The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-08-10
Alabana'S Crownine Shame
1Year Old Boy Sent the Coal Mines for oense That
Grew Out of Stealing Ride a Train
BY CHARLES III. MANDY

was. Anyway he thought the tasks
imposed upon him were too irksome,
so he ran away.
But he was recaptured. He was run
down by the strong arm of the law. He
was again hailed before the court that
had bound him over to the agriculturist
and for his "crime' of running away he
was sentenced to the coal mines for six
months. 1t would be interesting reading
to learn how much costs the arrest
ing officer and the court official will re-
ceceive, or have received. when the kid
who has been stamped as criminal and
branded forever as a convict will have
worked out his prison sentence of six
months for the boyish prank of stealing
ride. The judge that convicted him pos
sibly derived no pecuniary benefit from
the boys conviction, but how about the
man who arrested him. or the clerk that
entered up his case. or the other officials
of that county who subsist on fees. and
had an interest monetary In the case?
Is 1t not dreadful that boy should be
given such start in life? Just think of
1t, stamping the brand OF criminal on
the brow of q mere youth for petty
offense? Is it to be wondered that there
are criminals in our midst when the laws
of the state permit and authorize the SELL
ing into practical slavery the youth of
our land who have slightly erred? No. not
that, who are too poor and friendless
to pay a money fine or to take an ap-
peal Could anyone blame this boy If
after serving his sentence he should be-
come an outcast and an enemy to So
ciety, for 1t cannot be denied that So
ciety that permits him to be sent to
the mines for trivial offense has been
an enemy to him.
1t is an offense against the law to tres
pass on the railroads, or to attempt to
beat your way on train. The boy was
possibly guilty and should have been
punished. But in aR cases the punish
ment should fit the crime; if the accused
is poor and friendless that fact should
be given due consideration. In this par
tcular case it would seem that few
days jail sentence would have heen suf-
ficient punishment for the young boy,
and might have taught him a lesson. But
jail sentences do not pay fees or cost
bills; the farming out of the boy is OBJ
vious.
Such cases as this have not been rare
in the history of the state of Alabama
for similar instances are a matter of
public record. To send a man or boy
to the mines for the inability to pay
fine and costs is a tax on poverty and
nothing less than imprisonment for debt
1t is a species of legalized slavery. 1t
is worse than slavery. for it debauched
the body and soul of the victims of such
practices. How long will the people of
the state of Alabama stand for such
conditions? How long will her people sub
NIT to position at the very foot of the
ladder of reform and enlightenment in
dealing with the unfortunates that fall
into the clutches of the law?
There is one bright spot in the case
above referred to, and that Is, mem
Der of the legislature from Tallapoosa
county was on the train that brought
to the boy to Birmingham EN- route to
his living hell" The blush of shame
mounted his brow and the plight of the
boy reached his heart. He forwarded a
statement of the boys case to the gov
ernor, and asked a parole or pardon for
him. Governor ONeal has a heart that
readily responds to the appeal for the
poor and unfortunate and 1t is under
| stood the appeal for executive clemency
has not been in vain.
This, of course, is very gratifying, but
how much better would it be IL such
an incident in the state of Alabama was
impossible through the operation of it's
laws.
The brand of crime and the stripe of
the convict have been stamped on this
youth with indelible letters and time can
never erase them. How long will the
people stand for cases like this?