Newspaper Page Text
The Atlanta Georgian
VOL. XI. NO. 128.
WOODWARD
SACKS UP
EXPERT’S
IDEAS
Mayor-Elect Will Insist on the
Adoption of Some of Sands’
Reform Suggestions.
HEADS OF POLICE AND
PARK BOARDS ANGERED
Beavers Defends His Depart
ment-Report Supports The
Georgian’s Stand.
..iajo: -meet James G. Woodward to-
< cared that the Sands probe re
u.t was full of excellent ideas for re
f.,and that besides urging a care
ful consideration of every item of it by
th- general council, he would insist
:pon tiie adoption of a number of the
suggestions.
cm the other hand, many of the offi
;„.s in the city hull bitterly resented
:'.:e criticisms.
Tiie report absolutely backs up The
Belgian’s charges of inefficiency on
.. part of the construction department
points out that not only a more
.. -Im .-slike administration is needed.
it that tiie head of tiie department
in,aid be appointed instead of electee
■. the people, thereby i moving t'ac
.vpartinent fiom ao mu< i. .a
faience.
Other Reforms Urged
By Georgian Approved.
Tliv Georgian's editorial suggestions
-üb-police stations and combining
. cities of regular policemen and in-
■ tors also are concurred in, as well
. i.e plans to abate the smoke nui-
and discontinue secret sessions
tlic finance committee and other of
■hd bodies.
The time has come when we must
■ into effect many such reforms, as
< t Sands recommends, or the peo
.vfil vote commission government.
ping out tiie whole present system,"
Mayor-elect Woodward. "The sys
i is inefficient, and everybody in
■ anta who stops to think knows it.
There will be bitter opposition from
• men affected by th-i.e changes. You
• bank mi that. Each is a little czar
i:o himself now. They can do as they
use, for there is no one to direct
uin or see that they do their duty.
His criticisms of tiie construction
tment are very true. That de
irtinent has done poor work. The’"
no common sense in having the chiet
'■ted by the people; he ought to in
ippointed by tiie mayor or council.
Shows Mayor Is
Without Authority.
He shows that tiie mayor is without
■■■ ■ rity. Look at the police depart
'■ nt; there’s p oof of that statement,
i'lw chief of police ought to be directly
■ : the mayor. Police problems are
'• oil' tiie issues in mayoralty earn-
'mils and when a man gets a majority
"i Lie votes tor mayor he ought to hat e
■■in- power over the department.
With the police commission in con
el of it he virtually has none.
"I agree with him about the water
panment. Its organization is ridicu
lous.
"Tiie council apropiiates trie funds to
operate the department. But council
an’t say where a singe water main
viall be laid.
'Council elects a commission to run
he department. The people then elect
general manager to run it. There
r e the mayor and council, the board
'•id tiie general manager, different!?
’elected, and, therefore, conflicting.”
City Needs More Aid
From the County.
The mayor-elect said lie did not think
'-ie suggestion to consolidate tiie city
$ and county governments hardly was
Practical, because so much of the coun
lay outside the city. He did say that
here was great need for more co-opt ra-
Hon between the city and county gov
ernments. and especially was there a
general demand for more work by the
aunty convicts inside tile city.
“There are too many beautiful boule
vards running around our city. We
need more paved streets inside the city
111 front of the property that pays the
county taxes,” lie said.
Chairman Carlos H. Mason, of Uie
Police commission, is displeased with
'he comments of the expert on the po-
• department.
"It is only one man's opinion.' he
said. "I might employ an expert who
Continued On Page Two.
RESOLVE—-That Yon WdH Save Tame and Money by Usong GEORQOAN WANT ADS for Every Need on 119113
Read For Profit-GEORGIAN WANT ADS-Use For Results
FITE RENEWS
ATTACK DN
APPEALS
COURT
Charges It Changed Recorded
Opinion in Contempt Case
and Calls Judge Falsitier.
JURIST CHALLENGES HILL
TO QUIT BENCH WITH HIM
Declares He Is Within Constitu
tional Rights in Terming the
Tribunal Incompetent.
Judge Augustus W. Fite, recently
fined for contempt of court, today re
newed his attack on the court of ap
peals which convicted him, charging
that it had changed in publication its
recorded opinion, and declaring that
Judge Benjamin Hili, who sat in his
case, had uttered an untruth.
