The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-02-18

that q regiment viii be formed at Q later date.
 Reports from Sumter this morning state that there is no immediate pros pect of getting the fire in that mine under control An extra force of men has been put on it, making three shifts of eight hours each, and they have suc- ceeded in getting within a short dis tance of the burning portion, but the heat is so intense that it Is ldlficult to fight 1t at short range.
 The fire has now spread to the coal, and is no longer confined to the wood work, and this fact makes 1t all the more difficult to extinguish. Coal is Btill being gotten out at Adger and Johns. but 1t is feared that Sumter mine will have to be flooded before the fire can be put out. This would require many weeks, and to pump it out would require several months, so that the situation there is now some what gloomy.
 A building is being erected in North Birmingham for the purpose of manu- featuring hardwood. quartered and other specialties in this line. The Chase Hardwood Lumber Company. of Chattanooga. Tenn, which was incor- porated in this State a few weeks ago, with q capital stock of $30.000 Is put ting up the plant. The officers of the company are: J. D. Chase. president; A. B. Irwin, secretary, and William Palmer. treasurer and general manager The company will employ about fifty people when it is started up. The business is practically a new one in this district and the prospects are bright.
 An interesting case Is being heard by Judge senn and a jury in the first di- vision of the City Court. It Is that of Louis Brandes against c. w. Austin, W. D. Jordan. H. T. Culpepper and Robert Waldrop. The plaintiff is su- ing to recover $1,000 damages, which he claims was occasioned by defend ants. The suit is the result of the cru sade made by Mir. Austin, while he was chief of police. against gambling. On the stand this morning the former chief of police swore that he had reason to believe that the premises occupied by Brandes was a gambling house, and that o nformer occaisons gambling par aphsrnalia and been found in the build ing. CT that part of the third or fourth floor of the Opera Houes Hotel which was occupied by the plaintiff. Mir. Austin stated that he was refused ad- mittance into the rooms occupied by the plaintiff CT others, and that he. with other officers, raised the dOOrS off of the iron hinges which were holding the same. He stated that at that time he found no one in the rooms, and if persons had been there that they had escaped. He swore that he intended to put 6 stop to gambling while he was chief of police, and adopted the method he did for that purpose. When admit tance was refused him peacefully the ex-chief stated that he gained an en- trance by force. He said that when he found the doors locked that he sent an/officer for an ax and the weapon was brought to him and the hinges were taken off the doors as stated.
 The plaintiff notified the defendant, go MT. Austin swore this morning, that suit would be Instituted against him. Mir Brandes was notified that he could avail himself of that privilege. The plaintiff claims that his reputation and place of business has been damaged by the action of the defendant.
 A great deal of interest is being manifested in the trial as 1t will dis tlinctly show what authority Is pos sessed by officers to force an entrance Into locked and barred premises when 1t is thought that the law is being violated.