The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-03-24
Governor Explains Presence
of Convict at His Man.
sion in Montgomery
SAYS TYSON LACKING
IN DIRECT MANLINESS
Sensational Incident Between Chief
Executive and Former Chief JUS
tice Growing out of the Con-
vict Scandal
BY L. $. BETTY

answer to an inquiry addressed to the act
ing president of the STATE convict de-
partment by Judge John R. Tyson, for
mer chief Justice of the supreme court
of Alabama. as to the whereabouts of
Jack Gable, a Montgomery county con-
Wet, Governor O'Nea this -'ernoon Is
sued statement in which & = declared
that upon the recommend - of the
beads of departments at 4 Is }itol, Ga
BILE had been assigned to > At the ex-
ecutive mansion and that @ S,ction WAS
taken as a means of sai - Cmoney for
the state The inquiry 2 dge Tyson
was published in today 2 sue of the
Montgomery Advertiser,I CS
In his reply to Judge g q, Governor
o'Neal declares that inquiry was
not in good faith, but veiIed attack, by
iEnuendo, slightly lacking in the element
of straightforward manliness.y The gov
ernor then goes into a full explanation Of
the matter upon which Judge Tyson
seeks information. stating that ''the
former prominence of Judge Tyson moved
him to enlighten the ignorance which he
processes"
The Governors Explanation
According to the governor, the employ
ment of convicts to care for re states
property was the inspiration of the heads
of departments at the capitol, who sug
gested by unanimous vote last fall. that
state convicts be brought 70 the capitol TO
relieve the unsightly. unclean and insan-
itary condition which obtained at the
state house, as well to assist in caring
for the executive mansion. Under the
law the governor is authorized to employ
only four servants at the capitol, nuns
Der which the officials considered wholly
inadequate for the purpose of caring for
the capitol building and grounds. The
$4,000 which had been appropriated for the
maintenance and repair of the capitol,
according to the governor, had been ex-
hausted in the Improvement of the rooms
of the Judges of the Supreme aud. appel
ate courts, aud in the purchase of many
needed supplies.
With this condition confronting the
heads of departments committee COM
posed of John II. Wallace. Jr., Dr. Viii
liam II. Oates and DR.. Thomas NJ, owen
suggested that the governor request the
convict department to send convicts to
the capitol to aid in cleaning the build
ing and to render other assistance in car
ing for the states property. lhc fund
of s75 per month which is allowed the
governor by law with which to employ
a messenger, was used in the employment
of a superintendent of the building and
grounds, who has direct control of the
labor about the capitol.
O'Neal Makes Statement
The governor then goes into an expla-
nation of the Whereabouts of Jack Gable.
1.-THE law allows me the sum of 5000 per
annum, which / can draw to any amount
or at any time that l see proper. for the
care and maintenance of the executive
mar sion," declares the governor
For the proper preservation and up
keep of this states property l had been
making expenditures almost daily, and
it was suggested that part of the expe--
diture for this purpose could he saved for
the state by the use of a convict at the
governors mansion, who could render
services for which private labor would
otherwise have to be paid from the state
fluids. These suggestions were adopted
and Jack Gable was assigned to c-uty at
the mansion, the result being saving
to the state
According to the governor, Gable had
been repeatedly recommended by the
board of pardons as a fit subject for eS-
ecutive clemency, having had the conf
dence of the convict department for 1o
years.
''Since his assignment TO service at the
executive mansion his support has been
a personal burden on me instead of ON
the state" says the governor.
In concluding his answer to Judge Ty-
son, the governor says
IT felt that owed debt of thanks TO
the committee and to the conference IN
suggesting plan by which I could in the
absence of any money provided for the
pur pose, put the capitol in decent con-
dition and make it presentable and
worthy of the people of Alabama. !
Prior to the above arrangement in
caring for the states property the condi-
tions had been such as to mortify the
pride of every visitor 20 the historic
building.
1.-The present condition of the capitol
building bears testimony to the wisdom
o, putting into force the recommendation
of the committee" ss
Answer Grows Salty
Under the recommendation of thel
committee. | have utilized the convict
labor of the state in improving and beal; !
tifying the grounds, thereby SAVING thel
state a large sum, and have underta.Senl
TO remove the unsightly. uncleaply and
.uussnitary conditions that have hereto-
fore existed and to make the buildings
and grounds an object OF pride to the
ueople worthy of the dignity and pcwcr
of a great state. This | believe the peo-
pie of Alabama will approve II Judg-l
Tyson does not.
II hope the above will satisfy the Curl
osity of Judge Tyson, and viii suggest
that he Is not altogether in the lilyl
white, impregnabe position that entities
" II.