The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-01-02
CHIEF GERALD CELEBRATES
 HIS SIXTY-FIRST BIRTHDAY
  For 1wenty-one Years He Has Been at the Head Of the Police Department of Montgomery.

tenant and was transferred to the 18th Alabama Regiment and assigned to com Company" Betts was captain of the company and attained more or less fame as a fighter. Chief Gerald was detached from his regiment and was assigned 10 in Montgomery under Major Walter Jones. He was serving in the office of the Provost Marshal at the surrender.
 In December, 1873. Adolph Gerald was by the City Council. He defeated Robert Barber, the present Register Of the gov ernment land office, and with the excep- tion of four years he has continued as ment during these twenty-eight years. When he was elected Chief of Police Henry Faber who now resides in New York City. was Mayor of Montgomery. and part of 1876. In the latter year he was defeated for reelection by General W. w. Allen, who had been a gallant
 Confederate soldier. General Allen was when Chief Gerald was again elected He has been Chief of Police of Montgomery continuously since that time.
 When he was first elected Chief the force consisted of thirteen men. He has seen the city grow and advance step by step until he is now in charge of forty men and he thinks that number is en- tirely inadequate for duty in city of the importance ana SlZ0 or the Sdpltal City of Alabama.
 Chief Gerald is proud of the fact that his natal day comes around each twelve months with the beginning of new year. It is ever a proud occasion in his fife. but yesterday it seemed happier than ever before. There was good reason for this extraordinary happiness. Along with the celebration of his 61st birthday he celebrated in his heart of hearts an occasion of the rarest gladness. It was the conservation to the cause of the meek and lowly Nazarene of his baby daugh- ter upon whose little golden head just four weeks have dawned. The infant was four weeks old yestercay and the Veter- l an Chief of Police and Mrs. Gerald went to St. Peters Roman Catholic Church. | where. in the presence of number of | their warm hearted friends. Father Den | his Savage. the devoted rector of the | Parish, chEjstened the little one. She
 was given the good old-fashioned English
 name Alice, and the Chief of Police de-
 clares that her mother and himself gave | her to the Church with the beginning of
 the glad New Year.
 | Chief Gerald has been twice married
 and the infant daughter who was chris
 tened at beautiful St. Peters yesterday
 morning Is the youngest of eleven sons | and daughters who have been born to ! him.
 This veteran guardian of the Montgom- | cry law is one of the best known men
 in Alabama: Indeed, he is known
  | feared by criminals and esteemed by | men. No man in Montgomery has
 wider circle of acquaintances. He sits in | his office at Police Headquarters and
 daily feels the pulse of Montgomery. Lit
 tie transpires in the community Of what | ever import that does not come under
 his official scrutiny. He is cold and cal | culating when dealing with those who
 know the sullen shackles of the law. But
 he is a student of human nature and he
 Is said to possess the faculty of reading
 the ipnermost soul of persons over whose heads grave charges hang.
 l Like other men Chief Gerald has had | great sorrows to enter his life, but he is
 courageously brave. He goes on and on
 with the years and as the official head
 of the Montgomery Police Department he | will undoubtedly continue until lifes
 greatest tragedy shall fall and the end shall have come.