Judge Kite denounces Judge Hill for
his attack on the man who prosecuted
the McCullough assault case which led
to the contempt action and challenges
rite jurist to resign with him immedi
ately and let the people decide "who has
dragged the judicial robes through the
mire of personal venom, injustice and
slander.”
The judge deciares that he was with
in his constitutional rights in criticis
ing the judges of the court of appeals
as incompetent.
Judge Hill Not
Roiled by Attack.
Judge Hili, of the state court, of ap
peals. did not seem at all upset or dis
turbed today, after reading Judge Fite’s
latest attack on the court over which
Judge Hill presides, and on the chief
judge in particular.
He declared that he would make no
answer to Judge Fite, or notice, public
ly. in any way his card.
"The record in tiie contempt hearing
has been published.” said Judge Hill.
"It may be found in full in the South
eastern Reporter of December 21. In
that written record appears exactly
what the court said and held —in it,
however, does not appear some things
Judge Fite says tiie court of appeals
said and held. AU persons who are in
terested in the truth of the record are
invited to read tiie same. Perversions
and willful misstatements of tiie record
need not necessarily mislead, as the rec
on! is there, in black and white, to
speak for itself. I have nothing to add
to it or take from it.”
"How about the suggestion that you
resign'.’" Inquired a Georgian reporter.
"On. well,” smiled his honor, broadly.
"I shall not discuss this last Fite out
break in any way. in any way. You
may uw however, if you like, that 1
probably shall not resign!"
Declares Opinion
Has Been Changed.
Judge Fite's communication is as fol
lows:
To the Editor of The Georgian:
1 have just read the opinion of
the court of appeals in their con
tempt case against me. published in
The Southeastern Reporter, volume
7t>, No. «, December, 1912. which is
quite different from the one deliv
ered on tiie trial.
I would have let lite ** •■ rest
wlure it was when'-Sue of the
good people of tiie Chergkee circuit
voluntarily p. id the unjust fine, if
he court of appeals had let it alone,
; ,s they should have done.
‘ But. not satisfied with what they
iiad already done, in the case of
their own making, the court of ap
peals have since tiie trial so
changed, taken from and added to
the opinion then delivered and
which had evidently been previous
ly prepared, as to make it more
:i self-laudatory and political har
angue ami tirade of personal abuse
than a judicial opinion, and 1 will
not let it pass without a protest.
Judge Hill Began
Row. Says Fite.
Judge Hill began this unseemly
row by attacking me in the first
reversal of the McCullough case, as
set out in iny answer to the rule,
and more, which, at my Instance,
was stricken from the record of
that ease, and of which the people
have not been informed, charging
in substance that 1 sentenced tiie
negro "Instantly” and with intent
to deprive him of tiie right of poll
ing the jury, which is untrue, libel
ous and slanderous: and lie is now
trying to dodge, responsibility by
Continued on Page Two.
Oldest Sigma Nu Defends Secret Societies in Colleges
"FRAT" MEN HAVE GREAT DAY
}// ®\ \
mr t Fi v 'F
lill - ‘
-4. v I
"" ** /
!l. Low Keynoids Atlanta, on r Ju. ••ml A. C. Riley. Jr.. Atlanta. <lek<;alea to Ihe Sigma Nu
jonveution exchanging ‘’official" tzrmdings.
1913 CONFEDERATE
REUNION MAY 28-30
AT CHATTANOOGA
CHATTANOOGA, TENN., Dec. 31.
The next Confederate reunion will be
held in this city May 28, 29 and 30, ac
cording to announcement by General
Bennett H. Young, commander-in-chief,
this afternoon.
General Young, with Lieutenant Gen
eral John P. Hickman and Lieutenant
General W. E. Mikle, went into execu
tive session with a local committee here
this afternoon, to agree upon the date
for the reunion next summer. Tiie last
week in May and the last week in June
were considered.
BUILDING PERMITS
ONLY $13,166 SHORT
OF $10,000,000 MARK
By the hour rhe city hall closes today
Atlanta may be in the $10,000,000 building
class. At 1 o’clock the books at the of
fice of Building inspector Ed R. Hays
showedt hat $9,986,834 in building had
been done in 1912. This was short of the
$10,090,000 figure by $13,166, and the
building inspector hoped to Issue $13,-
166 worth of permits by 5 o’clock, when
the office closes.
Ben R. Padgett. Jr., was a “Good
Samaritan” today when he appeared on
the horizon with applications lor three
dwellings to cost $11,500. The figures at
that time were $24,666 short and the of
ficials in the office were pulling hard.
| RACING
RESULTS.
