William
Fl. Oates, state prison inspector, in COM
menting upon his order to Sheriff Walter
K. McAdory. directing the removal OF a
number of the prisoners confined I'm the
Jefferson county jail to the Etowah coun-
ty jail at Gadsden.
DR.. Oates further declared that he has
no intention of reyoking his order. and
stated that II the Gadsdcn fail is not
sufficiently large to accommodate all the
prisoners he has ordered removed, that
he will have the remainder of them trans
ferred to the jail sat Tuscaloosa, or to
the Talisdega jail
Concerning the petition sent him by the
white prisoners confined in the Jefferson
county jail. protesting against their re-
moyai, DR. Oates said that while he APP
preciated their desire to remain in the
birmingham jail. where they can tee their
families and loved ones. he felt that he
was far better conserving the needs Of
humanity. as we'll az their best interests.
by ordering their removal 10 more COM
modious quarters than those which they
at present occupy.
Humanity demands it, declared DIR.
Oates II received this morning a petit
ton signed by 80 prisoners confined In
tine jefferson county 1ail protesting
against their removal. One OF the reasons
they gave was that II would be inhn-
man 10 transfer them 10 q place where
they could not see their loved ones.
appreciate abe fact that this might posi-
bly, work a hardship, but am conf
dent that I shall better conserve their
test interests and wsifare. as well as hr-
manity, II put on this basis. by transfer
t5og them to a place where they WIFI not
lie crowded, where the congestion will be
relieved. ami where their general health
will be better. than by leaving them con-
fined in their present quarters during the
hot summer months
According to DIR, Oates an ounce of
prevention is worth a pound of cure"
and he believes that while the health
Of the Jefferson county prisoners may
be good at the present time. there is no
assurance that such conditions may OBJ
tain a month hence. or even next
week,
Cannot Accommodate Prisoners
During the month of June there
were 6a8 prisoners confined in the JEFF
ferson county jail" said DR.. Oates. The
minimum number confined at any one
time was zoo, the maximum was 264,
which is entirely too many.
~ was deeply interested in the pc
tition which the white convicts sent
me, and am glad that my efforts to Sc
cure better sanitation, cleanliness and
ventilation have met with such good
results. l want to congratulate Sheriff
McAdory on the efforts he has put forth
to carry out my orders, all of which
have met with a ready and prompt re-
Spouse on his part He has done all
that he can to relieve the condi-
ton In SO far as sanitation and the
proper care and treatment of the pris-
oners are concerned, but he cannot
prevent the congestion, which is par
tlcularly pronounced in the negro quar-
tiers, and which also obtains In the
white cells.
ITO prevent this congestion I have
ordered Sheriff McAdory to remove all
prisoners confined in the Jail at the
present time who are serving a jail
sentence of 80 days or more, and all
convicts who have been convicted and
whose cases have been appealed, to the
county jail of Etowah county, at Gads-
Cen. This will apply also TO all con
viets who may hereafter be confined
for period greater than 80 days.
IF the Jail at Gadsden is not sufficient
lv large to accommodate all the prisoners
removed from the jefferson county jail,
shall make some other provision for
them. probably directing the transfer OF
the remainder to the Jail at Tuscaloosa.
or TO the Talladega jail
Concerning Bond Issue
When asked what he thought of the
bend issue election to erect $l,000,oW
courthouse and jail, which will be voted
on next Monday, DR.. Oates said;
II sincerely hope the bond issue Will
carry 1 consider 1t one of the most Inn |
portant movements that has been inaug- |
rated in jefferson county in years, and
the people of that county should support
the issue. There is an imperative need
for both a courthouse and a Jail, and l
shall exceedingly regret If the people of
Jefferson county fail in this important
obligation, which they owe not only TO
themselves, but to humanity and to the
great county In which they live
Copy of Order to McAdOry
The following is a copy of Dr. Oates
order TO Sheriff McAdory, directing the
transfer of a portion of the Jefferson
county convicts 10 the county jail OF
August g. 1912.
"The Sheriff of jefferson County, Bir-
mngham, Ala:
''Sir-To relieve the congestion and over
crowding of the Jefferson county jail,
Won are hereby ordered to transfer any
eonvicts you now have, or may hereafter
have, confined in the jail where the SEN
tence is 80 days in Jail or more, and any
persons who have been convicted and
whose cases have been appealed, to the
county Jail of Etowah county, at Gads-
den, Ala.
"These orders to obtain until further
instructions from this department. Very
respectfully, WILLIAM II. OATES,