The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-08-30
TO INVESTIGATE THE
SHORTAGE
OF CONVICT ACCOUNT
Discrepancies Said to APP
proximate $4,000 to Be
PrObed by Grand Jury
OFFICIALS CLAIM
CHARGE UNFOUNDED
Account Books Said to Have Been
Changed Are at Disposal of So
licitor Black, Who Will
Conduct Investigation

An investigation into alleged shortages
and discrepancies, involving both money
and goods in the handling of the state
convicts at Flat Top will be made by
the grand jury which convenes next
week Information to this effect was Sc
cured last night from authoritative
sources. The matter was called to the
attention of the state convict board some
time ago and the heads of this depart
ment were apprised Of the alleged sit
uation.
According to information secured last
night the amount of the alleged discrep-
ancies totals at least $1,000. A number
of witnesses state that they have been
summoned to appear before the grand
jury next Wednesday, and one of the
witnesses who has certain books in his
possession which bear on the case has
been called on by Solicitor Hugo Black
to turn them over. j. H. Trice, former
warden at Flat Top, who left the service
of the state sometime ago, and who is
now residing at Caldwell. st. Clair coun-
ty. is among the witnesses summoned,
Walter Gresham, formerly assistant
warden at Flat Top, at the time Trice
was warden, was arrested sometime ago
on a warrant sworn out before Judge
H. B. Abernethy of the municipal court,
charged with the wrongful diversion OF
the states money and property. The war;
rant was sworn out by Doc Smart OF
EnsleyI who is said to have been en-
ployed in the states service at Flat Top
until recently.
GRESHAM BOUND OVER
At the hearing before Judge Abernethy
Gresham was bound over to await the
action of the grand jury, which will
take up the matter next week. ]. NJ.
Kyser and DR.. r. A. Smith, members
of the state convict board, reported to
Judge Abernethy that they had made an
investigation of the charges against
Gresham and that he was innocent. They
said disgruntled former employees were
responsible for the warrant.
Luke Trice, who resides at 2128 Stouts
avenue, and who is the son of the former
Flat Top warden, stated yesterday that
his father had resigned from the service
of the state after he had reported 10
the proper officials alleged discrepancies
in money and goods amounting to sew
eral thousand dollars. Young Trice oper-
ates a printing plant on Third avenue.
This entire matter is going to be
threshed out by the grand jury next
week" said Luke Trice last night while
my father was the state warden at Flat
Top sometime ago, Yard Sergeant Ken-
nedy and he discovered that the state $
money and properly were being wrong
fully diverted.
BOOKS CHANGED
1.-THE shortages came about from the
sale of goods in the commissary and
the failure of certain officials to turn
over the money. Goods and property be-
longing to the state were also taken.
81 have books in my possession which
show that they have been changed. Solicit
tor Hugo Black has notified me to turn
over these books to his office for ex-
animation by the grand jury next week,
and I will do So.
Judge Fl. B. Abernethy of the munich
pal court last night said:
81 was informed by the members Of
the convict board that they had already
the charges against Warden
Gresham and that they were unfounded.
They told me that some former officials
and employees of the state convict de-
partment at that place who had left the
service of the state or who had been dis
were responsible for the charges.
However, I felt myself, under the cir
cumstances constrained to bind Gresham
over to the grand jury, which will in
vestigate the matter next week under di-
rection of Solicitor Hugo Black
Further than that, he said, he could not
discuss the matter
Flat Top mines are owned by the Sloss
company and are located about % miles
from Birmingham, in the western part
of the county. Several hundred convicts
are worked there.