The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-03-06
RECORD IS MADE IN THE CRIMINAL COURT: 22 PLEAS OF GUILTY
Result of Investigation of Inmates of County Jail by Solicitor Black and
 Walter Brewer

record was made in the first divi- sion of the criminal court yesterday when Judge W. F. Fort entertained 22 jail cases in which the defendants pleaded guilty to the charge for which they were Indicted and confined in the jail. This Is said to be the greatest number Of pleas of guilty in ona day in the history of the county and was the result of personal investigation made by Solicitor Hugo |. Black and Walter Brewer of the county jail and its inmates.
 During the past two weeks tho so- licitor and Judge Fort have rcceivsu numerous letters from prisoners In the Jail stating they desired to plead gull ty and asked to be given that oppor- tunity. The solicitors went through the jail and asked all those who wished to plead guilty to give in their names The solicitor informed them, however. that he was not holding out any lnduce- ment for them to do so and that the plea must be made voluntary and with out the hope of reward About % re- sponded and were taken before Judge Fort and all except three entered the plea and threw themselves on the mercy
 
 of the court.
 Judge Fort and the solicitor investi- gated each case and they were sen- tenced at once and will begin serving out the sentences at once Tn speaking of the county jail Judge Fort stated that the conditions were deplorable and that anyone who would care to inpes- tigate would be almost sure to advocate a new jail. With the addition of the' negro women who were caught in the raid for vagrants last Saturday night the negro women's quarters arc terribly overcrowded and much moreso than when pr. Oates. former prison in spector, ordered some of them moved to the Jail at Etowah county.
 Those who pleaded guilty and sen- tenced were:
 Lewis King, grand larceny, two years in penitentiary; John Lewis, petit lar ceny, three months hard labor; Cleye- land Tolbert, three months hard 1a- $ Dor; Irene Byrd. grand larceny, three years penitentiary: Agnes Page three months hard labor; Henry Hardwick. embezzlement, f2 months hard labor: Stag Parks, receiving stolen property, t"O ytdiH HdIu ioiii Nrtetiif pui glary and grand larceny. two years hard labor; Will Gilbert, petit larceny. three months hard labor; Arthur Car son, burglary and grand larceny. two years in penitentiary; sam Baldwin. burglary and grand larceny, two years in penitentiary. Paul Chapman, receiy ing stolen property. two years in pen itentiary Elisha Harrison. burglary and grand larceny, 12 months hard la Dor; Jones Merriweather. larceny from preson, five years in penitentiary; Hen " Jones. burglary and grand larceny, two years in penitentary Henry Jones burglary and grand larceny, two years in penitentiary; Hudson Randall. bur glary and grand larceny. two years in penitentary George Bradley. bur glary and grand larceny five years in penitentiary; VIII Wilson, burglary and grand larceny, three years :n pen itentiary; Webb Fulton. burglary and grand larceny, three years in peniten- tiary; Ed Taylor, assault and battery with weapon, 40 days hard labor; Rob ert Calhoun. petit larceny, 12 months hard h ..ais labor; Percy scdtt petit larceny,