AT JUAREZ.
FiRST Purse, two year old fillies, 3
furlongs (10>: Ida Lavinla 112, xAunt
Mamie 112, Tip Dawdell 112. Yip Ha Ya
112. Solid Bay 112, Stella Ward 112.
xxAlabama Rum 112, xxHouse Party 112.
xxxirish Ann 112, xxxPanbacap! 112
(x- F. D. Weir entry; xx B. A. Trammel
entr> . xxx J. F. Newman entry.)
SE('ONi» Selling, three year olds and
up, 6 furlongs <8): xLovlng Mose 82,
xiwalani 98. Auto Girl 100, Buss 100,
ITince P.»nra<l 102. Helen Scott 103, Look
out 105, Louis I»esc<)gnets 105.
THIRD Selling, three year <J<is and up,
6 furlongs <11): Holabird 90. Mary Emily
100, Hazel <IOO, Ferrona 100, Just Red
102, Balronia 103. Gelico 105, Quick Trip
105, Hidden Hand 105, Quid Nunc 107, Dan
Norton 113.
FOURTH Ano Neuvo handicap, 3 year
olds and up. mile and a sixteenth <10):
Lord Marshall 95, Cracker Box 95. Lowean
100. General Marchmont 102. Meadow 106,
Flying Feet 106, Irish Gentleman 110, in
jury 112. G. M Miller 123, Meridian 125.
FIFTH Selling, 3 year olds and up, 6
furlongs (8>: Gimli 100, Tommy McGee
105, Falcada 106. Harrison II 105,
Pipe Vision 108. Serenade 108, Cantem
110, Angelas 110.
SIXTH Selling. 4 year olds and up.
mile and an eighth (7»: xSister Florence
!‘6, Bale Doll 101, xConsole 103. Orperth
107, Silver Grain 111, Balcliff 112, Shorty
Northcut 112
xApprentice allowance claimed.
Weather clear; track fast.
THE WEATHER
Forecast: Rain tonight or Wed
nesday. Temperatures: 8 a. m„ 43
degrees; 10 a. m., 43 degrees; 12 noon,
46 degrees; 2 p. m., 47 degrees.
ATLANTA, GA.. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 31. 1912.
Theater Party and Ball to
Feature Closing Days of the
National Convention.
John Alexander Howard, of Tallahas
see, Fla., the oldest Sigma Nu in at
tendance at the fraternity's convention
in Atlanta, is a firm believer In the fra
ternity as it exists in the American
college. He deplores tiie anti-frater
nity fights instigated by disgruntled in
dividuals and declares that if the true
meaning of the fraternity were under
stood by ali there would be little cause
for friction.
"The fraternity is a great Institution
in its influence on the average Ameri
can undergraduate,” declared Mr. How
ard today. "It fills a need in the life
of the college student which never
could be filled in any other way. Boys
naturally seek others of their kind, and
it is inevitable that this tendency
should find expression in the student
organizations Which we know as fra
ternities. Wherever man is thrust he
easts about for congenial spirits. He
will find them sooner or later.
"Fraternity life, properly lived, brings
out manly qualities that otherwise
would lie dormant or undeveloped.
Pride in the various groups of men and
the name of the orders stimulates men
to do their best in appearance and in
action.
"Good For Colleges."
"Only good to the college can result,
with members anxious to go out and
bring in prospects who are of like high
character and standing. Tims does the
college renew Its youth, and the growth
is a healthy one."
Yesterday was one of the pleasantest
days of the Sigma Nus’ young lives.
Starting with the opening business ses
sion at 11 a. m. ami ending with a big
banquet at the Piedmont at 8 p. in., the
day was brimful of joy.
Especially joyful were tiie "pre” and
"post” trimmings of the banquet, the
main affair being most too dry to wet
a single whistle. Water —water was
everywhere! "Pete” Daley and lite
California delegates were the ' first to
make the discovery and the news
spread like wild fire
E. Lee Worsham, state entomologist
and one of the most congenial spirits in
this section, presided as toastmaster.
He spoke of the value of the fraternity
bond and introduced several enthusi
astic speakers.
Preston S. Arkwtight, also a t’niver
sity of Georgia graduate, spoke on "The
Opportunities of the College Men in the
South.” Bev. Albert 11 Wilson, of New
York city, regent, talked of "Sigma
Nu —Her Achievements."
