Jail at Blountville is Now Filled to Capacity
At the present time there are eighty-eight birds in the cages at the Sullivan County jail. Of these jail birds, 75 are white and five negroes, nice are white women and one negress. At the last term of court Sheriff Ford was taking care of 82 prisoners and at the term before that 92 criminals were guests of the sheriff. The next session of court will be held the third Monday in May and at the rate the law is being enforced in Sullivan County, Sheriff Ford and Jailer Rogers expect to have all they can accommodate by that time. However, Jailer Rogers declares he will accommodate all who care to enter, even though they have to be piled several deep on account of the limited space in the jail. It is also understood that the next session of the County Court will be asked to make an appropriation to build an addition to the present structure, which is wholly inadequate for efficient law enforcement.
On account of the vigilance of Sheriff Ford and Jailer Rogers, not a prisoner escaped during their administration, even though at times standing room had been a premium. The sheriff and his deputies are proud and their friends are highly elated over the record they have made,
Many Stills on Hand
The room at the jail where the captured stills are kept is running over and it is understood these stills, which have been chopped to pieces, will be sold for junk shortly to make room for more, as several bids have been received.
Jailer Rogers was uneasy Saturday night, left he would have to go through Sunday with the odd number 79 prisoners and probably would have done so had not an obstreperous individual showed up at the jail shortly after noon. The bird came to this jail to visit a relative inmate. He was highly “lit up” and refused to be arrested. He was promptly subdued by the jailer and placed where he could not be bitten by dogs.
Strenuous efforts are being made to keep the jail in a sanitary condition and disinfectants are used almost daily. Not a sign of a “creeper” has been seen for more than a year and each one who enters is taken to the inspection room and given the “once over” if they look at all suspicious. Only recently Jailer Rogers received an individual from Bristol who was taken to the inspection room and found to be reeking with vermin. He was promptly deloused, thoroughly sprayed, made to take a bath and his clothes burned, after which he was given new wearing apparel and placed with the other prisoners. However, with the crowded condition of the present jail it is almost impossible to keep it in a sanitary condition as those in charge would like, and Sheriff Ford is convinced and the citizens of the county are agreed that more room is needed under the present system of law enforcement.
Yesterday afternoon the Bristol corps of the Salvation Army held services in the jail and Rev. Dan Graham, who resides at Blountville, holds services for the prisoners quite often.
