The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-10-01
Calls on Citizens to Say Who Snail Control Cib During
 the Present Deadlock
! NELL DENIES CHARGES
 BURNETT NOT IN TIE CI.Y
Mayor Indicates He Will Ignore Actlor Under Municipal Cooe-Stormy Council SessIon Expected
 Tomorrow Night.

Sensational charges of graft against Al- dermen John W. O'Nelll and Richard D. Burnett, determination to ignore the organization of the City Council under the municipal code, and a call Co the citl- zens of Birmingham to show which side shall control during the deadlock were some of the developments which ema- mated from the office of Mayor Ward yes terday.
 Alderman Burnett Is out of the city and will return tonight. Alderman O'Neill makes a spirited denial of the Mayors charges, and says the Mayor is influenced by the Bitullthic company
 Severe In His Charges.
 After filing letters with the city clerk calling for an investigation committee, consisting of three aldermen and Messrs James Bowron, F. M. Jackson and Frank Nelson Jr., to determine the qualifica- tions of the two aldermen to sit on the board the Mayor uttered this sentence of denuncation:
 Members of the Burnett faction have been posing as wanting an investigation of some sort. l have no faith in any in- vestigatlon they may start up and be- lieve what they do is for ulterior pur- poses"
 The letters of the Mayor do not men, tion the numerous allegations of graft' charged against MT Burnett, but as the Mayor is usually careful in his language citizens are eager to learn the grounds for his charges. Relative to those against Alderman Burnett 1t is understood several affldavits have been made. among them one by Clerk Lassiter of the C. c. snlder Cigar company.
 Charges Against O'Neill. Alderman O'Neill is accredited with the Mayor with an alleged attempt to hold up and practice graft in connection with an ordinance which proposed to pave Sixth avenue from Fourteenth to Twen- tieth street, north" The ordinance in question was never passed, and Sixth avenue has never been paved.
 It was stated yesterday that at the time, mere than a year ago, the citizens of that avenue petitioned the board to receive bids for both bitumnous macadam and asphalt. The Southern Bitulithic company, not being able to meet the bids n tha A AGnba1f macadam under the name of "rhe Nash vile Roofing and Paving company made bid lower than any other on asphalt It was stated that when the time came to award the bids Mir ONell said that his constituents on that avenue were not ready for paving at all, and the whole ordinance was rejected.
 Text of the Two Letters.
 There are the letters which were flied with Clerk Murray and will be pre- scented to the council tomorrow night:
 "September S0 1s07 'ro the Honorable Mayor and Aldermen of Birmingham, City
 "Gentlemen-As Mayor of the city of Birmingham l hereby call for an investi- gation into the character and conduct of R. D. Burnett, alderman from the First ward also an investigation into his qualifications to sit on this board. Numerous allegations of graft of the grossest kind, commencing since he took his seat on this board, are being made. For the informa tion of the public, and In view of his past record, I wish to say that no matter which way this investiga- tion results I shall decline to appoint this alderman on any committee Re- spectfully GEORGE B. WARD,
 Mayor"
 "September 30, 1907 '',ro the Honorable. the Mayor and Alder men of Birmingham, City:
 ..Gentlemen-I hereby ask for an in- yestigaton into the entire matter of lay ing bitulithc pavements in the city of Birmingham. Also on an official investl- gation into Alderman John W. O'Neills s alleged attempt to hold up and practice graft in connection with an ordinance which proposed to pave Sixth avenue from Fourteenth to Twentieth streets, north If this investigation is ordered l sug- gest that a committee of three from your council be appointed by the Mayor I further suggest that a citizens commit tee composed of James Bowron F. M. Jackson and Frank Nelson, Jr., be ap- nointed to act witt the aldermanic com nittee and help form its report. Said citizens committee to be given every privilege and right enjoyed by the alder manic committee not prohibited by law. Respectfully, GEORGE B. WARD,
 Mayor"
 No Faith In Burnett Faction. This Is what Mayor Ward had to say after filing the letters:
 .eThe above letters have been sent to I. c. Murray, city clerk, to be submitted to the Mayor and Aldermen next Wednes- day night There may or may not be more of them sent to him before that time.
 Members of the Burnett faction have