Theater Party Tonight.
John W. Bull, of Nashville, took as
his subject “Fraternity Ideals in Col
lege Life.” Henry Tillman spoke on
“Choosing a Fraternity." Thomas H
Pickles, of Richmond. Ky., took c
PETITION CIRCULATED
ASKING THAT LITTLE
BATTLE F. WHITNEY
Friends of Walter Little, the light
weight boxer, today started a petition
in hopes of getting him a match to
morrow night with Frank Whitney at
tiie Dixie Athletic club. George Win
ters started the petition and expects by
tonight to Promoter Henry Norton that
over Hot) signatures will appear on it.
Tommy O’Keefe was originally
scheduled to tight Whitney, but he in
jured his hand and had to call off the
match. The club then secured Tommy
Lavelle to take O’Keefe’s place.
Friends of Little believe he would
make a better showing against Whit
ney than Lavelle. Also, they are anx
ious for Little to vindicate himself for
past performances in the eyes of local
boxing fans.
Little and Whitney, with Walter at
his best, should make a corking bout.
RECEIVER ASKED FOR
TENNESSEE CENTRAL R.R.
KNOXVILLE. TENN., Dec 31.—An
application for the appointment of a
receivership for the Tennessee Central
railroad was made today In the Fed
eral court here by Samuel W. Bordyce.
Jr., an attorney' of St. Louis, and vice
president of the road, ami Judge San
ford appointed A. B. Newell, president
of the road, and W. K. McAlister as
i eeeivers.
HAL CHASE'S WIFE IS
AWARDED DIVORCE
NEVX YORK. Dec. 21 Supreme
('-Girt Justice Bijur today signed an
interlocutory decrep of absolute divorce
In favor of .Mrs. Nellie H. Chase from
Hal Chase, the first baseman of the
New York Americans. Mrs. Chase ii :
awnrdod the custody of Harold. Jr., and
$1,200 a year alimony .X
subject “Brothers All." Walter James
Stars asked “Shall the Fraternity Sys
tcpi IL Abolished?"
The officer.*- mad' reports and there
wt re oth- • sp- akt i'-. H. E. Sibson, of
Philadelphia, cha’ ian of a committee
on fraternity houses, spoke on the need
of acquiring more homes for the chap
ters, and he will make a further report
at one of todaysessions.
Today ami tomotrow there will be
business sessions starting at 10 o’clock
in rnorniiiMs and a 2 in tiie afternoons.
Tonight the delegates have reserved
the parquet of the Atlanta theater and
will see “The Spring Maid” with their
young women friends.
The closing event will be the big fra
ternity dame given tomorrow night at
the Capital <’lty club. Thr»e hundred
Sigma Nus and on< representative of
each fraternity at Tech will be present,
not to mention an array of society
belies.
idition *
■n u
38 MBS MS SEIF
AFTER BUB BOOKS
Thomas Nall, Griffin Official, Just Re
elected, Sends Bullet Through Head
a Few Hours After New Mayor De
manded Investigation of All Records.
Atlanta Auditors Reconstructing Financial Sys
tem From Few Remaining Papers—Suicide
Loved by Thousands and Friends Declare Re
sentment, Not Dishonesty, Led to Tragedy.
By Staff Correspondent
GRIFFIN, GA.. Dec. 31.—Expert auditors from Atlanta- toAay are
making a searching investigation behind closed doors in the city hall
here of what little remains of Griffin’s municipal records, and are es
tablishing a complete new city system, while Griffin itself dismisses in
whispers the most mysterious tragedy in the history of Spalding
county.
The disclosure that the city’s important tax books and
records for the past thirteen years were missing came like a bolt on
December 14. the day following the funeral of Thomas Nall. 74 years
of age. and for 3S years city clerk and treasurer of the city of Griffin,
Nall was found dead on the morning of December 11 in his beau-,
tiful colonial home in Hill street, but a few hours after he had been,
sworn in for a new term of two years by Captain J. Henry Smith,
Griffin’s now mayor. Apoplexy was assigned as the cause of death,
and the Griffin daily paper and Atlanta papers carried stories to this
' effect.
me OF STRIKERS
fITTACKSPOLIGE
Officers Forced to Battle for
Their Lives—loo.ooo Gar
ment Workers Out.
