Newspaper Page Text
2
GIB TREASURER
OF GRIFFIN 15
ISUICIDE
Prominent Citizen Slays Self
After the Burning of His
Account Books.
Continued From Page One.
position to handle their funds lor an
other two yea; b.
It was at 11 o'clock Tuesday night
that he again took the oath so familiar
to him. A few minutes later 'he left
the city hall, apparently in tin best of
spirits, bidding his associates "goon
night." and wending his waj to his
picturesque old Southern home a few
Mocks away. There a few hours later,
with the message of .Mayor Smith,
tailing for an audit and a new system,
ringing in his ears. In placed the muz
zle of a revolver in his mouth and fired
a bullet through his brain Whatevet
may have been his moth ' . it died a
secret with it Im.
.Members of the city eoveinmcnt and
citizens generally were saddened Wed
nesday morning when the news went
out that their long-time and beloved
old clerk and treasurer had been
stricken with apoplexy while preparing
to enjoy itis breakfast.
.Mayor Smith's desire for a change in
the conduct of < ity affairs was widely
known even before his inauguration,
owing to the fact that it was an issue
In the campaign and had been dis
cussed from day to day.
A farewell note was left b> Nall. Tn
it he made no reference to the destruc
' tion of the city's records, but voiced
his determination that they should
never be examined. As to the reason
of this determination he gave no word,
so far as has been learned. He wrote:
‘ My Books Shall
Never Be Examined.
"1 am determined that my books
shall never be examined. I have
checked and rechecked them, and have
found them absolutely correct. 1 am
satisfied that no one elste could have
found anything wrong. "
Then he added:
"But the horror of it all, and the
thing that caused me to determine on
this course, is the fear that I might he
stricken helpless and left a burden on
those illy able to care for me."
Another sentence read:
"I am very, very tired."
Nall's friends are firm in their belief
that lie was simply laboring under the
hallucination that he was suspected of
some possible wrong, and that this* er
roneous thought that his honesty amt
his long-used system were questioned
drove him to desperation and to his;
tragic end.
They say Nall suffered a slight stroke |
of paralysis a short time ago, and since J
then seemed to fear that he would be
stricken helpless and would have to be.
eared for by his three daughters. Nall |
was a widower.
Douglas Boyd Finds
Books All Missing.
Immediately follow ing tin- announce
ment of the death. .Mayor Smith or
dered the clerk’s office closed until aft
er the funeral on Friday. On Satur
day the finance committee, of which
Douglas Boyd, of the Douglas Boyd
Company, is chairman, opened the of
fice and made the discovery that the
important books were missing. The
finance committee, in called session
Monday, Instructed Major Smith and
Mark J. Janes, one of the members, to
go to Atlanta and employ expert, ac
countants.
The report of the accountant- is ex
pected in about a week
The first evidence as to tie destruc
tion of the records was furnished in a
confession to the finance committee by
Bill Holloway, negro janitO in the city
hall. He said that on Tuesday morn
ing, before the new administration took
charge that night. Nall placed two
books on the edge of the furnace door
in the basement of the city hall and told
him to push them into the furnace. He
says he did so.
Members of the committee later
learned that a negro cook in the Nall
home. Maty Holloway—no relation,
however, to the janitor—had confided
to another negro that Nall "had been
burning books and papers in his home
for two weeks before his death " She
was closely questioned by the commit
tee, but denied this statement.
She admitted, however, that on Tues
day morning three books had been
burned. She said her husband came to
the Nall home that morning to build a
the. as usual, and that Nall gave him
three books and told pirn to bum them
Chairman Boyd
Doubts a Shortage
The negro tore up on* of the books
and threw it in the fire, but as it was
so hard to tear, laid the other two
books aside. Nall, she said, later eanic
along and threw these books Into tie
fire
Beyond this, no further evidence Im -
been found as to the destruction of th*'
records.
Chairman Boyd says
“1 don't think Nail was short in his
accounts, but I believe h>- felt offended
at the idea of his books being audited
and liis old system changed, and simply
determined that this should not be. He
had been in the office so long that he
felt that his methods should not be
questioned. He probably brooded over
the situation until he decided t at
lather than submit to the new order of
things he would destroy the recoids anil
then kill himself.”
