The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-10-14
Kick on Insurance,

State Senator Walter AGREE of Dale
county is in the city today in the interest
of several policyholders in the southern
part of the state in the big insurance COM
panies. He seeks to find out what can
be done to protect them from the mis-
management brought out In the discov-
cries of the New York investigation and
will ask 1t is understood, that the state
insurance commissioner take some action
to protect the policyholders In Alabama
against the movement.
Secretary of State and Insurance Com
| sioner r. r. McDavid outlined the policy
of his department few days ago in a
statement printed in these columns He
said that so long as it Is shown that
the companies are solvent and do not vio-
late any of the laws of the state he
| can do nothing. He cannot revoke the
4; license of company because its officers
are not honest any more than he could
| rut out some man in other callings. Vio-
| lation of law must be shown.
| 1t Is interesting to Mr. McDavid to read
that there is an item of $4,000 on the books
OF each of the three big companies shown
to have been spent to defeat legislation
In Alabama at the last session of the leg
islature. This was the bill which sought
to make all charges against companies
uniform placing on them tax of one
and half per cent.
Chier OF Police Reports.
The report of Chief of Police A. S.
Gerald was filed In the office of Acting
Mayor c. p. Mcintyre this morning
The report is a voluminous document
and covers every detail of the department
for the past fiscal year up to September
/ 80, 1905.
There are forty-nine officers and men
| In the department
Chief Gerald says the police alarm
+, system is out of date and worthless.
| His report on the station House is
| about the same as that of one year ago.
The building is leaky and wholly unfit
for the purposes of a city large as
Montgomery. The guilty and the innocent
are compelled to be huddled together. a
| circumstance which he regrets and which
he deems unwise and unjust.
Increase in crime is noted but this is
| offset by an enlarged city limits and A
very small police force. The chief notes
that there are sections of the city in
which policeman is rarely seen unless
going to or from his meals.
Chief Gerald says an honest effort has
been made to enforce the Sunday law
| but does not believe 1t can be done until
! the saloon and restaurant are separated.
He calls attention to what has been done
at Birmingham, Atlanta and Memphis.
There are no regular games of faro.
| roulette or keno games In this city. but
an abundance of gambling on the upper
floors of buildings. The gambling frater-
nifty is confined to local talent.
Chief Gerald calls attention to the fact
that conviction cannot be had In Mont
gomery county for keeping gambling
place and notes that one very old man
once plead guilty and he received a pen
atty under the law
Expenses of the police department for
1904 were s44.379.64, while for 19O4-5 it
was $50,701 SO, an Increase of 1892 49,
He thinks a credit of s12,112 should be
allowed for 24,224 days labor at so cents
per day. furnished the street department
The report notes that the police depart
ment Is charged with the maintenance OF
labor and not a cent of credit given for
this work.
The report calls attention to the SPLEEN
did work of w. f. Payne and Ed Graham
of the detective department and thinks
that these two men have more work as
signed to them than they can possibly do.
The recorders court demands lawyer
to represent the city
During the year there were tried 1867
cases, fined 27S6. bound over to grand
jury, 1923: nolle pressed, So; dismissed, 976.
Chief Gerald recommends an increase in
the force of one captain and twenty
men,
The purchase of fifty police alarm boxes
| and rebuilding of the system.
| A work house, he thinks. would help
very much to solve the vagrant prob
| lem.
Cash receipts for the department in 1904
were 1892; in 1905 the receipts were $l4,-
| 464.4S.
The report concludes with thanks to
Capt W. II. Taylor and sergeants Miles