The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1902-04-09
ASKS PERMISSION
TO TELEGRAPH BETS
Tom Hewlett Petitions to Re-
open His Old Business
HIS POOL ROOM WAS CLOSED
Police Commission Decides Not to Al.
low Anything IIIegal-ouestion
of Hiring Outsiders to
Do Police Duty.
HIS POOL ROOM WAS CLOSED

Tom Hewlett, through his attorney,
Felix Blackburn, last night requested
the police commission to allow him to re-
open his business of telegraphing bets to
the race tracks and to guarantee that
| no policeman will be placed at the en-
patrons of the place.
| This was the plan used by Chief Aus
tin year ago when he virtually caused
the Queen City Stock and Grain COM
pany, under which head Hewlett was
| running his business, to cease operations
! The actual closing of the business was
done by sending officers in the place in
citizens clothing to collect information
The commission decided that II Hewlett
intends operating a legitimate business
they have no power to interfere with
him, but If he is to operate the same
business he did before, which Judge Fea-
gin declared not legitimate when he fined
one of the men engaged, they thought 1t
should be broken up by the chief of po-
lice.
No Gaming Tables.
tition in which promises were made by
Tom Hewlett to obtain new quarters, to
allow no gaming tables of any kind in his
house. to always be open for the inspec-
ton of the police and to allow any ar
rests at any time. He intends to report
races, but not make bets, only to tele-
graph them to other cities.
olo
ing it was only a means to get the en-
dorsement of the commission to resume a
business declared by Judge Feagin to be
illegitimate. He said there would be a
dozen other places opened on the same
basis in six months. He declared the
Queen City Stock and Grain company as
run before was nuisance and frequent
complaints were made against 1t.
The commission finally carried a mo-
ton by DR.. Mobley which provides that
Hewlett be pledged he will, not be mo-
Tested as long as he conducts legitimate
business, but reserves the right to use
any means in the power of the police to
detect him in the violation of the law.
Why the Petition?
tween the petition and the motion adopt
ed. He said the commission had no right
to endorse anything illegal and that they
did not have the right to oppose any
thing legal. He then asked why a petit
ton should be made If these were the
| conditions.
| Hewlett proposes to build or buy q
building on Second avenue between Eigh-
tenth and Nineteenth streets He says
it will cost between $1,000 and 100000
The board tried to elect two supernu-
meraries to the police force to take the
place of those made regular patrolmen
by the death of Policeman Walton and
the resignation of Policeman Cole, which
was last night accepted by the board.
After nearly thirty minutes voting one
man was elected and the other was car
ried over to the next meeting. Givens
was elected third supernumerary.
Commissioner Mobley moved all the pa
trolmen be moved up one place, which
was carried. Policeman Brown now
wears badge No. /.
The matter of advertising for bids for
the summer uniforms was placed in the
hands of the chief and Chairman Nc
Cary. They were instructed to be ready
as soon as possible to report at called
meeting. The men are badly In need of
uniforms and have been complaining
about the delay. 1t was decided to allow
only local firms to bid. Commissioner
Norton's motion that the ten-days' leave
of absence allowed each patrolmen dur
ing the summer months begin at once was
carried.
Policeman Walton's Pay.
Policeman w. P. Waltons name will be
retained on the roll for the next three
months and pay will be allowed, If the re-
quest made by the police and sanitation
committee of the City Council be recog-
nized 1t has been the custom in the past
to allow this to the families of officers
dying in performance Of duty.
Policeman Mcdonald was allowed $25 re-
ward for catching Hugh Francis. The
resignation of Policeman Cole was ac-
copied A resolution of thanks from the
Elks for the police protection given dur
ing the charity circus was read.
Commissioner Parker said he wished his
name to go on record as opposed to Chief
Austin's employing men who do not live
pernumeraries. He said he understood
several had been serving who had just
recently come to Birmingham Cnier Aus
tin explained he had used c. II. Cody for
three days and George Nelson for num-