Committeeman Janes. who was a
close personal friend of the aged man
snd who has been In personal ehaige of
the office since the tragedy, is firm in
bis belief that Nall's mind was unbal-
•••••••••••••••••••••••••a
: CITY ON SOUND BASIS’
: MAYOR SMITH SAYS J
• Tills statement was made by •!
» Mayor J. H. nry Smith •
• The city of Griffin sound •
• f the •
• ’’i >nls h<s temporarily dernor- •
• tlized affai , the city is not as- • I
• ted sei louslj. W< lav< on hat •
• a < ash But plus of J 6.401.01, and th< •
• taxi -for the y.ai 1912 are, as yet •
• uncollected." •
•••••••••••••••••••••••••a
FALL OF SCUTARI I
AGITATES ENVOYS
•
Real Crisis of Peace Conference
Billed for Resumption of Ne
gotiations Tomorrow.
LONDON Dee. 31.—Consternation
was caused among the Turkish peace
delegates today by a telegram from
Belgrade tiiat Scutari had fallen before
a combined attack of Servians and
Montenegrins. Reichad Pasha, of the J
Ottoman delegation, declared that if
this proved true, it would show fla
grant violation of the Chatalja armis
tice.
Tomorrow will see the real crisis in
the peace conference. Representatives
of the allies declare that if Turkey con
tinues to balk the negotiations, when
they are resumed Wednesday, they wili
dec lai »- their mission at an end and war
will be resumed.
Russia Proposes
Demobilization
PARIS, Dee. 31.—The most important
move yet made to relieve the tension in
Europe resulting from the Balkan war
was made here today when P. A. Iswol
sky, the Russian ambassador to Frame,
called upon M. Raymond Poincaire, the
French foreign minister, and proposed
that Russia and Austria go into accord
upon the immediate mobilization of
their reserves.
Mr Iswolsky had been authorized by
liis government to take such a step,
and it indicated that in the eye of the
Russian government the way to com
plete peace and accord among the pow
ers of Europe is now open. The pro
posal was that tiie armies, which were
mobilized during the gloomy’ day: of
the war, should be dismissed.
M. Poincaire" took the mutter under
advisement, promising to consult with
the Austrian minister.
MRS. W. C. ADAMSON.
CONGRESSMAN’S WIFE,
DIES IN CARROLLTON
CARROLLTON, GA.. Dec. 31. -Fu
neral services were conducted front tile
Methodist Protestant church here this
afternoon for Mrs. Minna Reese Adam
son, wife of Congressman W. Adam
son. of the Fourth Georgia district, in
terment following in tlie city cemetery.
•Mrs. Adamson died yesterday, after
an illness that confined her to her bed
for several months. She had been in Hl
health fur several years. She under
went an operation several months ago,
but failed to improve. Her condition
became so critical two weeks ago that
Congressman Adamson was summoned
from Washington.
Mrs. Adamson is survived by her
husband, three sons, Charles A. Adam
son, New Orleans, who is connected
with the Vnited Fruit Company; Reese
Adamson, Atlanta, of the Ford Motor
Company, and Ernie Adamson, who is
reading lai. in Carrollton; two broth
ers. Erskine Reese. Decatur, ami M. 11.
Reese. Heflin, Ala., and one sister, Mrs.
A R. Blander. Nashville, Tenn.
- . . , , _ a ...
anced and that his deed was the direct
result of hallucinations and broodings.
Practically every one in Griftin knew
and liked "I'ncle Tom" Nall. He had
some few enemies, of course, political
enemies, acquired through liis long
years of political activity, but these
were overshadowed by liis widespread
popularly. During his 38 y ears of of
fice life he had opposition but three
times Each time he was elected by an
overwhelming majority.
