The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-04-01
Thinks Investigation Will Restore the Peoples Con- fidence in Him as an Official
ENFORCEMENT OF PROHIBITION LAW
 CITED AS PROOF
Says There Has Never Been a Breath of Suspicion Against His Official Hon. or or Personal Integrity

Sheriff Thomas J. Batson, against whom Governor Henderson last week ordered Impeachment proceedings, i'm tionaI escape of seven prisoners from the Jefferson county jail, yesterday is- pie of the county.
 The sheriff in his statement main- tains that the wardens who permitted the escapes were recommended to him by some of the leading citizens of the county and adds that these men have now been discharged. He also points out that these men had nothing to do with previous escapes from the jail about which complaint has been made.
 He also says that there has never been a breath of suspicion against his official honor or personal integrity and adds that he believes a renewal of the entire confidence of the people of the county and state will follow the forth coming investigation.
 The sheriff, in reply to the charge of incompetency points to the rigid and successful enforcement of the prohibit ton laws during his administration. His statement Is as follows:
 "To the People of Jefferson County.
 Tt had been my purpose not to make a. public statement concerning the charges ordered by the governor to be presented against me as sheriff of Jef- ferson county until the complaint had been formally filed. I find, however, that so many false rumors and reports have been circulated that in justice, both to myself and to the people of Jefferson county, among whom I have spent my life and who have honored me with their suffrage, brief state ment should be made.
 CANNOT BE SUBSTANTIATED
 "The governor of Alabama has directed that impeachment charges be filed against me charging wilful neglect of duty and incompetency. The charge that I have been wilfully neglectful of my duty cannot be substantiated. It is based upon the Overton jail escape. Aside from rumors and erroneous premises, both as to law and facts. there has been no investigation of this escape except by the grand jury of the county, which was then in session. This grand jury having no bias in my favor after full and complete investigation, exonerated me from any wflful neglect of duty It has been claimed that I have, in the conduct of the jail, ignored warnings of former grand juries. The September, 1916. grand jury made some criticisms of the escape of prisoners which occurred while they were in ses- sion. This is the only grand jury which in any way has criticised the handling of the jail during my administration, and this criticism was qualified in the following language: We do not intend this report as any reflection upon the integrity of our sheriff. We consider him honest and conscientiously endeav- oring to perform his duty.
 q immediately investigated this es- cape, discharged the warden for his conduct, prosecuted and convicted him contributed in the former escapes in the slightest degree had any bearing upon the Overton escape.
 r fEnSOINA ALL AlN0I GS GD JAIL
 q personally inspected the jail the night previous to the Overton escape and left in charge Steve Wiggins, deputy of character. competency and experience. MT. Wiggins went off duty at o'clock the morning of the escape, turned over to the day warden the inside keys with all prisoners locked in their cells, and with all entrances to the jail locked. The keys to the two outside gates were in the GUS. today of the wardens. and in order for the prisoners to escape both sets of keys had to come into use.
 'The men who had charge of these keys had been employed by me upon the rec ommendation of some of the best citizens of this county. They had been guilty of no previous dereliction of duty that had come to my knowledge. They had been given explicit instructions as to the proper handling of the prisoners. and if these instructions had been violated it was without my knowledge. Following the escape I summanly discharged these men and they have been indicted by the pres ent grand jury