The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-10-26
Police Nor Searching
For Daring Kidnaber

Since the publication yesterday morning
in The Age-Herald of the sensational
disappearance and return to her parents
of Miss Fannie Sidebotham. no new de-
velopments in the case have occurred
A series of inquiries directed to the
head of the police department and De-
tective Murphy. who had charge of the
case. brings to light the fact that the
police have practically dropped the mat
ter, and that they no longer search for
a daring kidnaper.
According to their official statement it
is not expected that any arrests will be
and Beddow- Miller contests, and continue
ing. said: "The position aiken in refer
ence to the Giant Miller contest and the
Stiles Higdon contest is amusing and
ridiculous The committee is condemned
for not going into the Giant Miller case
and is being condemned for Investigating
the Stiles Higdon contest. Now. as mat
ter of fact, the committee did try the
Giant Miller contest so far was pos
sible under the law and evidence. 1t is
also charged that the Mller-Beddow con-
test was not tried. | was present and can
state positively tnat 1t was tried and in
due form and to the satisfaction of every
body concerned. Mr.. beddow, after the
case had been opened, Withdrew some of
the charges of irregularity when he dis
covered that they could not be sustained
by law, and the other charges were found
IN he irrap1tia, and NOT SuIicient IN sus-
tain contest.
Judge Stiles made definite charges OF
irregularities as required by law and
gave the contestee ten days notice of
specific charges. Colonel Higdon made
counter charges of fraudulent votes, but
did not give the required notice. After
the case had been opened the committee
with commendable charity extended the
time in which Colonel Higdon might serve
notice of specific charges as had been
done by Judge stiles. He refused to do
this and left the committee. claiming
that he had been denied a fair trial. After
his retirement the committee could do
nothing but Investigate the charges made
by Judge Stiles, with the result well known
to the people of this county. Since the
law requires that specific charges must
| be made before the executive committee
! can open the ballot boxes or examine bal
lots cast it could not investigate chages
of illegal votes cast for Judge Stiles,
though such voting had been charged by
the contestee in a general way
Had Three Remedies.
THE action Of Colonel IIigdon shows
very plainly that he does not want to be
guided by justice and regularity of party
rule. If he had been right in his posi-
ton and had just claim to the nominal
ton he had three remedies by which he
could have demanded his rights. First
he had an appeal to the supreme court
of the party, the state executive COM
mittee. Second, he had a right. had he
been defrauded of the nomination, To de-
mand of Judge Greene the placing of his
name on the official ballot under the party
emblem. This demand on the probate
judge would and could not have been
ignored had Hgdon legal claim on the
regular nomination of the party, as he
is now assuming. His third remedy was
by mandamus through any one of the
three judges of the county courts.
"Iie has disregarded all these, and Is
resenting his chances on the vote OF the
republicans and Independents Just as he
intended to do before the committee went
into the hearing of the contest. He is as
Stunning that he and Judge Stiles win hold
about the same vote as received in the
primary and bases his hope of election
finally through the support Of the republic
cans and independents Can you support
man so dlsloyal to his party? l don't
believe you can. | don't believe you will
Colonel Higdon's action In refusing to
answer the contest filed by Judge Stiles
or to take recourse in either of the rem
edies / have named Is implied i'm
parchment of the county executive COM
mittee the state committee and the judges
of this county. He Is afraid of these
remedies and will not try them. He knows
that they would be fatal to his selfish
ambition.
Accommodated Higdon.
1.-THE county democratic executive COM
mittee went out of its way to accommo-
date Colonel Higdon in tho trial of the
contest Though the law required that he