Nail's friends give him the credit for
the re-election of Congressman Bart
lett. of the Sixth district, in the recent
national election. Walter Wise. Judge
Bartlett's opponent, »s said to have
made the statement in Griffin that h
would carry Spalding county by at leas;
800 majority, which would mean hfs
election. Bartlett, hearing this, hast
ened to Griffin to confer with Nall, hts
friend and ardent supporter
How He Saved Day
For Congressman Bartlett.
"Tom, what about this'.’" asked the
c ongressman "Will Wise get SOO ma
jority here?"
"He will get only 375 majority , judge." I
: eplied the astute old politician.
"Well, Turn. if we can keep his ma
jority below 375 in this county I'll be
elected."
Nall went to work at once, writing
letters to his friends and making a
personal canvass. When tlie votes
We e counted on election day Wise's
majority in Spalding county was 371--
Jmlg< Bartlett was re-elected.
Shortly before Nall's death, Cna.
gri ssmun Bartlett visited the aged offi
cial and 101(1 him lie wanted to do
something for him, as a testimonial of
appreciation.
"That's all ight. judge. I’m satisflul
with the fact that we beat him." re
plied the old man.
Nall s friends say* be could have been
postmast. of Griffin under the new
Democratic administration had he live 1
land desired the place.
THE ATLANTA GEORGIAN AND NEWS TUESDAY. DECEMBER 31. 1912.
JUDGE FITE AGAIN
HAPS HIGH COURT
Declares Tribunal Which Con
victed Him Has Changed Its
Recorded Opinion.
Continued From Page One.
I
abusing and chaTging me with hav
ing begun it.
But. fortunately for me. what I
have said is written and in print,
and what tile court of appeals have
said also is written and in print;
and t..e bench, the bar and tile peo
ple of Georgia w ill judge us by the
facts, and no abuse of me by the
court of appeals will help them or
hurt me.
Wiiat Judge Hill says as to the
Shope contempt case in my court
is untrue, and he went out of the
record to say it. and J have more
cause to attach for contempt the
judges of the court of appeals for
this than they had to attach me,
and have as much authority to do
so, as my court, like theirs, is a
constitutional court; and it is my
duty to maintain its integrity.
Charges Untruth
To Judge Hill.
it now seems to mo that if, as a
court. I am bound by their con
struction of lho law in my case, it
is my duty, as a court, to attach
them for, what they say as to my
alleged judicial conduct in the
Shope case, which is untrue, and, to
me. seems clearly libelous and slan
derous. The truth is, I did not find
him guilty of contempt, nor, did
I put him in jail; but dismissed the
rule on the filing of a proper an-,
stver by him.
Judge Hill’s attack on Mr. Fow
ler, the prosecutor in tlie McCul
lough ease, a man who loved his
home, his wife and his children
more than he does a "pig and heif
er," and w ho is as honorable, truth
ful and virtuous as Judge Hill or
myself, is, under the evidence in the
case, only a part of which he
quotes, simply outrageous.
And liis defense of the negro,
who is now and has been for some
time in the penitentiary on his own
confession of guilt in open court, is,
under the evidence in the case, only
a part of which he quotes, abso
lutely pitiful, all ofl which show’s his
inability to comprehend the facts
in the case and that he is not sat
isfied with the final disposition of it.
"In faith, 'tis strange, 'tis passing
strange;
Tis pitiful, 'tis wondrous pitiful."
Challenges Hill to
Resign With Him.
Judge Hill says: "It i- not a
question of the abolition of courts,
but a question of the abolition of
judges," and intimates that he is
ready and willing to refer the mat
ter to the people, and I accept his
implied challenge, and, make him
this proposition:
That he and 1 resign immediate
ly, our resignations to take effect
when our successors are elected and
qualified, and go to the people and
■ Ipt them at the ballot box decide
who "has dragged the judicial robes
through the mire of personal venom,
injustice and slander.”
1 will meet him in the open, face
to face, before the people all over
Georgia—not in my own interest,
but in the interest of any reputable
lawyer who may oppose him. leav
ing my ow n candidacy in the hands
of the people of the Cherokee cir
cuit.
