The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-02-14
MANY INFLUENTIAL CITIZENS
 ENDORSE DE BARDELEBEN'S IDEAL
WEIR DIOALLOWS
 BILL FOR ARREST
CHIEF ASKS COUNTRY PosTMAs. TER TO RETURN $15 ADVANCED BY DEPUTY SHERIFF FOR AR REST OF HOUSTON.

scheme to get some money out of the police department came to light yes terday when Deputy Sheriff Curl returned from Jackson Gap in Tallapoosa county, where he went to get Lawrence Houston, the negro who is accused of breaking into the Albert restaurant about two weeks ago.
 When he returned the deputy went to Chief Wier to collect S15 which he had paid to Postmaster F'arrow for catching the negro. He was very much astonished when Chief Wier refused to pay the money, and that it developed that the postmaster had obtained the money in an unauthorized way
 Policeman Burson located Houston in Jackson Gap and letter was written and addressed to the marshal at that place asking that he arrest Houston. But , there happened to be no marshal, so the postmaster opened the letter and wrote to the police department that he would arrest the man provided he was paid a sufficient amount. The letter was ignored and Chief Wier wrote to the sheriff of the county at Dadeville. asking that a deputy be sent to Jackson Gap to arrest the negro.
 A telegram wa. received fio-1 the postmaster stating that he had caught the negro and asking how much the po- lice department would pay for delivery him This message was also ignored by the police department. and warrant was sworn out and turned over to the sherf's office.
 Deputy Curl was sent after the negro, and he met the postmaster at Alexander City The postmaster stated it l. said, that the police department had agreed to pay him $20 for arresting the negro, and the deputy gave him sl5 out of his own pohtet and took a receipt for it. his pocket at the time.
 A letter has been written to the post master telling him that if he does not send that money back to Birmingham at once he will be prosecuted for O. tain ing money under false pretenses.
 Chief Wier said yesterday that the po- lice department never dealt with private citizens or with postmasters in matters of this kind, but alway., with constabu- lary officials, and that was one reason he never answered the postmaster's let ter and telegram.
 --~~~~~>~~->~~~-~-~-~~ the statement he makes in this morn things that he or any other man could possibly do.
 A Captivating Statement.
 Tt was not only what he said but the manner in which he said it that at tracted my attention. I was completely won by the way in which he presented the whole subject The tone of the state- ment was manly It was just what every one who knows the mans heart would | have expected him to say under the cir cumstanees
 "It goes without saying that the idea enforced by MT. DeBardeleben is indeed beautiful one. It reflects the spirit of wise benevolence He has in view phil anthropie object. No matter what one may think of his plan every just minded man will heartily applaud the spirit that prompted the idea
 Plan Is Feasible. "Though it may well be doubted that the returns from the proposed investment would be as large as ! MT. DeBardeleben states they would be- | think the plan he proposes is feas- able one, and l am quite sure that the profits would be sufficiently large to jus tify the experiment. On the whole, think both the idea and the plan should be se- riously considered with a view to putting his plan into practical operation.
 "rhere are persons who. when they read MT. DeBardeleben' statement, may say that he is an idealist. The charge may be true He may be an idealist. But his is a beautiful idealism. nevertheless; and we need in our life t.le idealist just as much as we need the utilitarian or the practical man of affairs.
 Praise for the Dreamer l Tt is the dreamer" MT. Bacon added, who has made the world what it is. | Galilieo was a dreamer. Columbus was a dreamer. Watt and Stephenson and Edi- son and Marconi-all these were dreamers. | If you take out of the history of the world its dreamers-its idealists-you rob 1 it of it's most attractive figures. "Those of us who are regarded as hard headed business men should pause and re- fleet before we speak lightly of the ideal 1 ist-before we disprove of suggestions like that made by Mir. DeBardeleben. As for me, l wish to commend both him and | his idea unreservedly."
 "De BardeIeben All Over" l Here is what T. H. Aldrch, president CII