Birmingham Post-Herald, Wednesday, November 22, 1995 D3 METRO STATE Florida inmates go back to chains By Nicole Winfield Associated Press MIAMI For the first time since 1946, Florida prisoners were forced to work in chain gangs yesterday, hacking away with machete-like knives at exotic melaleuca trees that are choking the Everglades. With almost military precision, 20 prisoners from the South Florida Reception Center cut and cleared a small patch, watched by prison officials, reporters and state Sen. Charlie Crist, nicknamed "Chain Gang Charlie" because he wrote the legislation reviving the forced labor. Chain gangs also began work yesterday in central and north Florida. "What we want to do is tell people that if you commit a crime in Florida, if you're convicted of committing that crime in Florida, Florida will punish you, you will do your time and it will not be pleasant," said Crist, R-St.
Petersburg. Florida is the third state to bring back the form of forced I labor that was eradicated across the country in the 1940s because it was considered cruel and inhumane. Many likened it to slavery; some still do. But unlike Alabama, Florida prisoners aren't linked together. Instead, their ankles are shackled individually, and their 20-person work groups are monitored by three guards, two of whom are armed.
Arizona has introduced a similar system. "If it's cold, they will stay out," said Tim Mingo, assistant superintendent for operations at the Miami prison. "If it's hot, they will stay out." No sunscreen during 10-hour days Andress, Charlotte Anthony, Myrtle Lexie Baty, Thomas Olen Cabaniss, Robert Wright, Jr. Cardwell, Kathyrn Louise Dixon, Dr. James Robert, M.D.
Easter, James Timothy Erickson, Axel Erick Fischbach, Richard Thomas, Jr. Gammill, George Thomas Gower, Mirtie Milam Hanks, Susie Brown Hereford, George Larkin Hodges, Lola Mae Howard, Henry Jackson, Honorable T. R. (Roosevelt), Sr. Kimbrough, Ruth Ansley Moore, Jack A.
Morgan, Frances Lucky Partlow, Annie G. Reynolds, Gerald F. Snyder, Jere Maenza Stephens, Junior H. Stinson, Wallace ANDRESS, CHARLOTTE, age 85, of Bridgeport, Conn. died Memorial service be held Friday, November 24, at 2 p.m.
at Oakservices Cemetery in Birmingham. ANTHONY, MYRTLE LEXIE age 88, of Calera died November 21, 1995. Funeral service will be Friday, November 24, at 11:00 a.m. from Calera Baptist Church with burial in Shelby Memory Gardens. The family to receive friends at Southern Heritage on Thursday, November 24, from 5:30 p.m.
until 8:00 p.m. Survivors: daughters, Frances Anthony, June Hadaway, Charlotte Patrick, all of Calera, Jerry Hicks of Hoover; sons, Russell Anthony of Hoover, Rev. Leroy Anthony, Rev. Delmus Anthony, both of Jasper; sister, Lossie Caldwell of Alabaster; 15 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren. Ridout's Southern Heritage directing.
(205) 988-3511 BATY, MR. THOMAS OLEN age 76, of Birming- ham died November 20, 1995. He was retired foreman at Chicago Bridge; member of Fourth Avenue Baptist Church; veteran of WWII. Funeral service will be Wednesday, November 22, at 2 p.m. from Roebuck Chapel with burial in Jefferson Memorial Gardens East.
Rev. Knox Johnson officiating. Visitation will be Tuesday from 6 until 8 p.m. at the funeral home. Survivors: wife, Ethel Baty; daughter, Patricia Hicks; son, Johnny Baty; grandchildren, Wendy Howell, Lori Traywick, Chris Baty, Lindsey Baty, and Mathew Baty.
Roebuck Chapel directing. CABANISS, MR. ROBERT WRIGHT, JR. age 80, died in Granada Hills, Calif. on October 14, 1995.
His grandparents were Mr. and Mrs. Edward H. Cabaniss of Birmingham and his parents were Cdr. Robert Wright Cabaniss, USN and Mrs.
Cabaniss. Survivors: sisters, Mrs. Charles 0. Akers and Mrs. Juliet C.
