The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-05-12
CAPT.. MARTIN ABSENT.
HE IS NOW IN 1Hooxrxr,
 M.sx. @
Runners Damaging to His Character Have Been Circulated-The Chisf of Police Does Not Be-
 lieve Thsm.

xne 6uuoeu oepaItuFe ITOm tue cIty Of John W. Martin. captain of the Montgomery Police Department, has given rise to many street rumors which are damaging to his character. Cap tain Martin is in Brooklyn, N. r., with Bis relatives, and his friends claim that he will return to Montgomery switdinr q few days and demand the author of the reports which have damaged his hitherto good name in this community.
 Captain Martin left Montgomery Wednesday morning without the knowledge of Captain A. Gerald. Chief of Police, although he telegraphed his superior officer informing him of his dsparture and of his destination.
 It was siven out at police head quarters that Captain Martin had gone to Jacksonville, Fla, to visit his sister and was so announced by The Adver- tiser. Rumors damaging toEAptain Martin were current upon the streets Thursday and Friday. No oredenoe iwas given these reports by The Adver- tiser and no publication would be given these rumors were it not for the fact that the matter has become com mon talk about the city.
 Statement of Chief Gerald.
 Captain A. Gerald, Chief of Police, thinks a grave injustice has been done Captain Martin. He says emphati- scally that he does not believe the re- psfts that have been circulated about < the ofifcer. In an interview yesterday afternoon with @ representative of The Advertiser Captain Gerald said:
 T heard the rumor or reports that
 were being circulated about Captain
 Martin and told him of them Tuesday
 night last, and also that 1t was due
 the community and himself to set him. self right. There has been no charges
 made and no afildavits have been filed with me, either against or for Captain Martin. T have always found Captain Mar tin to hs honest, truthful, sober, never induigfhg in profane or obscene lan- grage. the personification of neatness
 and the most punotual man in attend
 ance to his duties as a police officer of
 any member of the police force, having never lost q day from sickness in twen- .y-fve years.
 .,fCaptain Martin is Knight
 Templar. a member of Andrew Jack
 son Lodge of Masons, 8 Knight of Pythias, 6 Red Man, also a member of Court Street Methodist Church. I have been informed that he was in good standing in each lodge of which he was a member. He is and has been an active and vigilant ofiicer, fearless in the. discharge of his duty and con- sequentfy incurred the enmity of the evil. doers and vtolators of law, many of whom have taken particular delight in circulating these reports, in many instances, exaggerating the scandalous story to suit their own animosity. do not believe the stories in circulation and am gratified to learn that his many friends in this city also do not believe them. - "Captain Martin is now past 60 years of age. He has had a long and hon. orable career as a man and as an off,
 cer. and I do not think that it should
 be destroyed with 8 single breath, and the publication of these reports, before
 the responsibility of them is faxed. does
 him e great injustice. As to the fst- sity or truth, I can only say .stiht q do not believe them. Captain Martin ! is not dead yet, and I only hope Ghal | he may prove the fRlsity of the horri-
 ble stories and still keep the good l name and esteem of the community | in which he has lived so long and se faithfully served. I gave him no ad'
 vice as to what course to pursne,t as | LHe tdW IuTulSnGS uO TCuICbS HI CopCn
 of this kind, should the accusation be
 false. I have telegraphed him to re- turn immediately.
 "It is an easy matter to accuse -ont of an offense that one would find it 8 ! difficult matter to disprove. In cases Of this kind it. would he one mans
 word against another. and in Suct cases, previous good character should
 weigh something. How easy, it is. fol
 the foul tongu' to islander, to asperst
 the chastity of a woman! How diff.
 cult for her to disprove 1t. There il
 two sides to every question presented
 in life. I do not believe that this com
 munity will adjudge a man guilty be fore 1t is proven, especially in this cast
 when Captain Martins whole life, con
 duct and habits has been @ contradic
 ton to the stories that are rife." 1 It was learned yesterday that Cap tain Martin left the city upon the ad vice of close personal friends wht feared that in his state of mind h.
 might commit violence. He was per
 suaded to leave here until he could consider the matter impassionately
 He went direct to his relatives +
 Brooklyn to confer with them abou
 his trouble and to remain with then l A few days