The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-03-22
Can Stand Erect In Mine

Can Stand Erect In Mine
 There k nothing connected with that
 mine Of which l could find fault said
 Chairman Merritt Tt permits convict Of whatever feisht to stand erect, and to
 so about his labor in comparative com fort
 Senator Bonner. the tallest member of
 the commiltee-of the legislature. it Is probable auded:
 Why. e,en could stand erect. and that gives the mine a clean bill of health.'
 The committee gave Banner compl-
 mentary verdict. although it's members were of the opinion that the task required of conviots by the state, which is work ing the ecnVicts there is too heavy, and that the hours during which a convict is
 required to remain in the mine too numer- ous: and the members admitted that the memory Of the strap gave them unpleas- ant shudders
 Sanitary conditions, bathing facilities
 and that foou which came under the rislnn of the commission were adJudged
 modern. efficient and adequate. The committee favorahly commented on the fact that the prison-and this is also true of Banner-did not give forth that nauseating and too often characteristic prison odor. The negroes. | apparently, We're clean, which gave
 
 ciency of the bathing system. While the committee could not, of course, 1 positively determine that the conditions
 as they saw them were the usual con- 6itions, admitted that under the cir 1 cumstances that which they saw could
 scarcely be harshly criticized. Roaming About Grounds
 From Flat Top the party drove .o Banner There they We're greeted by Warden Hall, Superintendent Webb, l Dr. Smith and others in charge. Out wardly conditions were considered su- perb. As at Flat Top, the convicts were roaming about the grounds which pleased the committee in that il was 1 apparent that on Sundays the men are permitted to indulge in the f'health- | ful open"
 | The convicts had their story to tell. of course. They complained that they are often hungry and that often they are severely penished However, It is true that complaint in this latter re- gard was not as generally made as at Flat Top. and no convict was able to display bruises and decorations com parable to those displayed at the ili st visited mine.
 At the time Of arrival the dinner hour was approaching and few mo- ments later the committee was c1ter-
 
 meal was bountiful. well cooked and served and the members. with appe- tites sharpened by the drive III the cold, fell to- with a relish. Following the meal an interesting incident occurred. one which hGs it's
 bearing on the problem which the cons-
 mittee was endeavoring to solve. one of the convicts who had pre- viously complained that his meat was 1 so thin that it made no impression on l his stomach. expressed willingness to | submit his case to a test He led the members of the committee into the
 messroom There on tables the meal was prepared. It consisted of four pieces of corn bread. mass of mashed l potatoes, a cup of coffee and two 1 slices of meat. The negro's counten I ance fell as soon as he perceived the
 meat, for each piece was thick anG I apparently entirely ample. This is especially prepared for you, I he said, and still determined to prove l his point, led the committee 10 tie 1 kitchen wherein the "slicer' Of the | meat was performing his duty. "Why have you cut this meat thick l CT today" he asked the "slicer, than l you cut it when no visitors are hereg" "Go way, niger" the ''slicer' re- l piled "You know that I am cutting this meat just as l cut it every day"
 The complaining convict was still 1 in his contention and appealed wi.h no little success to other convicts who ! had followed him into the kitchen.