Crawford. CARDWELL, KATHYRN LOUISE age 31, of Birmingham died November 19, 1995. She worked in the corporate office of Just For Feet; member of Canterbury United Methodist Church; graduate of the University of Montevallo. Funeral services will be Friday, November 24, at 11:00 a.m. from Canterbury United Methodist Church with burial in Elmwood Cemetery.
Dr. Jerry Sisson officiating. Visitation will be Wednesday from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m. at the funeral home.
Survivors: mother, Edna Cardwell Whitehead; sisters, Beth Cardwell James and Anise Cardwell Friedman. Memorials to Greg Yost Fund at Canterbury UMC, St. Anne's Home or United Methodist Home for Children (Selma). Ridout's Valley Chapel directing. James reassures Medicaid patients Cuts won't affect care, he says AP Inmates walk in leg chains under supervision on a Miami road near the South Florida Reception Center, a maximum security prison.
Florida put prison chain gangs to work yesterday, making it the third state to reintroduce the punishment. under the scorching Florida sun. No bug repellent in the mosquitofested Everglades. Just water, baseball caps, gardening gloves and thick leather pants to guard against snake bites. If prisoners try to escape, they will be ordered to halt, and guards will fire a warning shot.
If the prisoners refuse to stop, they will be shot, officials said. "Of course, I don't want to be there with my legs chained," said Bryan Brunett, who is serving 12 years for attempted armed robbery. "I feel it's against my constitutional rights. "I don't mind working, it's just the fact of having chains on my ankles and being strip-searched," said Brunett, assigned to the chain gang for fighting with another inmate. "True enough this ain't a country club." So far, one inmate at Polk Correctional Institution in central Florida has sued Crist for $75 million, contending he shouldn't have to work in chains.
The American Civil Liberties Union, which is considering legal ac- DIXON, DR. JAMES tion in Alabama, is not planning any lawsuits in Florida, said spokeswoman Robyn Blumner. "It sounds to me that Florida has done a good job avoiding the major vices of chain gangs in Alabama," said Richard Cohen, legal director for the Southern Poverty Law Center in Montgomery, which has filed suit against Alabama's chain gangs. "It allows the inmates more freedom of movement to do the work. When you're chained to five people, there's nothing you can get done." Crist had sought the five-person gangs, but he was overruled by Department of Corrections Secretary Harry Singletary.
Crist wouldn't say how much the program costs, only that "justice isn't cheap." Stan W. Czerniak, assistant secretary for operations at the Department of Corrections, said he was unsure chain gangs would be the deterrent Crist wants and questioned whether they were worth the increased manpower necessary. In prison, two officers oversee 144 inmates. Outside the prison fences in the chain gangs, three guards are needed for 20 prisoners. By Bill Poovey Associated Press MONTGOMERY Gov.
Fob James predicted yesterday that the 600,000 Alabamians who depend on state-subsidized health care will not suffer from a federal agency's surprise decision to withhold Medicaid funds. "I doubt that will happen," the governor said a day after Alabama Medicaid Commissioner Gwen Williams announced possible cuts in nursing home, hospital, pharmacy and physician services funded by the agency. Mrs. Williams' announcement of possible cuts was the Republican administration's response to the federal Health Care Financing Administration withholding $40 million from the Medicaid agency. The governor's skeptical prediction appeared to be coming true hours after he made it when Mrs.
Williams said the federal agency agreed in a telephone call to reduce the $40 million withholding to $25 million. The federal agency said it had made a mistake in withholding $40 million from the state for the first quarter of fiscal 1996, Mrs. Williams said. James said partisan budget bickering in Washington could have prompted the Clinton administration to withhold Medicaid funds from Alabama. "We've seen a lot of games being played relative to the budget," the governor said.
Mrs. Williams said she had never before seen federal money withheld DEATHS tery. The family suggests memorials be made to the Zamora Shrine Transportation Fund or the First Baptist Church Building Fund. Ridout's Valley Chapel directing. GOWER, MRS.