In conclusion, I will say what I
have heretofore said, in substance,
that 1 did not charge tlie judges of
the court of appeals with corrup
tion. but did charge them with in
competency, and criticised their de
cisions accordingly, and in doing so
1 was not in contempt, but was
within my constitutional rights as
a free American citizen, and every
well informed lawyer knows it. and
more, the people know it, and the
judges of the court of appeals
would know It but for their incom
petency.
21 ATLANTA GREEKS
WILL SAIL FOR HOME
TO HELP FIGHT TURK
In response to a call from their na
tive land for volunteers in the war against
the Turks, twenty-one young Greek resi
dents of Atlanta will leave tomorrow
afternoon for Now York, where, on Jan
uary 4. they will embark on the steam
ship Laconia, bound for Greece.
I lie party Is made up of Greeks from
every part of Atlanta, and is not bound
I into an organization. The) will leave At
i lanta together, having secured transpur
lation in a body, but tlie group will dis
integrate upon reaching the shores of
Greece, each member betaking himself to
the detachment representing his native
' community.
A call was made by the Greek gov
ernment upon the declaration of the war
with I urkei 3 l.e Greeks in America
Who still owed allegiance to the native
land were given four months grace in
which to. wind up their affairs in* this
country before leaving. Impatient, how
ever, a detachment of 150 left Atlanta
several weeks ago. and those who will
leave W edne-sday have yet much respite
left
Several of the twenty-one who will leave
Wednesday ire American citizens, and
owe no dutj to Greece. Each of the
party will pay his own expenses of trans
portation and subsistence
THROWS CAN OF CORN
IN QUARREL: KILLS MAN
MARKED TREE. AUK . Dec 31 Wil
liam tolii ; and ilex* Smith quarreled owr
a girl Johns threw a can of corn, which
bit Smith on the head and killed him
Johns was arrested.
Secret Friends Engage Lawyer for Mrs. King
INSANITY TO BE DEFENSE
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i x fink
Nick Wilburn, the Jones county farm hand, held for the
murder of James King, which he confesses he plotted with
King’s wife.
Attorney Hopes to Send Con
fessed Death Plotter to the
Asylum Instead of Gallows.
MACON. GA. Dec. 31.—A leading
Macon lawyer, who wants his name
withheld for the present, has been em
ployed by parties, wnose Identity will
not be divulged, to represent Mrs.
Katherine King, confessed death plot
ter. j This lawyer is going to Grays to
morrow by automobile for a confer
ence with the prisoner. If she gives
her consent, the lawyer will at once
start a legal fight in her behalf. He
intimates that he will not be content
with saving her from death on the gal
lows, but that his hope, if his employ
ment is ratified by Mrs. King, is to
send her to the state asylum for the
insane.
"I accepted tlie employment, such as
it is, witli great reluctance,” lie states,
riand am. proceeding mostly in the case
on account of a feeling of sympathy
for the woman. If she does not want
counsel, if she herself wants the law to
take its course, why, of course, I shall
drop tlie case at once. However, if she
■assents to my conduct of her case, I
will get busy without delay. The chief
condition of my employment as attor
ney for Mrs. King is that I must not
disclose to her the names of those who
have paid me my fee."
Sheriff Fearing
Suicide Attempt.
Fearing that Mrs. King may attempt
to commit suicide and that she may
endeavor to secure outside aid to that
end. Sheriff Charles Roberts, of Jones
county, is closely watching tlie jail at
Grays, where the woman is a prisoner.
Today a woman sent Mrs. King a quart
of buttermilk. The sheriff received it
and poured it on the ground, saying,
"1 don’t know whether anything is in
that milk or not."
Tlie sheriff declan s lie w ill take no
chances with his prisoner. He allows
no one to send Mrs. King articles un
less first inspected by him. He de
clines to permit food to be given her
except by himself.
Notwithstanding that petitions for a
speedy trial for Mrs. King and Jesse
Nick Wilburn are in circulation in Jones
county, it is not likely that the con
fessed slayers of James King will hear
their doom pronounced until the regu
lar April term of the Jones county su
perior court.
