The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-05-05

icounties have escapes and that al- though Sheriff Batson during his term
 handled 12,000 prisoners he has had
 only 21 escapes. Particlar attention was called to the testimony of Webb Craw- | ford, Birmingham banker, who said the
 best of bankers could not prevent de- l falcations, and that he knew one bank
 president of high standing who could not prevent three defalcations in one Iyear
 Does the sheriff keep a large ball.
 ance with your bank?" MT. Crawford
 was asked on cross examination. 1 He should but he doesn't not a
 d. cent" replied MT. Crawford.
 ESCAPES NOT CORRELATED MT. Burr contended that the escape of lOverton and confederates on March 20 1 had no connection with escapes of the
 past and that the last escape resulted
 from outside assistance. He urged the Icourt to remember that witnesses who told the story of the Overton escape
 could not look into the faces of the
 court, and to decide that Sheriff Bat
 son knew nothing of the plans which | led up to the escape or of the incom-
 potency of the wardens who were on
 duty at the time.
 1 You may as we'll say the Ii disciples
 were guilty of the betrayal of Christ because they associated with Judas
 as to say Sheriff Batson knew of these
 things" said MT. Burr.
 GENERAL DEFENSE
 l MT. Burr closed hls case with gen
 eral defense of Sheriff Batson and a
 declaration that all persons of Jeffer- son county-"with the exception of prisoners. those who have been pris- oners under him and those whose light l ming rods are out''-believe he is com petent and able to handle the duties of the office.
 Attorney General Martin closed the | arguments of the state with general summing up of the evidence and a declaration that escapes began imme- diately after Sheriff Batson took of | ice and continued until Overton, and lconfederates escaped, March 20, 1917. l He said Sheriff Batson was warned Iby former Sheriff Hfgdon and others about the use of felons as cooks, but 1did not heed the warnings and that at various times during his term he re- lceived warnings about this and other matters from Judge w. E. Fort. the lgrand jury, Solicitor Joseph R. Tate, l Assistant Solicitor James Davis, A. J. lDyas of Huntsville Steve Wiggins, So- |licitor Hugo l.. Black and T. N. Gilbert,
 a deputy, and was cautioned especial lly about Overton, but that instead of l needing he took Overton out. of the I Jcondemned cell and moved him to an- other portion of the prison on the ad- vice of the county physician instead I of calling upon the board of revenue to make immediate repairs of the con- ldemned section as he was required to ido
 l Attorney Burr had criticized the state S action in submitting testimony of certain persons about handling of keys by prison CTS, contendng that their character had been impeached, but Attorney General l Martin declared that no effort had been made to impeach Charles M. Nails of ;, Huntsville who said he worked on cer- l tain books during the time he was in | jail on charge of complicity in the mur- l der of Probate Judge Lawler.
 l "It seems Nails follows Overton every where''s said Attorney General Martin. ] "Overton was Nails unlucky star. They l (he defense) seemed to think Nails a l good man. He was only charged with murder He was put to work on the books The attorney general went over | the list of prisoners who were permitted 1 to work on the books, mentioning Wade Allen convicted of manslaughter; Amos Smith, sentenced to 10 years for train wrecking; Nails, charged with murder; Johnnie Wilson. sentenced to 65 years ! in prison. and A. w. Box charged with murder.
 FEE SYSTEM ATTACKED Attorney General Martin attacked the fee system. and declared it probabl had something to do with the sheriff's failure