MIRTIE MILAM age 83, of Tar- rant died November 20, 1995. Funeral service will be Wednesday, November 22, at 11:00 a.m. from Roebuck Chapel with burial in Jefferson Memorial Gardens East. Survivors: daughter, Euna Mae Milam; sons, Wayne, James, and Joe Milam; stepson, Billy Gower; stepdaughters, Ginger Morris and Lynn Wickersham; 14 grandchildren, 19 great-grandchildren, and four great-great grandchildren. Roebuck Chapel directing.
HANKS, MRS. SUSIE BROWN age 94, of Bir- mingham died November 20, 1995. She was a longtime member of Grace Episcopal Church. Graveside service will be Wednesday, November 22, at 11:00 a.m. at Forest Hill Cemetery.
Reverend Maurice Branscomb officiating. Visitation will be from 5:30 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday at the funeral home. Survivors: daughters, Mrs.
Eleanor Hanks Hobby and Mrs. Ellene Hanks Friday, both of Birmingham; seven grandchildren; ten great-grandchildren, and five -great-grandchildren. Ridout's Roebuck East Chapel, Trussville directing. be HEREFORD, MR. GEORGE LARKIN, age Shelby, died Friday, November 17, 1995.
He was a member of Union Baptist Church. Chapel services was held Monday, November 20, 1:30 p.m. at the funeral home with Bro. David Mahaffey officiating. Burial was in 1 Jefferson Memorial South, Hoover.
Survivors: wife, Mary Hereford of Shelby; son, David Hereford of Bessemer; daughter, Rhonda Bell of Alpharetta, step-son, Lee Goodwin of Lipscomb; stepdaughter, Dana Vines of Pleasant Grove; 8 grandchildren; sisters, Mrs. Memory Littles, Mrs. Dorothy Williams, and Mrs. Margaret Lord, all of Bessemer; brothers, Joe H. Hereford of Attalla, Charles D.
Hereford of Jacksonville, and Mr. Robert M. Hereford of Morgantown, Ky. Brown Service Bessemer directing. HODGES, MRS.
LOLA MAE age 90, of Bir- mingham died November 20, 1995. service will be Wednesday, November 11:00 a.m. at Forest Hill Cemetery. Rev. Naylor officiating.
Visitation will be from 9 a.m. until time of service. daughter, Sara Hodges of Leeds; niece, DeShazo of Huntsville; sister-in-law, Hodges of Aliceville; granddaughter, Somerville of Aliceville. Roebuck Chapel ing. HOWARD, HENRY HOWARD, HENRY age 80, of Brighton Sunday, November 1995.
Funeral service be Friday, November at 1:00 P.M. at Mt. Baptist Church, Brighton with burial in Highland Memorial Gardens. tion will be held on day from 4 p.m. to p.m.
and Friday from a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Survivors: wife, Mittie ard; son, Henry E. Howard; stepsons, velt and Willie Johnson; stepdaughter, Harris; sisters, Sarah Jemison, Eola Goran, nie Parents, Elginia Sanders, and Ola Mae nes. Roberts Central Park Chapel directing.
JACKSON, HONORABLE T. R. (Roosevelt), age 82, of Susan Moore died November 1995. He was supervisor at Goodyear Tire Rubber with 32 years of service; member of Zion Church of God; First and only Mayor of san Moore for 14 years serving on several mittees with the Chamber of Commerce for without advance notice, after having been approved, in her 18 years with Medicaid. Kimble Forrister, a spokesman for Alabama Arise, an advocacy group for the poor, said people who depend on Medicaid services see the disagreement as a "bureaucracy out of touch with their needs." "To real-life people these are lifeand-death services," Forrister said.
The Health Care Financing Administration's Medicaid director, Sally Richardson, said the decision to withhold the money was not political. She said Alabama's Medicaid agency has not followed federal law in its new system of paying hospitals to care for the poor. She said the state would likely have to show that it is obeying federal law before the other $25 million is released. Mrs. Williams said Monday the Alabama Medicaid Agency might sue the Health Care Financing Administration over the unannounced withholding of money.