It is stated by those in touch with tile
situation that Judge James B. Park
does not favor special terms of court,
believing that tliey engender feeling and
promote an unhealthy sentiment, ad
verse to the defendants. No request
for a special term of court will come
from Solicitor Joseph E. Pottle, so if
one is ordered, the action will be taken
in response to the petitions now being
signed at Round Oak, Hillsboro, Grays
and Bradleys.
The petitions recite that the killing
of James King by Wilburn, as tile re
sult of the plotting of Mrs. King, is
tlie worst and foulest crime in the an
nals of Jones county, ami that the good
people of the county, condemning such
outrages, <l< sire that tin* guilty parties
shall lie given early tiHals And the iaw
vindieat ?d.
Mrs. King Refuses
To See Visitors.
Mrs. King has requested Sneriff Rob
erts to Hint away all persons other
tlian Iler Hint Ives who call to see her.
unless the visitors want to pray will)
her and give her spiritual encourage
ment. She has not seen a single one
of her relatives since In r jail coniine-
ment. A Bible has also been furnished
her, by urgent request. #
The woman Is heartbroken at the
lefusal of her children to visit her. and
today wrote Nina, her sixteen-year-old
daughter and favorite child, begging
her not to forsake her mother.
Tells of Poison in
Another Confession.
In another confession to Detective
Moore last night, Mrs. King admitted
that she had put morphine in his coffee,
but the poison hardly affected him. A
second attempt was made when Wil
burn, at her suggestion, put strychnine
in the husband's whisky, and this failed
because Mrs. King saved his life with
a narcotic. The third attempt, when
the man was shot with his own gun,
was successful.
Mrs. King also declared that two
months ago she and Wilburn planned to
kill King with a pistol, using a weapon
belonging to Frank Wilburn, Nick s
brother. They were then to take the
discharged cartridge out of the pistol
and put it in King's revolver to make
it appear that he committed suicide.
This plan was never executed because
they could not get King alone, one of
the children always being present.
Mrs. King's second confession shows
that for at least four months she and
Wilburn daily plotted to end the life
of her husband. ' •
Fool for Confessing.
Says Nick Wilburn.
\t ilburn has* also declined to receive
any more visitors at the Bibb county
jail. Today he told Jailer Hicks that
he was "the biggest fool in the world
for ever confessing.”
"If I hadn’t acted like a crazy man
and told that confounded detective all
about the thing, I believe I could get
out of this scrape,” he said.
Wilburn is buoyant at the expecta
tion of having active legal representa
tipn, his father, who visited him yester
day, having decided to engage counsel.
Lawyers See Nothing
To Halt Conviction
"There should not be the slightest
difficult) in convicting Mrs. Katherine
King and Jesse Nick Wilburn of the
murder of James King. The legal dif
ficulties in obtaining conviction on an
unsupported confession, do not apply to
this case,” said Thomas B. Felder, of
the new firm of Felder, Anderson, Dil
lon & Whitman, today. He was
asked by The Georgian to define the le
gal status of the noted case.
"The prisoners will not be permitted
to plead guilty of murder, but should
they make no preparation for defense
attorneys would be appointed for them
and pleas of not guilty entered. Under
the law a confession, entirely unsup
ported by other evidence, is not per
missible as evidence. But if there is
other evidence—suon as the negro's,
who might swear he saw Wilburn go
ing toward King in the woodsthis
would serve to convict.
"And where there* is such evidence
the confessions will be admitted, if they
were made voluntarily and without fear
of punishment or hope of reward. Con
fessions elicited under the ‘third degree’
would not be admitted.
"In this case, for instance, the sheriff
and Other officers and the newspaper
men to wifom Wilburn and Mrs. King
made flee and voluntary confessions
might be summoned to swear to the
substance of the confessions, ami this
i \ idenee, taken with the corroborative
testimony and circumstances surround
ing the case, should be sufficient tor
conviction."
CORONER PROBING DEATH.
ANMSToN. ALA.. Dee. 31 -Coroner
J. L Murphy is investigating the al
leged suicide of Marsha! Davis, a negro
•f Hobson City. found dead today.
Th-.r is suspicion that a murder has
been committed.
