The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-03-23
SHERIFF OF SHELBY SAYSP|ERCE NEVER
 ASKED ASSISTANCE
MT. Jackson, In Open Letter, Sets Out His Views on Pro- hibition Enforcement Sit-
 uation h His County

Denying that he had been asked to cooperate with the federal authori- ties, Sheriff J. A. Jackson of Shelby county submits the following letter for publication: aT
 Tt is with regret that am forced into controversy in order to clear up some charges made by N l.. Pierce chief federal prohibition officer, rela> tive to conditions in Shelby county and what he has done in shelbyScounty and of his failure of getting me, as sheriff. to cooperate with him in enforcing the prohibition laws, which he knows is false.
 MT. Pierce has never asked for my CO o-operation. On the contrary, l have asked of him and of his men their aid in many instances, but with one exH ception- have been able to get their aid. On one occasSon, I arranged with MT. Stanford, chief of division under MT. Pierce, to meet me with a crew at Westover on the Atlanta, Birmingham and Atlantic railroad for the purpose of raiding the mountain districts in and around Chelsea, and in the after- noon prior to the morning of the raid, 1 MT stanford called me, stating that MT. Pierce had called him in, and that the raid so far as his crew was con- Eerned was all off.
 CALLED FOR AID
 "On another occasion, l called on both MT. Pierce and c. W. Austin, chief of the state law enforcement depart mont for men for double drive into Shelby county, our meeting place to be at the Florence hotel, in Birmingham. MT Austin sent me Messrs. Phillips and Knox. MT. Pierce had oresene Messrs. Stanford and Allen. Being un> able to agree on plans, used Messrs. Phillips and Knox, and ouu trip was very successful. On another occasion, while Messrs. Stanford and Allen, fed eral agents, were attending court in Shelby county, I asked their aid in ra.ding couple of stills, which had dDformation would be in operation the next day. They remained over with me, and sent couple of my men with them, and at late hour in the Rnorning the officers decided the oper- ators were not coming, cut up the stills and, on leaving the woods. were fired into MT Stanford and one of my deputies were pretty seriously Shot.
 MT. Pierce came over the following day to make an investigation. asked o- him a crew of men to clean out that district. The next day the Birming- ham papers were full of stuff ol what N L. Pierce was going to do ir Shelby county, and until this day g federal officer has not been in thai district. About three weeks after this shooting, giving up hopes of Pierce taking any action, I called on Mr. Aus tin for men, which he immediately sent me, and we thoroughly scouret rtfose woods and captured a complete copper outfit at the same location where those were destroyed on ths morning of the shooting.
 On another occasion, I arranged with MT. Ellison, federal agent. tt make a drive with our joint forces or g nest of stills in Double Oak noun tains. I gave him the information a. to the location. He was to call me when he was in shape to do the work In few days he called me, asking that meet him with my force at the Florence hotel, which I did at che ap- pointed hour, and on reaching the ho. tel, MT. Ellison informed me that he was.ssorry that he had put me to the expense and trouble of coming over but he with his crew had raided the district so planned and had destroyed four or five stills, making no captures Being unable to get cooperation
 
 felt that my force was insufficient te cope with the situation in Shelby coun. ty, have been calling on. MT. Austin chief of the state law enforcement de rartment, and every request have vel made of him has been filled.
 NOT ON SALARY
 '.As sheriff. I am not drawing { pension, nor salary; neither are m, expenses paid, as are the fedora agents. I am on a fee basis; no ar, rests, no pay and all my expenses art paid out of my own funds. If to en- force the prohibition law was my ex, elusive duties in Shelby county, as fl is with the federal agents, I woult never need any outside aid
 Since January 1. 1921 my force has ar rested 27 men for distilling. I hold eigh automobiles to be confscated, havinf been caught transporting lquor w, have handled hundreds of cases for vio lating the prohibition law. and durint the past two years have destroyed nor, than 400 stills. E
 The statements made in the paper few days ago of the great number @ or more) of cases and convictions ehat against Athe Shelby county criminals ar, not true The records in the district at torney's officeEs show five convictions fol distilling and nine pleas of guilty fol
 
 ing the prohibition law by parties resid ing in Shelby county. Of these, one O the mon for distilling and three for vio lating8 the prohibition law, were ar rested by Shelby county officials The March term of the fedora grand jury found five true bills agains parties in Shelby county for distiling s' this shows how absurd his statement are.
 Only a few weeks ago MT. Pierce cam out with a lengthy statement in the Bir mingharn News, telling about a great rait having been pulled off by federal agent in Shelby county, naming five defendant having been captured by his agents fo distillihg. when in fact each one of thes parties were captured by my fierce, no knowing that a federal agent was in tn woods. However, later on in the day m. force came in fcontact with the fedora agents. There being some question as t the conviction of one of the defendant in the state courts. as he was acting a . guard for the distillers. Pierce request ed the handling of the case. So he tool the man. took SIS off him. then lettin the man; escape from him at Pelham an Is now offering $25 of the prisoner money for his capture.
 DID NOT ASK TT
 ssI regret very much to have to shoulde the blame of Mir. Pierce's inefficiency as his. Administrations. according to thi <,x,,, rfafounapt h theen a failure and a