The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-11-04
POLICE MATTERS
WERE ARRANGED
Meeting of Commissioners Held
Last Night,
AN EXECUTIVE SESSION
Chief Austin Empowered to Select
Twenty Extra Men-Thirty-e eight
Special officers for the Fair
Grounds-Chief Talks

f4OhiAAo OAA4OA dlho
A special meeting of the board of police
commissioners was held last night and ar
rangements made for. the suppression of
crime during the State Fair
Thirty-eight men were selected from list
handed in by the Fair association for
patrol duty on the grounds and the officers
will be sworn in Monday morning.
The twenty men allowed the police de-
partment by the city council were not Sc
lected but Chief Austin was given power to
chose his own officers He presented the
board with list of twenty-one names and
was instructed to pick his men from this
list These officers will be on duty as
patrolmen in the city and will be sworn in
Monday morning and put to work. Several
of them will be used as. private detectives
and for this reason the names of the new
policemen will not be given to the public.
Besides the officers employed by the Fair
association to work in the grounds the po-
lice commission will have six men regu-
larly at work at that place. The fair police
will be under the direction of Captain Weir
and Lieutenant Donelson, who will ex-
change shifts daily. The four patrolmen
will be in full uniform and will change
shifts according to directions from their
superior officers.
Far Ground Officers
The thfrty-eigflt extra officers were Sc
leeted from a list of forty-four handed in
by the Fair association. There are still
twenty-five officers to he appointed. The
Of mil with the Fair
association, and these appointments will
be made by Monday morning.
The statement that ex-Chief Mcdonald
would act in the capacity of chief at the
fair grounds was erroneous. Mr.. MeDen-
aid did not ask for the place, and his name
was not brought before the board.
The meeting last nislht was somewhat
delayed on account of the non-appearanee
of a chairman. Mr.. Chiles was out OF the
city, and delegated Mr.. AIcCary to act in
his place. At S:15 Mr.. McCary arrived at
tired in full dress. Before taking the chair
he asked to be excused, as he wanted to
go to the Warner Sc Smiley undertaking.
establishment. Mr.. Bridges inquired If he
was to be nterred-and some one on the
outside suggested that this was a dead
joke.
When the roll was called it was found
that six members were present. This con-
stituted a quorum. AS Chairman MeCary
raped for ORDER Commissioner Bridges
moved that the board go into executive
session. This was unanimously carried, and
reporters, applicants and spectators were
driven into the cold. After nearly two
hours elaboration the doors were again
thrown open and the outsiders rushed in.
Exeunt commission. The meeting was
over.
Chief Austin Talks
Shortly after the meeting Chief Austin
said that though he had a hard task before
him in handling the immense crowds with
his diminutive force he thought they could
pull through and protect the citizens.
"Of COURSE" said the chief "there will be
more or less robbing and pocket picking, as
this can never be wholly obliterated, but
do not fear any serious trouble.
ST was somewhat Disappointed contin-
ued the chief, when the board of aldermen
refused to allow me some special detect
ives, fcr in that case could have captured
most of the crooks when they arrived in
town. 1 would have selected detectives
from other cities who are thoroughly ia
miiar with most of the pickpockets and
sharks who infest the grounds at state
fairs. With such men as these we could
have arrested the, thieves before anybody
was robbed"
The chief further said that any attempt
at gambling on the grounds or in any part
of the city, would promptly be suppressed.
'There will be no pool selling at the races"
explained the chief 'as 1t Is clearly
against our state law. If any man Ii
caught selling pools on the quiet he will be
arrested and vigorously prosecuted. We
shall also attempt to suppress all the skin
games which are generally features of
fair"
Some of the Games
Chief Austin then stated that he had al
ready been notified of games which had
been worked on the guileless in other cities,
and would probably be brought to Biz
mingham. One of them. he said, was the
old three-shell game, in which the loser
tries to find the rubber ball
81 have also been notified that several
female pickpockets and confidence women
will arrive in the city by Sunday.
"a new one, though" said the chief, SIS
the two locks game. 1t is worked in this
way: A man has two small padlocks, one
that unlocks and another that does not.
After picking out his man he brushes up
against him and stoops to the ground and
picks up small paddock. From his pocket
he draws key and attempts to unlock 1t.
He always succeeds, and then makes q
wager with the man that he cannot do the
trick. When the bet is made he slips in the
dead lock, and of course the greenhorn
loses.
1--WE will keep sharp lookout for such
games as these, and will enforce the law
to the letter."