WOODWARD FOR I
SANDS REFORMS
) I. ■
Heads of Police and Park
Boards, Hit by Expert’s Re
port. Are Angry.
Continued From Page One.
would see the police department as en
tirely different —they have, in fact.
“We’ve got the best police depart
ment of any city of the size of Atlanta
in America.
I Cites Compliment
Taft Paid Police.
‘‘President Taft said it was the best
regulated town he had ever seen. When
he was here last he noticed that the
policemen were able to keep back the
crowds during the parade without rop
ing off the streets, and he commented
on their tine work.
"Abolish the police commission? The
department hasn't been conducted so
harmoniously and so businesslike in
years.
«
"He says our policemen lack 'punch
land snap.' Well, the greatest part of
the work of our policemen is to catch
negroes. We've got men who are ex
perts. I had rather have one of these
brave men than ten w ho stand up with
awesome military bearing and then run
when a negro 'pulls' a rock or a razor
on him. Our traffic officers are as good
as such officers in New York."
Park Board Head
Resents Criticism.
President J. O. Cochran, of tlie park
board, was bitter in his reply to the
statement of Expert Sands that the
park board was useless and even re
tarded the work of the park depart
ment.
“He was hired to report certain
things, and those things he had to re
port." said he.
“Outside of his recommendation that
the park board should be abolished, he
did not say anything that was not al
ready known. The trouble with our
parks is lack of money. Why didn't he
tell us where to get more money?"
Colonel F. J. Paxon’s Chamber of
Commerce committee on municipal re T
search will consider the report at length
within a few days. Then the report will
be submitted to council, through the city
board.of municipal research.
Legislation Necessary
To Adopt Suggestions.
Council will have to get charter
amendments from the general assem
bly in order to adopt the more impor
tant provisions of the report.
Councilman Clarence Haverty, chair
man of the city board of municipal re
search, said today he was well pleased
with the report. He said it was full of
material for great good.
The report of S. G. Lindholm, the ex
pert who investigated the schools and
health departments, is expected w’ithin
i a few days. The Sands report may not
be submitted to council until the Lind
holm report also is ready.
ZACK ROWAN GOES
TO FLORIDA RESORT
TO BENEFIT HEALTH
Zack Rowan, chief qf the county po
lice, who'.has been ill for the past .year. .
has gone to St. Petersburg, Fla., to re
cover his health. ChieJ How'an eScpects
to spend two months at the Tampa bay
' resort. During his absence Lieutenant
Robinson will be in charge of the coun
' ty force.
During the past summer Chief Rowan
spent several months at the Robinson
, sanitarium in an.effort to recover his
health. He was told by physicians that
' he was suffering from a form of kidney
trouble.
MAKES WIFE HIS
BOXING PARTNER
TO TRAIN FOR RING
CHICAGO, Dec. 31.—',‘My husband
insisted on putting the boxing glovi-s
on witij me, and this is why 1 started, a
fuss,” says Mrs. Harry Bullard, 3716
; South Wabash avenue, when she was
■ arraigned before Municipal Judge John
Courtney.
“He thinks that he is to follow in
' Johnson's footsteps, and, as he can not
afford to pay men to train him, he
forced me to spar will', him.” ■ -
i Mrs. Bullard and her husband were
arrested at their home, where they were
found in fisti- combat. Each wa« fined
$2.
COLORADO APPLE KING IS
LOOKING FOR BLOND WIFE
NEW YORK, Dec. 31. W. B. Cross,
"apple king" of Colorado, whose prod
ucts arc entered in the apple Contest
here, says he would like to find wife.
A blond one about 3o is preferred, and
he'll accord interviews toLill appli
cants at the Breslin hotel.
f You'll Never Be Lonely at the Grand I
ir O A MF». TH,S WEEK ■ I
GRAND “ T he Antique Gid” |
Keith With 15 Musical Com-
Vaudeville e dy Stars.
□ally Mat. I
mees and Hoag. 4 Florimonds.
Evening Per- Venetian 4. Gere & I
formances Next
LYRIC THIS Mat »- T u«s-.