The commissioner said Monday that if the federal agency withheld $40 million every quarter of the fiscal year it would force Medicaid to cut a total of $277 million in costs. The federal government provides about $70 for each $30 the state spends to subsidize medical care for about 600,000 Alabamians. J.D. Schremser, a spokeswoman for the state agency, said 54 percent of Alabama's matching funds come from transfers from public hospitals. She said if those funds are disallowed, it would cost Alabama $83 million in state hospital transfer money and 1 $194 million in matching town; Past Chairman-Blount County Republican Party; former member of State Health Planning Agency; Past Chairman Blount County Singing Convention, Past Minister of Music, Mt.
Zion Church of God Gospel Songwriter. Funeral service will be Wednesday, November 22, at 2 p.m. from Mt. Zion Church of God with burial in Ebenezer Cemetery. Rev.
Louie Fincher and Rev. Hollis Preston officiating. He was preceded in death by wife of 62 years, Vareda B. Jackson. Survivors: daughters, Mrs.
Vivian Smith of Tampa, Mrs. Wanda Stewart of Pensacola, and Mrs. Carol Scull of Roanoke, son, Mr. T. R.
Jackson, Jr. of Oneonta; sisters, Mrs. Alene Huffstutler of Susan Moore and Mrs. Imogene Eillis of Susan Moore; brother, Mr. Waltene Jackson of Lakeland, 11 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.
Grandsons will serve as pallbearers. Town Council of Susan Moore will serve as Honorary Pallbearers. King's Valley Chapel directing. KIMBROUGH, RUTH ANSLEY age 82, of Gai- nesville, a native of Birmingham, died Monday, November 20, 1995. Funeral service will be Friday, November 24, at 3 p.m.
from Trinity United Methodist Church in Gainesville with burial on Monday, November 27, at 11 a.m. in Elmwood Cemetery, Birmingham. Williams-Thomas Funeral Home directing. MOORE, MR. JACK A.
age 50, of Birmingham died November 20, 1995. He was retired from the Birmingham Police Department. He was a member of the Fraternal Order of Police. He was currently employed by Jefferson County. Funeral service will be Wednesday, November 22, at 2 p.m.
from Jefferson Memorial Funeral Home with burial in Jefferson Memorial Gardens East. Lenard Irvin officiating. Visitation will be Tuesday from 5 until 8 p.m. at the funeral home. Survivors: wife, Mrs.
Helen Moore of Birmingham; sons, W. Scott Moore (Julie) of Birmingham and Philip T. Moore (Angie) of Birmingham; sisters, Miss Pat Moore, Mrs. Donna Vogel, and Mrs. Paula Offutt, all of Birmingham; granddaughters, Kati Moore, Karson Moore, both of Birmingham.
Jefferson Memorial Funeral Home Trussville directing. MORGAN, FRANCES LUCKY age 74, of Deca- tur died November 21, 1995 at her residence after an extended illness. She was born December 22, 1920, in Birmingham and moved to Decatur in 1946. She was a homemaker and a member of St. Paul's Lutheran Church.
Funeral services will be Wednesday, November 22, at 11:00 a.m. at St. Paul's Lutheran Church with the Rev. Ronald Reinhardt and the Rev. David Lewis officiating.
Burial will be in Roselawn Cemetery. The family will receive friends at the church one hour before the service. She is survived by her husband, Wilson Morgan; son, Hugh W. Morgan, Jr. of Decatur; daughter, Becky Morgan Bell of Decatur; brother, Murray Lucky of Gulfport, and three grandchildren.
Pallbearers will be Dick Fleming, Frank Troup, Bill Hayes, Bob McNelly, Bill Wyker, Rex Rankin, Bill Sexton, and Charlie "Red" Roberson. Memorials may be made to St. Paul's Lutheran Church or a favorite charity. Roselawn Funeral Home directing. PARTLOW, MRS.
ANNIE G. age 72, of Calla- way, Fla. died Monday, November 20, 1995 at her home. She has been a resident of Bay County since 1956 coming here from Goodwater, Ala. Mrs.
Partlow served her country in the U. S. Army Nurses serving during WW-I1, and retired as a First Lieutenant. She was a Graduate of Emory School of Nursing, was a Pediatric Nurse with Bay Medical Center for 6 years, was a Substitute Teacher with the Local Elementary Schools, was a member of the American Legion, was active in the Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, 4-H Club, and she always had federal funds, or $277 million for the fiscal year. Mrs.
