The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-01-29
FULL PROBE OF CONVICT MUTINY ASKED BY JUDGE Grand Jury Gets Story Of Outbreak From Prison
 CTS Themselves SOLICITOR W. w. WALLACE NOW DIRECTING INQUIRY President Thomas Of Coal Com pany Also Appears Before
 Jury At Columbiana
(Sy Staff Correspouccrt)

COLUMBIANA, Ala, Jan. 2y- After being charged at length by Judge E. s. Lyman, the Shelby county grand jury launched into an investiga- tion today of the mutiny of state con victs on January 12, at the Aldrich mines of the Thomas Weller Coal com pany. Nine convicts and several state and mining company officials were quizzed during the day. Solicitor W. W. Wallace is directing the inquiry.
 Judge Lyman instructed the in quisitors to not only investigate charges against the convicts in connection with the mutiny, but also of conditions under which the prisoners are managed and employed at Aldrich.
 "Convicts are not immune from prose- cution for offenses and adequate pun ishments are provided for those who may be found guilty" he told the jury.
 The convicts, who were brought down in automobiles today under heavy guard, who are quizzed by the jury are Leo Gilbert, Dempsey Reach, J. W. Carson, George Thurman, Louis Brown, Ed Cumbie, Lonnie Radford, John Puckett and Russell Jones' The prisoners were kept before the jury about 5 or 10 minutes each. except Brown and Leach, who were grilled for about 20 minutes each. They are serv- ing varying terms for various offenses.
 Dr. Blair Testifies
 In addition to the nine convicts, Dr. F. F. Blair, state convict board phy- sician; J. NJ. Dollar, foreman of the mines c. R. Davis. state convict board inspector; b. A. Thomas, president of the operating company, and Dr. E. G. Givan, physician at the mines, were called before the grand jury.
 President Thomas was before the jury for some time and is supposed to have recounted at length details of the mu- tiny.
 Solicitor Wallace announced that to- morrow Warden J. N. Jernigan, As sistant Warden w. A. Walker, and II other prisoners would be called on for testimony. The convicts during the outbreak protested against their treat ment given them by Warden Jernigan, especially Imprisonment in the dog house" for infractions of the rules.
 After the grand jury has obtained all the information possible here it will make visit to Aldrich mines for first hand. investigation of conditions there Special attention will be given to the tasks assigned the prisoners. theif food tisinssassd tteS*lnert By the swardens
 Lymany Charges Jury After affeew words explaining the du- ties and trust in the grand jury Judge D. $. Lyman said:
 s.EaptIap,op yn, bova baan odviSNfI through the press or otherwise of q most deplorable affair which recently took place at Aldrich, in your county, where number of state convicts there employed organized and put into opera tion n mutiny against the authorities, resulting in much damage to property and jeopardy to lives, according to such reports.
 It is your duty to make diligent in quiry into this and all other alleged in fractions of the criminal law that may come to your knowledge and to return true bills where they are authorized by the legal evidence you may be able to obtain. I am advised that the solicitor has made careful preliminary inyesti- gation and is prepared to facilitate your investigation. Convicts are not immune from prosecution for offenses and ade- quate punishments are provided for those who may be found guilty. The matter of the leasing of convicts has been one much discussed in the press, in assemblies and in private conversa- tion and what may be called the con vict question presents one of the grave problems for solution for this state.
 If you shall be able to submit any thing that might contribute to it's prop CT solution you will be rendering a
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