The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-07-15

BIRMINGHAM, Ala;-QIlleSS WIFI
ID Taylor, young unemployed or
ganizer, is able to get medical
treatment, which means his re-
lease from Jail, his leg, infected
since he has been imprisoned, will
have to be amputated, it was
learned here by the International
Labor Defense today -
Taylor and Alice Burke, whose
case is also being appealed, were
arrested Nov. 7, 1887, when they
led a demonstration of 5000 Ne
gro and white unemployed de-
manding relief, before the county
courthouse here. Theyswere con-
victed May and sentenced to 500
fine. six months Imprisonment and
court costs, total of afyear on the
chain-gang and in the workhouse.
In the Birmingham county jail,
TAYLOR contracted am infection in
his foot, from the filth which ac-
cumulates in the cells. Even in the
Sitting summer weather, men pris-
oners are not permitted to battle
more than once a week. 1t was
several days before Taylor could
obtain a doctor 10 dress his foot
at all, and even then this was
done in superficial manner, with
the result that his condition has
steadily become worse
HORRIBLE JAIL 77o,
CONDITIONS 81
Horrible Jail conditions are de-
scribed by Alice Burke in letter
which has just reached the LID.
office here. III.
1.-THE majority of the prisoners,
there are about 400 here" she
writes, ARE in for burglary, selling
liquor, prostitution, etc. Talking to
most of them one learns that be-
cause of unemployment, the hun
ger system that we live under, the
working people are, forced to re-
sort to selling liquor, stealing, wo-
men selling their bodies, just to
have place to rest and bread to
feed their families. This is the
story of many and, many of the
prisoners. tG
when we were first brought
here the prisoners whom we came
in contact with were warned that
we were niger loFers'-trouble
makers, and that the. other pris-
oners should keep away from us.
All kinds of provocative lies were
spread about us by the wardens.
This became SO open that I would
be pointed out to all visitors. I
learned about all this from women
in here, and finally decided that /
would make a fight sent let
ter to the head warden. and de-
manded the stoppage of all the lies
and threatened a suit for SANDER.
The head warden, Mr. Erwin, said
he knew nothing of it., and said
that some of the Wardens must
have only been playing a joke'
on me- But he promised to take
this UP and see that it was cut
out. AS result one of the wardens
has been suspended for one month.
"THE entire Jail is infested with
big mice, which eat up almost
any clothes that one has. Reaches
and ell other kinds of insects. AL
though the prisoners ask for some
mouse traps, none are even given us.
About three weeks aago I was
very ill, unable to get up from bed,
with my pulse beating only 40.
The inferno here examined me and
told me that I needed medicine
and should eat only soup and milk.
The next day the head doctor
(Collins) came, the first thing he
asked me was what 7 was here for.
When I told him I tried to speak
at an unemployed meeting, he
started muttering and walked
away. He refused to see me, give
me any medicine, put. me on a
soup and milk dietssan even in
structed the inferno not to see me,
DIR. Collins is being paid by the
taxpayers of Jefferson County and
is supposed to give treatment to
all without discrimination.