The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1903-01-13
NAMES OF CANDIDATES
FOR CHIEF OF POLICE
TO BE PLACED ON TICKET


been given a fair test by all the citizens
| therein; and
Whereas, 1t has been proved inadequate
and inopperative in many and material
respects. in that the department of po-
| lice is placed under two heads, namely.
| the board of police commissioners and the
| board of mayor and aldermen, thereby
placing the responsibility and liability up
on neither of the aforesaid boards, and
| which has brought about constant fric-
| ton between them, the result being that
| the citizens of the city of Birmingham
| have not had the proper police protection,
the direct result of the division of the
above authorities;
Therefore be 1t resolved that 1t Is the
! sense of the city democratic executive
committee that the law creating said
board of police commissioners be repealed
and that the police department of this
city be placed under the complete con-
troll of the members of the board OF
mayor and aldermen, and further. that
the members of the legislature from this
county be requested to use their infiu-
ence in having the aforesaid law repealed
Be 1t further resolved that the question
as to whether the said board of police
commissioners be abolished and placed
under the control of the board of mayor
and aldermen be submitted to the people
at our next democratic primary.
Two Factions Present.
Before the committee was in session
five minutes it developed that there We're
two factions, and there was a distinct
fractional line in evidence all through the
proceedings. One faction wanted the
names of all the candidates named in the
resolution introduced to go before the
primary, the other seemed to favor the
names of candidates for chief of police,
but not the others in the police depart
ment of the city. sie
Meeting opens.
The committee was called to order by
the chairman, John F. Antwine, at $50
o'clock The chairman stated the secre-
tary of the committee, Fred Williams,
had removed from the city. Harry White
was elected as temporary secretary and
later, on motion of Mr.. Alternately, the
election of Mr.. White as temporary Sec
rotary was made permanent.
The secretary called the roll Of MEM
bers by wards, the following responding
as the names were called:
First Ward-John Koran.
Second ward-B J. Dryer, answered Tor
by 2. T. Rudolph as proxy; John w.
O'Neill answered for by James Keele as
proxy
Third Ward-John Antwine.
Fourth Ward-B. A. Thompson, w. N.
Newton.
Fifth ward-Dr Charles Wheelan, H.
B. Alternately.
Sixth Ward-John C. Forney, M. j.
Gregg.
Seventh ward-G. B. Burkhalter, Thorn
as Balm, answered for by R. H. Thach as
proxy
Eighth Ward-Harry White.
Ninth Ward-Pat OHear, w. Schrop-
shire.
Mr.. THOMPSON moved that the commit
tee accept the proxies, but there was OPP
position to this and motion that a COM
mittee on proxies be appointed was car
RED The committee appointed by the chair
consisted of Alternately, O'Hear and ButK-
halter. The first signs of war were shown
when the committee made majority re-
port to the effect that the proxy OF John
| O'Neill be allowed but the other two be
disallowed. Burkhalter made minority
report that all of the proxies be allowed
| When a motion that the majority report
be adopted was made Mr.. Burkhalter
moved as a substitute that the minority
report be accepted.
Stormy Scenes.
During the discussion that followed
there were stormy scenes enacted in the
council chamber. Mr.. Thompson asked
for an explanation from the ones making
the majority report. Mr.. Alternately said
that Mr.. Balm had not been resident OF
the ward for some time and therefore mad
no right to give proxy. He said 1t was
question of common sense. AS to Mr..
Rudolph, he said there were questions
coming up that effected the police COM
mission, and he did not think Mr.. Ru-
dulph, as a member Of the commission,
should be on the committee to vote on
them and to pass on evidence where he
is interested" .s4ta5
Mr.. Thompson said he thought the ques-
tion of proxies was wrong, but as the
committee had adopted proxy system he
was surprised to learn the stand the
gentleman had taken; that the gentle
man had perfect right TO seat as no
vacancy had been declared; that the
proxy committee anyway had no right to
pass on The question as to who was ell
gible
Mr.. Burkhalter opposed 1t, saying: 1T
is arbitrary action, and If this committee
does not do the right thing you will rue
1T and always regret 1t.
Mr.. Newton said he thought MIR. Dryer
had right to proxy.
Capable OF Judging.
Mr.. Rudolph arose from his seat ana
directed his remarks to Mr.. Alternately
He said I'm regard to this matter, l say
l think 1 am fully capable of judging en-
what questions to vote. have under
stood Mr.. Alternately to say he would pre-
vent my taking a seat here as a proxy Has
this commission a right to sit in Judgment
about the propriety of my being on 1t be-
fore question about the police commits
sion arises? l had no idea of being a
proxy until 1 heard that Mr.. Alternately
said l would not be seated. / am a demo-
crat and believe / am a better one than
trary rules. This is a matter of principle
with me- / am not in 1t FOR what l get
out of 1t. If 1t is not right for me to
represent Dryer then it would not be right
for him to sit here, / don't want to sit
here; but If it is right, demand it,
Mr. Alternately said II did not threaten
the gentleman, but heard he was COM
ing here as a proxy. i acted falr and
above board. There Is no personal feeling
between me and Mr.. Rudolph. l have
never done anything l am ashamed of or
for my mother to know"
At this point Mr. Alternately stated he
would withdraw his objection to Mr..
Dryers proxy, Mr.. Rudolph.
The motion that the minority report be
accepted was lost, six voting against and
five for 1t. Mr.. Alternately moved the
majority repor. be accepted with the