LIHIV WEEK Thurs. and Sat.
Special Matinee New Years Dav
W. A. BRADY, Ltd., Presents
BABY MINE
WITH WALTER JONES
AND THE NEW YORK CAST. .
GEMS OPPOSES
POLICE BOARD
ABOLITION
Declares Sands Recommenda
tion Would Give Too Much
Power to One Man.
Taking issue with Municipal Expert
Herbert R. Sands, Chief of Police Janie?
L. Beavers today declared himself
against the abolition of the police board
which had been recommended by the
prober.
The chief declared that under the
civil service rules the board is perform,
ing a valuable service to the depart
ment. in that it chooses policemen w ho
are capable, mentally and physically,
from the heads of the force on down
through the supernumeraries.
To abolish the police board, accord
ing to Chief Beavers, would place too
much power in the hands of the chief
and his under-officers, and this privi
lege might be abused.
Likewise, he asserted, it might lead to
the choice of chief by popular elec
tion. and bring back into the depart
ment the politics of the old days prior
to civil service.
“Little Politics in
Department Now.”
“There is less politics in the police
department,” declared Chief Beaver.-:,
“than there has been In the 24 years I
have been on the force. Prior to s’*
years ago, when civil service was inau
gurated. policemen shook in their boots
for fear they would be left off the force
by a turn of the political wheel. They
needed to know who their friends were,
and about election time, when changes
were looked for, they were mighty anx
ious. Citizens against whom officers
made cases said, ‘Never mind —I’ll gel
back at you on election day.’
“Now’ all that is changed, and the
members of the force are free to do
their duty, without feeling that they
owe anything to anybody in a political
way. This has increased the efficiency
of the force, and it would be a great
mistake to take any step calculated to
upset the civil service.”
Answering a question as to the help
or hindrance of police boards. Chief
Beavers declared:
“The police board never has ham
pered me.”
"The entire police force does not ap
pear to have the ‘punch’ or 'snap,'"
said tlie expert’s report. To this Chief
Beavers replied:
"I think the police force has enoug .
of both 'punch' and 'snap.' At least, a
lot of people think the ‘punch’ is pretty
strong.”
Opposed to Military
Training for Men.
As for setting-up exercises and ex
treme military features, Police Chief
Beavers dissented again. He takes the
position that the members of the de
partment should at all times present a
neat appearance and exhibit sufficient
authority and force to maintain the nec
sary discipline, but that there should
,be no, czar-like measures or lack it
civility toward citizens.
“If strict military measures are re
quired of a police chief,” says Chief
Beavers, “the chief will take it out on
his men, and his men will take it out on
the people. There is such a thing a
going too far in suijh reforms.
“Our traffic squad and men on the
front in tlie day watch are required to
have white gloves and white collars:
the ensemble and march to ana from
the station is in tlie nature of a daily
drill, and there'is a daily inspection of
each watch as it goes on and comes off
duty.
“The men are provided w ith two uni
forms a year—winter and summer —and
are required to keep the uniforms In
good condition at all times. They also
are required to shave clean whenovei
necessary. You can go to any of the
larger cities in the country, and 1 doubt
if you will find a force of men who
present a better appearance. I went to
New York and Toronto, and found some
policemen who looked lots worse than
members of the local force.
“The tendency of military features
w ould make a machine of the force—a
knock-down and drag-out affair. The
soldier applies one principle, obeys one
rule, while the policeman must fit rules
to individual cases."
THE ATLANTA
Tonight, Wed. Mat. and Wed. Night
Werber & Luescher Present
MIZZI HAJOS
In the Operatta Triumph
The Sprin? Maid
Orchestra. $1.50 and $2; Balcony.
50c,_75c. SI.OO.
Thurs., Fri., Sat. Mat., Sat. Night
SEATS SELLING NOW
henry w. savage - g
EYerywonal
I Iler Pilgrimage In Quest of Loie |
Great Cast. 150 People
Nights. 50c to $2.00; Matinee, 25c to
$1.50.
DON’T MISS IT.
Coming
. HENRY W.SAVAGES
THE MERRY WIDOW