The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-11-07
NH Raise Funds to Prose- cute Alleged Gamblers at
 the State Fair OPPOSE SELLING OF
 WHISKY ON GROUNDS The Rev. pr. A. ]. Dickinson, Pastor of the First Baptist Church, Has
 Conference With the
 County Solicitor.

"Resolved: That it is the sense of the Pastors Union of the Birmingham dlstrlct, that those responsible for the operation of the recent state fair held here permit ted a grievous outrage on this communi- ty,
 First: By permitting the open sale or intoxicating liquors on the fair srounds'
 "second: While offering special induce ,,ants in the form of entrance fee, for the attendance of school children, alluring gambling devices were allowed on the grounds, at which boys were observed 10 ,a+ their dimes and quarters and thus possibly have their first lesson in gamp- ling;
 "Third: Although there is law on the criminal statutes of this state intended to prevent organized gambling on horse races in the form of pool selling or book making, a form of this organized gamp- ling was permitted to openly operate, and although the attention of the officers or the fair association was called to the same, and positive assurances and prom lses were made to have the same effective ly suppressed the assurances and prom ises were not carried out.
 "nesolyed further, That we feel as- sured that large number of the stock holders of the association were prob ably unaware that these pernicious fea- tures would be permitted, and we. with confidence. appeal to the moral sense of the directors and stockholders against these evils and urge them to as soon as possible give official and positive assur- ance to the public that in future fairs held under their auspices that there liquor selling and gambling features will be, in good faith. rigidly excluded and sup pressed.
 Resolved further, That committee be appointed and empowered to procure funds. and employ attorneys to assist tho authorities in prosecuting these violations of the law. Also we urge every member of this union, as we'll as all the citizens of the district. to cooperate with this committee by using all their personal in- auence with any officer, director or stock holder with whom they come in contact"
 introduced by Pastor.
 The above resolutions were adopted at the meeting of the Pastors Union of the Birmingham district. held yesterday at the First Methodist church. They were introduced by the Rev. Dr. A. c. David- .on nastor of the South Side Baptist church. and after discussion were adopted. practically without opposition.
 It was declared several times during the meeting that gambling in the form of pool selling or book-making had been conducted at the fair and that the same had been brought to the attention of the officers of the fair association and they made no endeavor to stop it.
 It was the sense of the meeting that vigorous prosecution should be conducted against the violators or the law, anu public sentiment aroused against the al- legged evil.
 About seventy pastors and few lay men of the Birmingham district were present and the discussions which were very interesting lasted over an hour.
 The Rev. W. R. Hendrix, pastor of St Johns Methodist church. presided at the meeting, and the Rev. George w. Read of Ensley served as secretary. Among the other patsors who were present and who took part in the discussion were the Rev. Dr. John w. Stagg, of the First Presbyterian church; the Rev. Dr. A. J. Dickinson, of the First Baptist church; the Rev. Dr. S. l.. Dobbs, presiding elder