The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-07-15
HAMILTON ELECTED AFTER H0T SESSION Police Commissioners Parker and Rudolph Have Tit UGLY CHARGES ARE MADE Rudulph Says the Ordinance Was sneaked Through and Aldermen
 Did Not Know It--Mar-
 key Called Down.
UGLY CHARGES ARE MAOI

At an exciting session of the police commission last night there were sev- eral surprises sprung. among which the election of Samuel H. Hamilton as a member of the police department and also as one of the detective force. He rendered his resignation several days ago to relieve the board of any embarrass- ment. as 1t was charged that he was holding his office illegally.
 He was elected under the new ordi- rance of the city council which was pass ed recently and goes Into effect on Janu- ary 1. 1904 This ordinance repeals at once all previous ordinance as to the length of time a man must have been a citizen of Birmingham before he Is cap- able of holding a place as a city official. but provides that after the first of the next year man must live in the city 90 days before he Is capable of being city official of any kind
 City Without Law.
 The passage of this ordinance leaves the city without any law governing the elec- tion of policemen or other city officials. The old laws are repealed at once while the new one does not go into effect for six months.
 It was openly charged by Commissioner Rudolph at the meeting of the commis- sion that this law was rallroaded through the city council, and he even charged that the regular chairman of the body was called into private consultation in another room so that he would not know anything about the ordinance. and that the acting chairman winked al the ordi- nance, while the aldermen slept in the field and let 1t pass them without know ing it's contents.
 Besides this Commissioner Ruduplh made several other ugly charges. the pur- ports of which was that the ordinance was passed to whip the law devil around the stump and that 1t was born in inqulty and bred in a hot bed of evil.
 History of the Case.
 The history of the entire matter in brief is as follows:
 Shortly after the regent election of pa trolmen under the new administration the question of the policemen living In the city limits and being qualified to serve as patrolmen was brought up by the Trades Council. The committee from that organization waited on the members of the commission. and claim that they could not get the ear of the majority, which Is not in power.
 The committee instituted quo warranto proceedings before Judge A. A. Coleman, and the case is to be heard the latter part of this month In the meantime the city council passed this new ordinance which goes Into effect the first of next year, but repeals all previous ordinances at once. This allows the commission to legally elect Sam Hamilton and D. P Brown the two men the Trades Council declare were not eligible under the old ordinance It Is still claimed that the new ordinance has serious flaws and that 1t will not stand the test.
 Altman Says Election Is Legal.
 Col. J. J. Altman was called in by the police commission last night and his opinion on the legality of the elections was asked. He stated that he had inves- tgated the matter and that he considered both men legally elected and entitled to all the privileges which go with the offre.
 It was following this that Commissioner Rudulph made his rather stringent re- marks He admitted that he belonged to the minority and had to eat crow pud- ding all the time, but he said he got a great deal of fun making the majority eat a little of the same pudding occasions ally, just as the minority had done him when he belonged to the other side.
 He made warm defense of ex-Chief of Police Austin, who Chairman Parker re- ferred to as "a one-man power" who ran the police department to suit himself for four years.
 Tilt With Trades Council Man.
 During the discussion one of the repre- sentatives of the trades council was sharply reprimanded by Chairman Park CT, who had offered him the floor to ask questions and to talk on the subject be- ing discussed. The union man was Harry Markey, and when given the floor he made violent threats concerning what the trades council people would do to the majority members of the police commits sion in the next election.
 He had spoken about two minutes. and was getting warmed up to his work when Chairman Parker stopped him and refused him the floor to deliver such an arraign- ment The chairman informed the repre- sentatives of the Trades council that he was not afraid of them politically and intended doing what he conceived to be his duty as long as he held office in the city. He then offered them the floor to ask questions and to discuss In quiet manner the subject before the commits sion.
 Numerous Little Differences.
 There were numerous little differences between Chairman Parker and Commits sloner Rudulph during the discussion of the matter which lasted nearly two hours.
 After the trouble had all quieted down Hamilton was nominated for the place he had made vacant by his resignation, Chairman Parker offering it. It was sec onded by Commissioner Philips, and on the vote Commissioners Parker, Dona- hoe, Phillips and Fies voted for Hamilton, and Commissioners Johnston and Ru- dulph against him. Hamilton and A. D. Brown were then nominated for the place of special officer or detective, and on the vote the same men voted for Hamilton and the other two for Brown.
 New Corporations.