The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-01-04
Outgoing Governor Asserts 1 BilI's Passage Would Fat ten Purses at Expense of Unfortunate Human Beings
 1 Whe Are Held in Prison
PROPOSAL IS SHARPLY CRITICIZED BY GOVERNOR
It Causes One to Wonder If Day Will Come When Money Greed Will Be Subordinated
 to Rights of Others Less
 Fortunate, Governor Says
STATE CAPITAL BUREAU l
 THE AGE-HERALD NIontgOmery. Ala. Jan. s |

GOVernOT huDy lSSueu WdlH tatement Wednesday, declaring 1 hat sheriffs elect of Alabama kounties proposed to ask the legis- Zature to re-establish the system which gave them authority to make
 profit from the feeding of pris- bners in the county jails. Cover hor Kilby declared that the proposed legislation would mean the fatten- Ing of the purses of the sheriffs at 1 he expense of unfortunate human beings who are held in prison.
 Prior to 1919 sheriffs were paid ertain fees for feeding prisoners, hnging from 50 cents per day Town to 30 cents, based on the num- Ter of prisoners said Governor kilbys statement. No restriction whatever was placed upon the feeding of prisoners. The sheriffs lould invest less than, 10 cents day n the food for each prisoner and ollect the full amount permitted (y law, the profit going to them elves. It is notorious fact that lany sheriffs made hugh profits rom the feeding of prisoners and hat in many instances prisoners were unable to obtain sufficient pod to relieve their hunger.
 Funds Being Withheld
 Governor Kilby cited the law which provides for the supervision If the feeding Of county prisoners by the state prison inspection de- partment and states that approxi- nately S30,000 claimed by sheriffs for feeding prisoners is being held how because the sheriffs have not ;ompiied with the law which re- Iures them to furnish proof that he money was actually spent for Eood.
 eThe men who will become sher- Zffs January 15 can not furnish an Iargument in support of their pro- Iposals," continued the governors Istatement. When they were can |didates for their positions In 1922 they knew the law. They knew they would be required to expend the states funds for food. They knew the feeding of prisoners would mean no profit to them oth- CT than the fees especially provided by law. A great majority of them are connected with the sheriffs of- ices and understand the law.
 If the feeding law is repealed prisoners will be at the mercy of he sheriffs. In many counties here will be return to the plan pf giving them only two meals hay and corn bread and syrup will become the daily menu. There will be no authority which can tell the heriffs that they are starving hose who are supposed to receive heir protection. those who can not aise their voices in opposition be- ause their voices can not go be- ,ond the confines of the prisons hich hold them.
 This proposal of men intrusted With important public offices by the People of Alabama cause one to Twonder if the day ever will come when greed for money will be>sub- | ordinated to the rights of others kQr less fortunate human beings.
 Governors Statement
 Governor kilby's statement fol- ws: |, ..Citizens of Alabama who feel an terest in the unfortunate human eing confined in the county jails of labama will be astounded to know nat an appreciable number of sher- fs-elect propose to use all the ower at their command to have the gislature return to the old system feeding prisoners, a system con emned by the lawmakers in 1919 nd 1920 and system which has zen utterly routed from Alabama.
 Newspaper reports during the asst few days show that a large unlber of the sheriffs-elect met in ontgomery last Monday and de- ded to request the legislature to bandon the plan under which the ate has been able to supervise the eding of prisoners since 1920 and
 return to the slipshod method Thereby the sheriffs alone were re- ponsible for the<food which went to he prisoners and whereby the bank ocounts of certain sheriffs were in based at the expense of the health
 d well being of their unfortunate
 soners.
 'Prior to 1919 sheriffs were paid rtain fees for feeding prisoners
 tfsing, from 60 cents a day down to
 cents. based on the number of
 isvners. No restrictions whatever ere placed about the feeding of
 soners. The sheriffs could invest
 S than 10 cents day in the food
 each prisoner and collect the full
 tContinued on Page ThreeD