The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1902-01-09
Specific Charge on Which Vote
Was Taken Was Gross
INSTRUMENTATION
TROUBLE GROWS OUT OF
TILT BETWEEN OFFICERS
Police Commission Consumes Four
Hours In Hearing Testimony-The
Lieutenant Admits He Called
Chief Austin a Liar.

Lieutenant ]. B. Donelson was expelled
from the police department last night
on charge of gross insubordination pre-
ferred by Chief of Police Austin. His dis
missal comes as a direct result of the
tilt between the two officers in the chiefs
office Saturday night. Lieutenant Donel-
son has been a member Of the depart
ment for nearly ten years continuously,
and for two years previous to his last
connection was patrolman.
The trial before the police commission
last night continued for four hours, and
thirty witnesses were examined. The mo-
tion to expel was made by DIR. Mobley
and seconded by Mr.. Rudolph. Mr. Scott
Mr.. Parker and Mr.. Stradford voting no,
the vote standing four to two.
A motion that he be expelled on a
charge of intoxication was lost by tie
vote, Mr. Mobley, Mr.. Rudolph and Chair
man McCary voting aye and Mr.. Scott,
Mr.. Parker and Mr.. Stradford voting no.
After the testimony was all in, the
board went into executive session for
fifteen minutes before the decision was
announced The charges against Lieuten-
ant Donelson were made as the result of
the disagreement between he and Chief
of Police Austin in the latters office Sat
clrday night, when the chief accused
Lieutenant Donelson of being intoxicated,
and the latter replied. calling Chief Aus
he claims, to defend himself from SIM
liar move on the part of the chief
Tried to Prove He Was Drunk.
1t was decided to hear the testimony
on the charge of intoxication first, as
Policeman Waldrop, who was an import
ant witness in the other charge was sick
In bed and had to be brought to the
office in a carriage. When the testimony
was begun it soon developed that the
evidence on both charges would be the
same. The prosecution tried to prove
that Lieutenant Donelson was drunk.
They introduced Chief Austin first, who
swore that Donelson was under the eff
fects of drink or some similar drug. Wit
nesses were also introduced to prove that
he made a move to draw a revolver on
the chief and that the chief made no
such move; that the two men had been
on friendly terms ever since Mr.. Austin's
election, and that Donelson had told
some one he had had the pleasure of
''cursing the chief out"
The defense endeavored to prove that
Chief Austin had prosecuted Lieutenant
Donelson ever since he 0he chief went
in office; that Lieutenant Donelson was
not drunk and had not been drinking
that the chief had given Donelson provo
cation sufficient to warrant calling him
liar, and that the chief had made a
move as If to draw his pistol, or attack
Donelson when the lie was passed.
Says Lieutenant Was Drunk.
Chief Austin was first put on the stand
He said:
ION last Saturday evening, just before
Z o'clock, my office door was standing
aJar, and for some cause or other, l
don't know just what, l went to the door.
] saw Captain Donelson coming up the
stairs. His face was flushed, his speech
seemed to be heavy. and he spoke to me
and 1 spoke to him: Good evening, cap
tain.
ct came back into the office and sat
down, and then walked into the clerks
office for something. While | was in
there Captain Donelson and Policeman
Shirley came in my private office and
then came in. Mr.. Shirley retired to the
other end of the room and Captain Donel-
son followed. AS Captain Donelson went
into the other room he staggered. Mr.
Heigler and l were talking over a little
business matter.
Pretty soon Captain Donelson came
back into the room where we were and
held his head down pretty close to my
ear and was telling something about
hof he in
Atlanta or somewhere. His tongue seemed
to be thick. have seen Captain DoneI-
son under the influence of intoxicants
several times before, and his manner and
speech were the same. l looked up at
him and said: Captain, see you have
gone to drinking again
He said. NO, l haven't touched a
DROP
IT said, I can smell it on your breath"
He said. I haven't touched drop.
II told him that couldn't put up with
this.
"I haven't been drinking he said
80 can't put up with it and will have
to report it to the police commissioners,
I said. 1 got up to go into the clerk s
Donaldson was standing to my left He
said:
Called Him a Liar.
- IL you say am urlnklnB, you are
Cd d-n liar turned my head and
said: I haven't thing to say to you
captain and started to the office.
HE started towards me and said. DO
you take that? told him that I had
nothing to say. I went on into the other
Office and in few minutes he came in
He said that he wanted to talk with me-
told him that I had nothing to say to
him at all. He stood around the stove
few minutes. Up to the time sat down.
/ had my coat buttoned up from top to
bottom. not expecting any trouble, and
with the respect have for Capt Donald
sons age and witt the respect I have for
the office hold, didn't propose to have
any trouble with him in the office. That's
about all said"
Asked If Capt Donaldson made any