The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-09-15
BOARD POSTPONED
 DEFINITE ACTION Police Commission Wants Ad- vice of City Attorney
RESOLUTION WAS PASSED
Chef Wicr Instructed to Confer With Ed. D. Smith About "Red Light"
 District and What
 Action to Take.

I'll. A. Tompert, ct al.-Your communi- cation of August 24 has been referred to us, and has had due consideration.
 Tn answer we will state the police eom- mission of Birmingham recognizes no red light district as you call it. A violation of the law is violation. no matter where committed; and it is the duty of the police force to demand an observance of the law in any and all parts of the city, and the force has been so instructed"
 This resolution was passed by the police commission last night in answer to the protests against the proposed district In the Sixth and Seventh wards A number of residents from these wards were pres ent at tte meeting, and did not seem pleased with the answer
 John W. Altman, who acted as chief spokesman for. the petitioners, went 50 far as to say flat the petition would oe withdrawn if the board did not propose to do anything more than adopt such a resolution and leave the matter with the chief of police and the city attorney.
 Chairman Parker pointed out to Mir. Altman that the board had only one legal adviser and that its hands would be tied if he and other citizens objected to let ting the city attorney guide it with the law. MT. Altman withdrew his remark about not insisting on the petition going on record
 Considerable Feeling.
 There was evidence of considerable feel ing against the allotting, by common con- sent of certain section of the city for questionable houses. MT. Altman was on hls feet almost before the meeting was called to order He said he understood that the police had ordered certain wom- en to move by the first of October and the district had been pointed out to them as place to go.
 MT. Parker replied by saying that the chief of Police had ordered questionable characters to move but that he had been instructed to rescind the order for them to move to any particular section of the city. He said the commission ex- pected to see that the law was executed, and pointed out the fact that two houses already exist in the territory named in the protest
 Members of the police board should go over there and see for themselves" declared MT. Altman. "One would judge that workmen are putting up a St. Louis fair. so many new buildings are going up."
 Do you want us to stop mechanics from work on new buldings?e asked Chairman Parker If so let us know how to proceed'
 No" said Mir. Altman "but you can tell the chief of police to arrest women of the half-world who may go there and those already there'
 Had Right to Protest.
 Dr. J. w. Barclay was present to enter a protest and said he thought property owners had right to protest. H. A. Tompert, one of the first to sign the pro- test which precipitated the debate, spoke of the houses already there and said Chief Wier should be instructed to make arrests.
 The petition from the citizens was read and as a substitute for several motions, Chairman Parker made a motion to have Chief Wier confer with the city attorney Smith and act on his advice as to how he should proceed in carrying out the law. It was at this point that MT. Alt man intimated that an attempt was being made to dodge the issue. Police Commits sioner Donahue was not in harmony with the others present and declared the resi- dents had right to kick" The motion of MT Parker prevailed. MT. Donahue not voting.
 As the citizens departed MT. Parker as- sured them that the board would take no action until they had been heard from on every point.