Williams said the federal. agency gave its written approval to Alabama's plan to pay for hospital care through a new network of eight regional prepaid health corporations. That system started in October. She said the Medicaid agency nc longer pays hospitals directly, but. pays each corporation, which in turr, pays hospitals in its region.
She said auditors for the federal. agency discovered that officials overseeing the new regional health corporations were not distributing money "exactly as calculated." "Their issue is that we should be policing the prepaid health Mrs. Williams said. She said the agency could use the $15 million that was mistakenly withheld to pay health care providers in December. It might also reduce the possible cuts in services she announced Monday, Mrs.
Williams said. The Medicaid commissioner saic. she is not convinced that policing the regional corporations is Medicaid's responsibility. "Is it our responsibility once it goes to a managed care company to police it further?" Mrs. Williams said.
Mrs. Richardson said it is the state's responsibility to make sure, Medicaid money paid to hospitals does not exceed federal limits set in. 1993. "We have a basic disagreement of what the law requires," Ms. Richard son said in a telephone interview from the federal agency offices ir Baltimore.
November 18, 1995 in Bryn Mawr Hospital, Bryn Mawr, at the age of 67. Born April 19, 1928 in Selma, Alabama to Carrie (Herring) and Dr. Robert E. Dixon, who was the Wilcox County Physician. He was raised in Alberta, Alabama.
Graduate of Marion Military Institute; Bachelor of Science from University of Alabama at Tuscaloosa; graduate of Tulane Medical School in New Orlean, LA. Dr. Dixon was the first recipient of the Smolian Fellowship in Psychiatry at University of Alabama Medical College, to become the first Psychiatric Resident in the State of Alabama. He married Audrey Claire Scott and they moved to New Orleans, where he set up his psychiatry practice for over 30 years. Dr.
Dixon served as Staff Psychiatrist for the Orleans Parish School Board for 20 years. Member of the Baord of Directors of the Guaranty Savings and Homestead Association in New Orleans for 35 years. Moved to Philadelphia, PA. in 1994 to be with his daughter, Ann A. Dixon.
He was the husband of the late Audrey Scott Dixon and is surwill vived by his daughter, Ann A. Dixon of Wynnewood, PA. Funeral Oakservices are private. Memorial contributions in his name may be made to the American Cancer Society. Calera will EASTER, MR.
JAMES TIMOTHY, age passed away Friday, November 17, 1995. Graveside services will be held on Tuesday, November 21, at 2 p.m. at Crestview Memorial Gardens in Adamsville. He is survived by three children, his mother, a brother and sister, and two grandchildren. Bell Funeral Home, Forestdale (798-2890) is directing.
ERICKSON, AXEL ERICK age 81, of Birming- ham died November 19, 1995. He was a former member of McCoy United Methodist Church. Member of Cahaba Heights United Methodist Church; retired from U. S. Post Office; member of the American Legion and a veteran of WWII.
Graveside service will be Tuesday, November 21, at 1:30 p.m. at Jefferson Memorial Gardens East. Survivors: wife, Catherine Erickson; son, Eric Erickson of Oneonta; daughter, Pamela Newton of Birmingham; grandchildren, Anna, Kate, and Will Newton of Birmingham, Audrey and Mary Catherine Erickson of Oneonta; brother, Bert Erickson of Birmingham. Elmwood Chapel directing. FISCHBACH, RICHARD THOMAS, JR.
age 62, of Birmingham died November 20, 1995. Graveside service will be Wednesday, November 22, at 2 p.m. from Cedar Hill Cemetery, Bessemer. Visitation will be Tuesday from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m.
at Roebuck Chapel. He was preceded in death by his wife, Faye Fischbach and daughter, Lisa Fischbach. Survivors: son, Michael Thomas Fischbach; sisters, Mary Frances Carroll and Peggy Tucker. Roebuck Chapel directing. GAMMILL, GEORGE THOMAS age 82, died Tuesday, November 21, 1995.
