The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-01-07
INSPECTOR SAYS FEE SYSTEM LONG CONDEMNED
Dr. Glenn Andrews Declares Practice of Making Profit Off Feeding Prisoners in
 DiSfavor Since 1906
STATE CAPITAL BUREAU l
 EHE AGE-HERALD ! Montgomery Ala. Jan 6

Montgomery. Ala, Jan. 6
 From 1906 until this good day the system whereby Alabama sheriffs were permitted to make profit on the feeding of prisoners in the coun- ty jails of this state Was condemned by the state prison inspection de- partment until in 1920 the legisla- ture passed an act requiring the sherlffs to eXpend all amounts pro- vided by law in the actual purchase of food for the prisoners, according to a report of Dr. Glenn Andrews, state prison inspector, submitted to Governor Kilby as a biennial state ment of the activities of the prison inspection department made public by the executive department.
 Governor Kilby issued a statement early in the week in which he con demned the sheriffs- -elect who gath cred in Montgomery Monday and called for an amendment of the feed ing law which would pay them a stipulated amount for the feeding of prisoners without providing any re- strictions and without saying that their accounts be audited by any agency of the state.
 1ONeIHOI hllDys III Ild hlIlEf puDtlG that portion of the biennial report of the prison inspection department, declared that the feeding of pris- oners had been nothing short of a disgrace to the civilization of Ala bama until the Legislature enacted laws which prohibited the sheriffs from making a fee for the feeding of the men and women who were deprived of their liberty while await ing trial for crimes charged to them.
 Rich Sheriff. Hungry Prisoner.
 The statement of the governor de- clared that the repeal of the present law which provides that the sheriffs shall eXpend the state funds for food for the prisoners and shall receive a stipulated fee based on the num- Der of prisoners which ranges from 10 cents to each prisoner to cents for each prisoner until 50 prisoners are fed would mean rich profits to the sheriffs and empty stomachs for the prisoners.
 The biennial report of Dr. An drews quoted Dr. Shirley Bragg, first head of the department, as say ing in 1906: "The state appropriates 30 cents day for the feeding of prisoners and yet we receive prisoners from these same jails who are on the verge of collapse for the want of nourishment."
 Dr. C. F. Bush who succeeded Dr. Bragg, in 1909 said: Tn a majority of jails the prisoners are given two meals per day-in a few jails three and it is plain they are fed as cheaply as possible in order that the sheriffs may have a wide margin of pforit on the feed bills. l have had several sheriffs to admit to me that without the profit from the feed bill, they would not have the office as it was one of their greatest sources of revenue.'
 Dr. Oates Criticism
 Dr. w. H. Oates in 1916 made the following criticism of the sys- tenn whereby sheriffs were paid a fixed amount for the feeding of prisoners; The law regulating the fees of the sheriffs for feeding pris- oners in the jails of Alabama can be characterized by one word only -damnable. One sheriff has admit ted that he mades over twenty five thousand dollars net profit on his feed bill alone in one year. Most of the sheriffs feed what they please to the prisoners; eXpend as little as possible and put the remainder in their pockets"
 The legislature of 1919 intended to change the situation by providing that the sheriffs should eXpend the state funds for food, but the enact ing clause was left off the bill dur ing the rush hours of the last ses- sion and the bill was unconstitu- tional. The special session of 1920 enacted law which was free from error and it is this law under which the prisoners are now fed,
 Dr. Andrews Argument
 In defending the law, Dr. Andrews, in his biennial report said;
 The chief object of the present statute is to provide adequate and wholesome food for the prisoners and the full amount allowed is to be used if necessary, to gain this end However, if a less amount is suf- ficent then the balance is to remain in the state treasury. This seemingly is both reasonable and wise.
 'The argument has been advanced that without compensation derived from the allowance for feding prison CTS the sheriffs of some of the coun- ties are inadequately paid for their services and that the office does moi justify a man holding 1t. A public servant should, of course, be ade- quateiy remunerated for services ren- dered and if the office of sheriff ot any county in the state does not pro- vide revenue enough to warrant ! man in holding it. proper means should be instituted to remedy tn. condition. However, the officer should not recompense himself at tho expense of another and surely he should not be tempted to deny to 2 defenseless person. locked -., behinl steel bars, the food provided by the state for his comfort and sustenance in order that the fees of the office chould be increased"