NEW YORK, Dec. 31.—Thirty per
sons. many of them women, were In
jured today in the first serious rioting
of the garment workers strike. About
600 persons were engaged in the rioting
which took place 1n Williamsburg »t the
plant of Smith, Gray & Co.
A mob of men and women surround
ed the building and were hurling stones
and other missiles when a detachment
of police arrived and tried to disperse
the crowd. The strikers turned upon
the police, attacking them with unex
pected fury.
The officers had to fight for their
Ilves, and many of them nearly had
their uniforms torn off After half an
hour’s fighting the strikers were so ex
hausted that the police were able to
clear the streets.
WIRELESS STRETCHES
ACROSS OCEAN FROM
PARIS TO WASHINGTON
WASHINGTON, Dec. 31.—The long
arm of the wireless has reached from
the Eiffel tower, Paris, to the giant
government wireless station at Arling
ton, a distance of 4,000 miles, according
to a report of Commander C. H Bul
lard to Secretary of the Navy Meyer
today.
Naval officers consider this the most
Important accomplishment of the win -
less since its invention. The commu
nication between Washington and Par
is was established in the quiet hours of
early morning, when the Arlington op
erator received the time signal sent out
from the Elffer tower every fifteen min.
utes. Al midnight tonight every hit of
power in tiie navy station will be
turned on in an endeavor to flash the
official birth of the New Year east to
Paris, south to Colon and west to San
Francisco.
NINE MEN ENTOMBED
IN LEHIGH COLLIERY
TAMAQUA, PA.. !><•< 31. Nine men
working in the East Lehigh colliery
near hen* today, were <-augiit by a rush
of water and a “slide” of ro< k and dirt
when they' broke through an old Hooded
working. When the men broke through
the wall of an old working, a mass of
rock immediately filled the gangway,
Imprisoning them.
Lat«* this afternoon rappings could be
heard and rescuers believed that some
of the men would be rescued alive.
2 CENTS EVERYWHERE ”^ R , S O
Today it inade public, for the
first time, the startling fact that it
was a pistol ball through the brain,
directed by his own hand, and not
apoplexy, that ended the life of
the aged official.
"Uncle Tom’* Nall, as he was famil
iarly known to thousands of warm per
sonal friends and supporters, had been
accorded the distinction of being the
shrewdest and most popular politician
In Spalding county, and the series of
sensations brought on by bls tragic
death has stirred the whole county.
This is the second time Griffin's elty*
records have been destroyed. Thirteen
years ago all of the records were lost in
a Are that destroyed a cotton ware
house. In which Treasurer Nall bad his
office. Griffin had no city hall then,
and Nall kept the books and papers ln<
his private office.
At a recent meeting of the elty coun-a,
ell. E. P. Bridges, an Insurance
was elected to succeed Treasurer
but will not take charge of the office!
until the auditors make their report andl
establish the new system rendered nec
essary by the destruction of the oldl
records.
Will Never Know ' /
How Accounts Stand.
Owing to the disappearance of th*
important tax books and license books,
city officials say they have little hops,
of an audit and are satisfied it will
never be known just how the city stands
—whether it has lost anything at alt
through the mystery of the books or
just how much has been lost. The
missing records represent thousands of
dollars In taxes and licensee. Their de
struction removes alt trace of back an<
unpaid taxes prior to the year 1911,
The most Important book for 1911—the
tax digest book —is also missing, but
the auditors have been able to make a.
partial check and approximate balance*'
for that year.
Evidence lias been obtained by ths
city council finance committee showing
that at least some of the books and
records were burned by the aged clerk
and treasurer the day before he blew
out his brains. Rut why he did this is
the puzzle that city officials and the
auditors ire trying in vain to solve.
There are two answers to this ques
tion. they say—a possible shortage that
the aged man wished to carry with him
as a secret to Ins grave or else a re
sentment at having his books examined
and a new system inaugurated after he
had conducted the affairs of his office
honestly and successfully all of these
years.
Many of the officials hold to the lat
ter theory, believing Ills strange deter
mination was superinduced by an ab
normal mental condition. They say they
are satisfied there was no shortage in
lii.- accounts, and that tile only possible
loss to the city will come from unpaid
taxes of past years, which were record
ed on tile missing records.
In doing so, lie asked for an audit of
al city departments, that the new ad
ministration might know the exact
status of city affairs.
Hollowing his address, the new may
or swore in the other city officers,
among them aged Thomas Nall. But
a few weeks before Null had been
chosen by his townspeople without op-