The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-03-17
Selma Representatives Tells
 of Trouble with Police.
HIS ACTION LEGITIMATE
Was in the Proper Per-
 fOrmance of Duty.
Councilman Berry, Defending Omcers, Gives Result of 'sThorough" In- vestisation and Is Ruled
 Out of order.
Advertiser Bureau,
 Selma, March 16.

Advertiser Bureau.
 Selma, March 16.
 Colonel R. D. Berry, representing Ward Four in the General Council. has made a thorough" investigation into the police controversy. he says. Last night in endeavoring to have the sus- pension lifted from the policemen he gave to the Council the result of the thorough investigation and the con- clusions he had drawn.
 In substance Colonel Berry said:
 Tn my investigation of my own &C., cord besides what I have seen in the daily press I lind that there is little for which the police should be punish ed. I find that Officer Moseley when he is said to have threatened and in- suited the correspondent of The Mont somery Advertiser was not on duty, the roll not having been called. Police man Davis. find. said nothing to the correspondent. Even if Policeman Moseley did use abusive language there is room for forgiveness inasmuch as he was aggravated by charges made bv the paper, as any man would be. Not only that, it seems that he was further aggravated by our brother or the press who persisted in getting a statement from the policeman when he didn't want to say anything for publi- cation. Then if he was impetuous and said harsh things he is to certain ex- tent excusable."
 Correspondent Will R. Hamilton Of The Advertiser while not challenging the argument of the Councilman thinks that by that ofaciars thorough in vestigation and his speech to the Coun- ell he has misrepresented the actual occurrence when the correspondent IS said to have been threatened ana m suited, and the correspondent submits the following statement wnlcn, ne thinks. will show that Councilman Berry's investigation was not thorough" by any means:
 Correspondent's Statement.
 'Iast week charges were preferred generally against the police force ana especially against Policeman Smith ana white by Editor Nunnelee and l. l.. Rosendorf. They were given to the police department and Swere openly discussed by the Mayor and Cnier or Police. my first information or the charges against MT. Smith coming rom the police department. Certainly when charges are made against puphc oi- f,cials and are put in the shape or an investigation it Is public property and any person or newspaper has a right to them.
 "As soon as the matter assumed the proportions of an investigation l ascer- tained by interviews with number or the best people of the city that there was universal complaint against the police department. and sent to The Montgomery Advertiser a news story of the charges, which was printed In the issue of Saturday, March II. In 1t quoted persons who made the charges and the ony assertion or aile- Ration made in the story was that sem timent favored the replacement Of some of the policemen now serving on the force. This I repeat and an well prepared to substantiate although l have preferred no charges. The Mayor and others have made the charges.
 Last Monday went to police de- partment to get the police side Of the story. I had printed the side or the persons who had complained against the department and l wanted to give my paper the policemen's statements II they wanted to make any saw Policeman White in the morning and after fully explaining the position Of the paper and its correspondent he gave me a statement denying the charges made against him, which l put in writing before his eyes and in tho presence of Chief Walters.
 Threats Made.
 q was told that I could see Police man Smith at 1 o'clock roll call and l went to the department at that hour While I was there the roll was call ed. There were at least ten or twelve policemen in uniform in the room ana I was the only person in citizens s clothes. called Policeman Smith aside and in the presence of the other policemen told him my mission l explained to him that The Advertiser was non- partisan and that the paper intended printing what the policemen had to say. He was abrupt in his manner--disrespectfu in the extreme and told me that I had said enough and he wouldn't have me use his name again. After telling MT. Smith that The Advertiser would say that he wouldn't be quoted I turned to leave l of one of the policemen who said: Here is the man who has been jump ing on the police force turned and 1t was at this juncture that Policeman Moseley said: One Advertiser man got A dirt road ticket out of town and we'll give you one.' He repeated It.. Several other policemen spoke. but only one other spoke threateningly. oficer Davis pointing his finger at me said: won have said just enough about this thing and it won't be good for you if
 "cbief Walters entered the room during this very dramatic spectacle. He advised Policeman Smith to make statement. Policeman Smith again re- fused and I turned to the chief and told him what Policeman Moseley had soid When I saw that was getting only insults and no protection from tha chief I left the room.
 Ruled Out of Order.
 .s-o. a word had I spoken to either