The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-08-22

Montgomery, August H.-(Special.) DIR.
John A. Rice, pastor Court Street Meth
odist church, South, dealt in many forms
of civic evil in sermon at II o'clock to-
day. from the text: Let us search and
try our ways and turn again to the law"
Lam. $40 The theme was the getting
back to the root of the troubles. The
people have turned away from the Gre
ator, he said, and need to go back to
wholesome moorings.
Among other things the speaker said
that lawlessness begets lawlessness. That
the crimes of the country are served up
so deliberately by the newspapers that
the very air reeks with murder and
bloodshed. He blamed the newspapers to
some extent for flashing up crimes by
negroes, though complimented some for
conservatiyeness. He said the jury sys-
tenn is becoming anything but bulwark
of law. and told of a case illustrating
this in his native state of North Car
Gina.
on one occasion leading man was to
be tried for murder. Friends of the ac-
cused went over the county ostensibly
selling pictures. They would talk pic
lures to a man until they got him in
terested and then mention the murder
case. Invariably, during the course of
the conversation the unsuspecting citizen
exp, essed himself about the murder, and
when 1t came to trial the defense won
because of incompetency of jurors,
proven after the trials.
Poor Officers Aid Evil.
Bad law officers make it easy for crime
to flourish at times and the action of the
courts of last resort, in reversing cases
on frivilous technicalties, the doctor be-
lieved. In cases of conviction, too often,
pardons are secured, the governor, being
petitioned, acts on what he believes to be
public demand. "The people demand
IT, Is a contemplate subterfuge often
resorted to by the executives, the speaker
thought. 1t was also brought out that
too often the man with money could keep
a case zigzaging in the courts until it was
worn out and the cuprit escaped.
The speaker said it was argued that
de. Sc. ess of population, heat and many
other things induced crime. He pointed
out that London, with five million people,
had thirteen murders last year and hung
eleven of the murderers. America is no
younger than Canada, yet it has several
times as many murders The people want
to get tack to the simple worship of God,
said the speaker To find the fountain
head of the trouble they are to look to
their ways.
Next Sunday two weeks Rev. Henry
Trawick of Birmingham. editor of the
Alabama Christian Advocate, will preach.
Talk of Bribery
The statement of Mr.. Charles B. Teas
ley, before the county democratic COM
mittee Saturday to the effect that a mem
Der of the committee had been offered
$1,000 to vote for the committee to make
nomination for county treasurer, instead
of calling a primary, has been discussed
in a general way since.
That he never made known the name
of the gentleman thus approached de-
tracted from the sensationalism of the
occasion, but it is understood he would
have gone so faf If he had been urged
majority primary was urged by some
but a plurality contest was at last deter
mined upon at the solicitation of Com
mitteeman Arlington
After Griffin's Place.
A number of applications have been re-
ceved for the office of clerk of the state
railroad commission. on the presumption
that Clerk Virgil Griffin. who is in Pana-
ma. has or will resign. Chairman John "
Sniti. gives 1t out that Mr. Griffin has
a leave of absence until September 1, and
a.