The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-03
j. C. Maben, Jr., of Sloss Co.
Witness in the Convict
Probe Yesterday
DESCRIBES IN DETAIL
MAKING OF CONTRACT
Two Contracts Made With Present
Administration, One for 42H Cents
and the Other As Cents for Coal
Delivered at Mouth of Mine
BY L. 8. BETTY

BY L. 8. BETTY
Montgomery. April 2.-(special)---
That tho contract which former Gov
ernor B. B. Conner and J. Craig Smith.
former president of the state board of
convict inspectors, made with the Sloss
Sheffield Steel and Iron company for
the employment of convicts at Flat Top
mine. was the best the state ever made
was brought out this morning in the
sworn testimony of J. C. Maben. Jr..
president of the Sloss company.
Mr.. Maben described in detail the
making of the contract with the former
administration. Under the terms of
that contract. the company paid the
state SO cents per ton for coal mined
and delivered at the mouth of the mine.
which was considerably in excess of
what the other mining companies were
paying the state for the hire of con-
victs
Two contracts were made with the
present administration, one on a basis
of AN cents per ton for coal delivered
at the mouth of the mine. known as
known as the o'Neal contract, which
of 46 cents per ton for coal delivered
at the mouth of the mine.
Mr.. Maben presented figures to show
that the company was entitled TO re-
duetion In price paid for mining coal
He submitted figures to show that the
Oakley contract, at 421z cents per ton,
would have netted the state in 1911
about Sc per man per month more than
any other contract in force in that
year, and that the second contract, pro-
viding for payment of 40 cents per
ton would have netted the state IS
PER man per month more than any other
mining contract Mr.. Maben said the
Conner contract was excessive.
Worked $50 Convicts
According to Nj. Maben. the Soss
Sheffield company works IN the neigh
borhood of $50 convicts, all of whom
are worked according to tasks, five.
four, three aid two cars peing respec-
tive tasks for the four classes of con-
yicts.
The weigher at the mines is paid
Jointly by the state and company, each
paying SEQ per month. Following the
testimony of Mr.. Maben, II. Franklin.
the auditor of the Sloss- Sheffield Steel
and Iron company, testified before the
examining board. Mr.. Franklin testi-
fed that all payments to the state for
convict hire came through his office
lie had statements with him showing
all transactions between the company
and state for convict labor.
Mr.. Maben and Mr.. Franklin were
the only witnesses exaained by the
probing committee Wednesday morn
ing. Following their testimony the in
vestigation adjourned for the day.
Session in Detail
]. c. Maben, Jr., vice president of Sloss
Sheffield Steel and Iron company. was
the first witness of the morning. Mr..
Maben has been connected with the COM
pany as vice president since December.
1911.
Under terms of contract. the sloss-sbef-
field Coal and Iron company may employ
$50 convicts. The contract has been In
force since March l, 1912 The basis on
which the contract operates is 45 cents
per ton. on run OF coal at tipple or mouth
of mine.
Convicts are worked according to tasks.
nve four, three and two tons being re-
spective tasks for four c1ases of con-
victs The cars are picked by slate pick
ers In order to get the slate and rock out
of the coal. The scales of the company
control the weights on which the COM
formed by the convicts. The weighers3
are paid jointly by the company andl
state, at $50 per month each. The buljal
or the coal mined at Flat Top is used p5
the company at some of its ovens.
Witness said that last summer his COM
pany was short Of convicts. He related
an instance In which 30 men were taken
by the convict department from Flat Ton
and placed at Banner mines. Witness said
he did not think this was good treat
ment, inasmuch as the men his company
had received in exchange were less expe-
rienced miners than those who had been
taken away. At present there are 247
state convicts at Flat Top mines. The
number of county convicts employed at
present are also worked by tasks, on the
same basis as state convicts.
Witness said convicts were we'll taken
care of and well treated. Said he had
heard of no complaints.
Convicts have been worked by the |Sloss- |
Sheffield company on the TONNAGE basis
since 1903. The first contract with the
state under the present administration,
made In the fall of 1911, was I'M force
only a few months. Under this contract
the company paid the state 421s CENTS per
ton for coal delivered at the mouth of the |
mine.
Mr.. Maben described in detail thd trans
actions leading up to the making OF the
new contract. The chief feature fof this 1
contract Is that the company shalt be re-
sponsible for all delays around tie mines
as result of incorporation Of the mine.
H. Franklin, auditor of Sloss7k5heffield |
Steel and Iron company, followed Mr.. |
Maben on the stand. All payments to the
state for convict hire came Through the
auditors office Witness PRODUCED checks |
and vouchers showing payments Of the |
company to state for convict llabor.
Payments under the Craig Smith von-
tract averaged around $4,000 per month.
Maben had testified. Under tie contract,
entered into January /. 1912, tlre monthly |
payments dropped to $500 Her month.
Mr. Maben was recalled 4nd told the |
examiner that the net earnings per
man per month in 1911 at flour mines |
were: Flat Top, $40.19; Hratt mine, +!
$2719; Lucille. $2701; Belle Ellen, s25.0s. |
The gross earnings of Fl&t Top per
man In 1911 was about $3.50 per
month.
In January. 1918, the gr4ss earnings
of the convicts per man w8s more than
$50, with more than 300H convicts at
work. Witness said the Uapproximatts
cost Of maintaining convid q per month
n 1912 avera gedI S13.46 hr man This