The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-25
CHARGES THAT AGEE AIDED IN VIOLATION
 OF PROHIBITION LAW
tcoNTINUED FROM PAGE 5,

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3 in direct violation of the provisions of said bill We cannot understand by any process of reasoning or any contortion of the imagination how men with such unsavory and criminal record. such as are borne by some of the licensees, can reasonably be expected to obey any provision of this law if it does not please them to do so. We speak ad- visedly with reference to this matter, having examined the record of each and every licensee in both the probate and criminal courts of this county'
 Does this reference to the two de- partments reflect badly on the sher- ifs office?
 As to the Fee System
 "As much has been said in public print and elsewhere as to the fee sys- tenn, I desire to present at this time some facts and figures on the subject Everyone knows that I am not respon- sfble for the system in vogue I have no defense to make for tho fee sys- tenn During the year 1911 the sheriff's force made approximately the follow Ing number of arrests
 For violation the prohibition laws 1889
 (Sixty-five per cent of which were
 white men arrested in the city of
 Brmingham)
 For violating revenue law (blind
 tigers) from October to Decem-
 Der 31, 1911 625 For violating revenue law (blind
 tigers) for the month of January,
 1y12 .................. 375
 "The following figures are from the report of the Birmingham police de- partment. which Is on a salary basis: For violating prohibition laws. .144f For gaming .................... .1124 For violating revenue laws (blind
 tigers) from october 1 to Decem-
 Der 31, 1911 ................1 139 Appealed from the recorders court
 to the criminal court of Jeffer-
 son county .......... .......... 724 Number of prisoners turned over
 to the sheriff by the police de-
 Par'iheht ...'....... Ss0 Disturbance of Labor
 Much has been said about officers of the sheriff's department disturbing labor in industrial circles. and to the fees at tached to the craps shooting cases. Less than 200 arrests have been made for craps shooting In the mining and industrial sec tions of the county during my term. Hon. Walker Percy, attorney for the Tennes- see Coal, Iron and Railroad company, the largest industrial corporation fin this
 
 man of the January grand jury, that the present sheriff and his deputies had dis turbed the labor of industrial companies less than any of the sheriffs during the past IS years. Much has been said about the sherif's fees in craps shooting cases The following fees are chargeable by law to a man arrested for gaming on a plea of guilty:
 Clerks fees. s4.25. sherifs fees, arrest x4tu a. jail the sherif's fee q more); solicitor S fee, which goes to county treasury S30 inferior court fee, which goes to the county treasury. 75c; county tax, s4. To- tai, $42.
 Tt will be seen from the above that the county gets $34.75 to the sheriff's s4.
 There are many details in the office of sheriff for which there is no fee ale lowed at all and no compensation obs tainable from any source For instance, the sheriff is compelled to summon dur ing each year approximately 5000 jurors. approximately $500 defendants witnesses in criminal cases, 800 election notices, 75 election boxes to be distributed; all witt nesses for state and defendant in all preliminary trials before justices and in- ferior court judges. habeas corpus pro- ceedings, coroner's investigations. all warrants for vagrancy tried before judges of inferior courts and sentenced to hard labor for the county, and numerous other duties with no provisions for the sheriff to get any compensation. all of which he has to do at heavy expense.
 '"rhe sheriff has to lay hInself liable to many things dangers and pecuniary expense for which no creditSis given by criticism.
 been explicit. I have not tried to take undue advantage of anyone am con- scientiously endeavoring to discharge the duties of the office humanely. without fear or favor. and shall continue to do 50 to the best of my ability.'