The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-01-13
aCRAFf' IS TINTED AT
sENsATIoN IN DRENNEN's $lo-
 900 CLAIM.
Contractors Testify That the Magic City Mayors Brother Was to In- huence Awarding of Contract
 for Sewer Construction.

Birmingham, Jan. 12.-(Special. .)-The hearing of D. M. Drennens claims for yl0.000 against the Donelson Construction Company for services alleged to have been rendered in connection with the awarding of the contracts of the Jefferson County Sanitary Commission, before Ref cree Trimble. of the Bankruptcy Court IS creating big sensation in Birmingham.
 !. E. Donelson. President of the Dom olson Construction Company, whose af- fairs are now in the bankrupt court, took the stand again this morning, continuing his testimony begun yesterday afternoon. Substantially Mir. Donelson asserted that the $l0,OOo was to be used, according to the statement of D. M. Drennen, for the purpose of influencing the Commission. especially three mem- bers. T. H. Motion, E. J. Smyer and J. M. Gillespie. E. Pennington. of the Birmingham Construction Company, was on the stand also today and covered many of the points stated by MT. Donelson. In his testimony Mir. Drennen denied that he had sought to influence the Commis- sion
 The Age-fIerald and The Birmingham News each today suggested an investiga- tion by the grand jury. The county is having an immense trunk line sanitary sewer constructed. There were several contractors who bid on the work. D. M. Drennen, who is brother of the Mayor, and who, according to the testimony giv- en in the court, was to have made fair division with his partners in his store, including Mayor Drennen, gave certain advice to the contractors for which he was to receive $l0,O00. D. M. Drennen was also to furnish material to the con- tractors at certain cost, and was also to loan them money.
 The hearing of the claim brought to light many facts which tinge with sem sationalism and the local newspapers are printing columns about the matter. MT. Donelson opened up' and has had some substantiation in the testimony offered by E. B. Pennington, of the second con- struction concern.
 Mayor Drennen is well known throughout the entire State. He has been elected three times Mayor of Birmingham and IS prominently mentioned as a candidate for Governor D. M. Drennen is the senior member of the big department stores of the city and has many friends He stands well in the community.
 Hobson Goes West.
 Capt Richmond Pearson Hobson. of the Merrimac fame, left today for Boulder. Col, to be at the bedside of his mother, who is dangerously i'll. He cancelled his engagement to lecture in this city to- night, leaving on the 12:30 Frisco train for the West. He will return as soon as possible to take up his campaign in his race for Congress from the Sixth Dis- trict. Captain Hobson announced before his departure that L. B. Musgrove of Walker. and Ed deGraffenreid of Hale, will assist in managing his campaign. J. c. Willox Under Arrest. J. c. Willox, former Storekeeper for the Southern Railway, in this city. was arrested today on an indictment returned by the grand jury charging grand. lar ceny, the allegations being that he is in- | terested in the larceny of brass and other material belonging to the railroad, to the | amount of $3S,000 and over. This arrest grows out of the investigation made by | Auditor Plant of the Southern Railway. It is stated that the investigation showed that between $25,000 and $70.000 worth of material had been purchased for the me- chanical department of this division of the Southern Railway for which no ac- count had been made by the Master Me- | chanic
 Willox refused to make any statements after his arrest. His bond was fixed at $SOO0 and this will be made. Friends of willox declare that nothing will come out of the prosecution and that a further in- vestigation will clear the matter. Willox was succeeded as storekeeper for the Southern Railway January i, by w. How | ard
 At a meeting of the Synod of Alabama in session at Birmingham in 19O2ss 1t was decided to establish a college for men in the State. The synod decided to raise $10O, 600 for this cause. The work has pro- gressed far enough for the question Qi locating the college to be decided. Tho board of directors, in session to-day, con cluded to immediately take steps to this | end. The synod proposes to spend $100,- 900 in equipment and buildings, $41,0oO oi ] which has already been raised. The com munity in which the institution shall be located will be expected to make an of- fer of not less than $25.00O in cash or its equivalent, also a suitable site for the college. The board now has before fl several offers from towns in the State It Is hoped in the next few months tc have the question of location settled and in short time thereafter to begin worh on the buildings.
 The board of directors therefore, au | thorized it's chairman to set out in tht l additional bids for the location of tho institution. The following Is the descrip ton of the purpose of the synod and th' conditions of and the time for sending in bids.
 By order of the board of directors O. the Presbyterian Male College of the Syn cd of Alabama. held in Birmingham thii day, Tuesday. January 18th. the chair man was directed to invite bids for thu location of the college. The following conditions are given for the guidance O. bidders.
 First Bids will be received up to 1. o'clock, midday on April 5, 1904. All bids must be in writing.
 Second The only condition insisted or by the synod for bids Is the minimum consideration of $25OOO and a suitable sic.
 Third. The Synod has reserved to itsel the right to reject any and all bids.
 Fourth. The Synod of Alabama will b' called to meet as soon as practicable after April 5. 1904. to pass upon all bids
 All communications should be address ed to the chairman at PIP Fourth ave nue, Birmingham.
 John w. Stagg, chairman. Iron Men Meet.