The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1912-08-07
WHAT WAS BEHIND
ORDER OF OATES?
Two Theories Advanced to
Account for Action
SHERIFF TO COMPLY
Board of Revenue Urges DIR. Oates
to Rescind His Order-Was Re
moval of Teck Duncan the
Cause of Order?
SHERIFF TO COMPLY
BY CHAs. II. MANDY

Snoulu inc PRISONERS coHHneu III tue
Jefferson county jail be removed? is a
question that is being widely discussed.
! DR.. w. II. Oates, state prison inspector
has ordered the immediate removal of
certain prisoners. namely, those serving
Jail sentence and those who have been
convicted and who are awaiting the re-
suit of an appeal pending In the supreme
court.
DR.. Oates states that the county jail is
| overcrowded and In the interest of hui
manlty the prisoners should be removed.
DR.. Rosser county health officer and
DR.. Hambriek county physician state
that the jail Is not overcrowded and that
the sanitary conditions are perfect and
that the ventilation is all that could be
desired.
Those who have inspected the Jail say 1t
is model of cleanliness and that the pris-
oners are we'll cared for
The prisoners themselves have protested
against their removal. The board of rev.
enue has suggested that the removal
of the prisoners is unnecessary.
Sheriff McAdory saws that he win conf
| ply with the order issued by the prison
Inspector but that he has ample room
to accommodate the prisoners now con-
fined in the county Jail. He states that
at the present time there are several va
cant cells.
The question Is asked. why the sudden
order for the removal of the prisoners
and what prompted It?
Two theories are advanced. One Is
that 1t was done TO help out the bond
issue election; the other. coming from
an. official authority, claims that II
was done to remove Teck Duncan away
from certain influences.
Under the order OF DR.. Oates not
more than a dozen prisoners will be
removed and three-fourths of these
i from the white department which con-
| talns only AZ prisoners. while cells are
provided for As.
in regard to tho bond issue, those
who have worked for its passage scout
the idea that the order had any bear
Ing on the election and that 1t was as
much a surprise to them as 1t was TO
the rest of the community. The mem
bers of the board of revenue indivld-
ually and collectively deny any knowl-
edge of the order and express them
selves as being surprised that such
steps are being taken and yesterday
afternoon sent the following telegram
to the state prison inspector:
Birmingham, August 6, 1912.
"Dr. w II. Oates. Montgomery. Ala:
THE sheriff has shown us your or
der requiring the removal of certain
prisoners from the jefferson county
Jail. We earnestly request you to re-
scind the order for the present at
least. JOB GOING,
president"
on the theory that the order was
given to remove TeclS Duncan from the
custody OF Sheriff McAdory, the prop
osition is advanced that as soon as
Henry cole was released on bond pres
sure was brought to bear on the prison
inspector to issue the order, that takes
mere handful OF prisoners from the
Jail ard does not benefit conditions. No
sound reason has been given why Dun
can should be removed. The argument
Is made that he was taken from the
jail once before and that the same rea
son that prompted his former removal
prompted the order that takes him
with the few that will be removed I'M
der the order OF DR.. oates.
AS was before stated Sheriff McAdory
will comply with the order and has mott
fled the men who are to be removed to
make preparations to move to Gadsden.
| The men are washing out their few arti-
cles Of wearing apparel and getting ready
| 10 leave.
| In connection with the removal of the
| county prisoners 1t might be mentioned
that among the white men confined In
the county jail are several federal pris-
oners and that the federal prison inspec-
| tor visited the county jail "A Few weeks
ago and gave it the seal of his approval.
II might be also mentioned that the jail
! contains two white men who We're sent
| from other counties for safe keeping and
that no order has been given for their re-
moval or of the federal prisoners.
Sheriff McAdory sent a telegram 10 DR..
Oates Immediately on receipt OF his order
asking for a conference on the matter. A
| reply was received that DR.. Oates could
not come to Birmingham at this time on
account of previous professional engage
ments.
The prisoners will probably be removed
today unless the courts interfere as was
suggested, but the people will still ask
why the orde- was SO suddenly issued.