The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-03-21
DAVID ). OVERTON AND TONY MAILING
 KILLED BY OFFICERS
tcontInued from Page One,

into Johns Undertaking company and Latham was carried to the Hillman hospital. According to physicians at the hospital, unless complications set in, Latham stands a good chance to recover.
 He seemed quite anxious to talk when interviewed and answered all questions asked him by Sheriff Batson, the reporter and the doctors. Once, when the reporter, being woman, suggested that they not disturb him any more he answered, You are not disturbing me at all. I am glad to talk to you"
 He said that he had never heard the name of Joe Tate mentioned, and that he did not know they were near the home Of such person.
 County officials are inclined to discredit the statement, of Latham that the party never got into an automobile.
 Steve Wiggins, deputy sheriff, and who was acting as night warden, says he is positive the men got into an automobile.
 q was standing in the sheriff's office talking to MT. Jordan, when I looked out the window and saw the men going out" he said. Tt was not a minute be- fore we realized that 1t was a jail de- f as we could. When we got to the alley there was not person In sight. At the corner of Fourth avenue and Twenty first street negro told me that the men had gotten into an automobile and gone. believe Latham was telling the truth about one of them leaving, and think this is the man that was chased up to- ward the Terminal Station"
 Deputy Marshal Jordan, who had been wOrLipcp fha n11 doV nf the first to see the men after they es- capped.
 q looked out the window and saw a bunch of men~ walking down the alley said MT. Jordan They were all right we'll gotten up, and I didn't think any, thing about it. Just thought 1t was a bunch of visitors from the Sociological congress And then one of the dagoes started running. and we realized that it was jail delivery"
 GRAND JURY BEGINS
 The grand jury has already started investigating the escape and examined a number of witnesses.
 Sheriff BatSon was one of the first men on the scene when the escape was discovered and he worked with his deputies all day in effort to locate the prisoners. He expressed himself as being greatly relieved when he learned that three of the prisoners had been captured. and waited at the sheriffs office until late hour last night, awaiting further developments.
 He questioned Latham at the hospi- tai as to how the escape took place but could get no information regarding any looseness of system.
 MT. Batson went through the jail with The Age Herald reporter shortly after the escape and was present when the wardens were explaining how the escape occurred. He expressed much surprise that Lem Lavender, inside warden, did not have a gun with him. and was equally surprised to find that the warden was eating breakfast with two of the prisoners. leaving only "a "trusty' outside to guard the jail door, which. it seemed. was unlocked.
 Mir Batson stated last night that he would get a good and efficient corps of wardens and assistants in the jail if he had to get an entirely new force, and pay them big salaries.
 GATE IS DOUBLE LOCKED
 One of the outstanding features in connection with the escape is that in order to get from the Jail court into the alley, it is necessary to pass through a large gate, which is locked inside and out with Yale locks. If the outside lock was fastened, it was nee essary for the escapes to have had as- sistance from the outside.
 However, it was stated at the jail that the lock was always fastened at night. but that it was not always kept fastened in the daytime. as there was so much going in and out. delivering groceries. coal and the like. None of the officials seemed to know whether the lock was fastened when the pris- oners made their escape or not