He is survived by his brother, John E. Gammill of Vestavia Hills; sister, Jeannette Gammill Knox of Vestavia Hills, and numerous nephews and nieces. He was a member of First Baptist Church of Birmingham all of his life, a veteran of WWII in the Army Medical Corps, co-founder of Gammill Brothers Drug Co. in Edgewood and a member of the Jefferson County Pharmaceutical Association. He was aiso a member of The Club, the Vestavia Hills Country Club, a 32nd degree Mason, and a Shriner.
Graveside service will be held Wednesday, November 22, at 3 p.m. at Elmwood Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 2 p.m. until 3 p.m. at the ceme- room for 1 more youngster.
Mrs. Partlow was also a member of the Parkway Presbyterian Church. Mrs. Partlow is survived by her husband: Mr. Donald Wayne Partlow, Sr.
of Callaway, daughter, Mrs. Peggy Partlow Martin and husband, Randy of Lynn Haven, son, Mr. Donald Wayne Partlow, Jr. of Callaway, and a grandson, Bryan Martin. Funeral services for Mrs.
Partlow will be held 10:00 a.m. Friday, November 24, 1995 from the Graveside at the Forest Lawn Cemetery with the Rev. Reid Cameron officiating with interment following. The family will receive friends from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m.
Wednesday, November 22, at the Kent-Forest Lawn Funeral Home. REYNOLDS, GERALD F. age 68, of Sterrett died November 20, 1995. He was a self-employed brick mason. Funeral services will be Wednesday, November 22, at 2:00 P.M.
from Kilgroe Chapel with burial in Beulah Cemetery: Rev. Eugene Howard and Mrs. Inez Thompson officiating. Survivors: wife, Kathryn Reynolds of Sterrett; sons, Larry Reynolds of Wilsonville, James Reynolds of Chelsea, Dan Reynolds of Vandiver, Robert Reynolds of Sterrett, Rod Reynolds of Westover; mother, Chloe Reynolds of Sterrett; brother, Bobby Reynolds of Winder, seven grandchildren and four children. Kilgroe Funeral Home of Pell grand recting.
56, of at Ralph Betty Hazel direct- died 19, will 24, Zion VisitaThurs- 7 9 HowRoose- Mary AnBar- Sr. 20, and Mt. Sucom- the SNYDER, JERE MAENZA age 70, of Neptune Beach, formerly of Birmingham, died November 20, 1995. Memorial service will be held on Wednesday, November 22, at 2 p.m. at Community Presbyterian Church, Atlantic Beach, Fla.
Survivors: daughters, Linda Sloop of Charlotte, NC, Jenny Stephens of Jacksonville Beach, son, Charles Snyder of Hermosa Beach, sister, Rosa Lie Acton of Panama City Beach, five grandchildren. STEPHENS, JUNIOR H. age 65, of Winfield died Monday, November 20, 1995. He was a native of Fayette County and was a resident of Winfield most of his life. Retired heavy equipment operator for Harbert Construction Co.
and an avid camper. He is survived by his wife, Mae Nell (Mitchell) Stephens of Winfield; sons, Ronald Stephens, Ricky Stephens, and Mitchell Stephens, all of Winfield; daughter, Connie (Stephens) Johnson of Winfield; ten grandchildren; sister, Mrs. Grace (Stephens) Vickery of Winfield and other relatives. Funeral services to be held Wednesday, November 22, at 2 p.m. from the Miles Funeral Home Chapel.
Rev. William E. Atkinson to be the officiating minister. Burial to be in the Winfield City Cemetery with Miles Funeral Home of Winfield directing. STINSON, WALLACE, of Ensley, died Novem- ber 11, 1995.
He was a long time resident of Ensley and he was retired from U. S. Steel. He was a U. S.
Army veteran of World War Il. Graveside service will be held Wednesday, November 22, 1995, 12:00 noon at George Washington Carver Cemetery with Rev. Thomas Felder officiating. Survivors: several nieces and nephews of East Point, Georgia. W.
Shortridge Funeral Service directing. Sunday A.M. Delivery 2 Nortons FloristBirmingham's Lcading Florist 324-1631-24 Hours Toll Free 1-800-239-5603 USA Member FTD.
