The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1903-03-14
Meeting in ConcordIa Hall in
Ninth Ward
0HEAR MAKES A DENIAL
Estes Said oHear offered to Support
Him II He Would Refund Cam
pagn Expenses-A Mild SEN
sation Then Follows.

A mass meeting of the voters of the
Ninth ward was held last night at 8
clock in Concordia hall. when George
II. Estes and Thomas Sims, candidates
for the democratic nomination for alder
man in the second primary to be held
next Monday divided time The speeches
were short, each candidate occupying the
floor only from five to ten minutes. Mr..
Estes spoke first
The sensational part of the meeting
was when Mr.. Estes charged Pat O'Hear
with coming to him and offering to sup
port him and work for him If he would
reimburse him for what the race he had
made In the first primary had cost him,
naming the sum of 5000
Strong Language.
When Mr.. Estes had finished his speech
Mr. O'Hear asked to be allowed to reply
to him He was recognized by the chair
and said he wanted to say that Mr.. Estes
had said what was false when he had
made the statement about his offering to
support Mr.. Estes If he would refund
what the first race had cost him.
When Mr.. Estes spoke again he said:
such remarks coming from such a source
will have no effect whatever on me-
Mr.. Estes began his first speech by say
ing that certain charges had been made
against him to the effect that he would
not speak to a man who was In the
whisky business and tried to make him
self a general reformer of individuals at
10 "A wing
he believed in the greatest possible per-
sona liberty when not endangering the
welfare of the public. He then referred
to Mr.. O'Hear, saying In substance: In
the beginning of this race between myself
and Mr.. Sims. Pat O'IIear said he favor
ed me in preference to the other candi-
date, because OF Mr.. John McCartin's and
Mr. Lambert's support of Mr.. Sims, but
that he wanted to be recouped for the
expense he had been put to in running
for the nomination for alderman in the
first primary. l declined to accept his
proposition. He said 1t would take about
$500 to reimburse him for what he had
spent. Since then MIR. O'Hear has sup
ported Mr.. Sims"
Before Mr.. Sims spoke Mr.. O'IIear re-
piled to Mr.. Estes, but the incident went
no further
Mr.. Sims was introduced He said that
If elected to the office of alderman he
would faithfully discharge the duties of
the position to the very best of his ability
He complimented Mr. Estes personally.
Estes Second Speech.
Mr.. Estes spoke for the second time.
He said he did not think Mr.. Sims was
the proper man for an alderman owing
to the fact that J. r. Copeland, who was
on the board from the Fourth ward, was
a partner of 4.Ir. B. H. Cooper, who
would be on the board from the Fifth
ward, and Mr.. Sims was the head office
man for Mr.. Copeland. This. he said,
would be putting too much power into
one corporation and would not be for
the good of Birmingham.
Mr.. Sims then spoke for the second
time He said he would If elected, rep
resent his ward as an Individual and
would not be influenced in any way. BY
reason of his connections in a business
way, which had been referred to by Mr..
Estes, he thought he would be In a posi-
ton to serve the people of his ward bet
ter and more satisfactorily than Mr..
Estes
The meeting lasted for over an hour.
About 100 people were present. The meet
ing was presided over by Herman Hents-
chell, who sent out invitations asking
the two candidates to speak.