The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1907-02-24
RECALLS NOTABLE
MAYORALTY FIGHT
letters and Powell Made Race
In 1876
BRASS BAND WAS IMPORTED
Details of o'Brien's Recent Systematic
Campaign just Beginning to Be
known-comparlson of
the Contests.
BRASS BAND WAS IMPORTED

| itiNAilNlP pal campaign WHICH Iefnl-
mated last Monday night, resulting in the
reelection of the incumbent was one oil
the most remarkable in the political his
tory of Birmingham, with the possible
exception of the race between Col. James
r. Powell, the Duke of Birmingham, and
! Uncle Tom letters, in 1876.
There were no primaries in those DAYS
both candidates for Mayor and the alder
manic ticket friendly to each. were demo-
Gratis. The Powell adherents were sup
posed to represent the moral and conser-
vative element; the letters crowd were
stigmatized very much as the followers
| of Captain OBrien in the last municipal
contest. Lined up with LETTERS as lead
| ers and advisors were Ben Roden, DR.
j. b. Luckie, William II. Morris, Col
Frank Jackson, George Morris, Frank P
| O'Brien and many Others all new
corners' to jefferson county.
The fight was hot and furious and the
fur flew from both sides, for those men
are passed.
Brass Band Brought In.
The whites were prettily evenly divided.
| The prime factor in the fight was the
negro vote and there were many voters
| of color in that day and time. The Duke
of Birmingham, ever fertile in expedent,
knowing the fondness of the African for
martial music, sent Maj. Milton to Mont
| golnery and employed a negro band to
furnish musical inspiration for Sambo,
with the purpose in view of capturing his
ballot.
| When they arrived in the city at Z
O'Clock the day before election, they were
met at the depot by Colonel Powell and
delegation of his negro friends and es-
| corted to the boarding house of one
| Martha Cocker, whose home was on First
avenue on the lot now occupied by FEEDER
e. Berk. Miller Coker, the husband of the
keeper of the boarding house, was in
Captain O'Brien's employ at this time and
| he kept the captain informed as to how
everything was to be worked. Some men,
Der Of the Jeffers advisory board advised
buying the band off.
| When that scheme failed a devilish boy
in the room suggested that the horns be
gotten possession of and filled with melt
ed tar SO as to render them useless next
day on the parade. Several demurred,
but as usual, the majority prevailed and
the committee selected to secure the
| purpose when the leader entered the room
and gave the alarm.
Powell Is Notified.
! Colonel Powell was notified of the at
tempt and Immediately had the instru-
ments removed to his rooms at the Relay
house, which then stood about where the
Birmingham Dry Goods company's build
| ing formerly stood, just in the rear of the
Chalifoux building. An effort was again
made to buy the band off. This last at
tempt was partially successful, and just
as they We're being put in carriages at
o'clock in the morning, which were to
convey them to Oxmoor, Tom Thompson
Asbury Thompson, William and Jim
Mudd, Steve Dupuy and about fifteen
others came to the rescue of the negroes
and returned them to their boarding
house. That day was remembered as one
of the most strenuous election days in
the history of Jefferson county.
Referring to the systematic methods
used by Captain OBrien, The Age
Herald has been permitted to copy the
rules required by him in his race fol
mayor.
Rules for Employees.
! Every employe was given a book, tC
which he was required to refer hourly
The following rules were laid down fol
the guidance of every man employed 10y
the Captain and rigid compliance witt
those rules was demanded. on the out
side of the book appears the following
order:
Consult This Book Hourly-Instruc
! tons to friends and employees of Franz
p. o'Brien in his candidacy for mayor.
Rule l. Keep cool at all times; if yot
! enter a barroom do SO in an orderly man
| ner. Remember l employ none but gentle
! men.
Rule >. Don't Drink will discharge
any man who | learn becomes intoXi
Gated and while in that condition pro.
claims that he is my friend and in my
employ. | will not countenance wrong
doing in my interest by any employe.
Rule 3, When you approach gentle
man for the purpose of soliciting his vote
and influence for me, do SO in a polite
| and gentlemanly manner, such conduct
will win friends and make no enemies
! If the party approached offers objection
! to me, ascertain his reasons for objectins
should he begin to vilify and abuse me
| say nothing to him-make memorandum
| in your book of reasons assigned anc
| cause of abuse. Come to me. Ill atteno
| to him, as | am in a much better position
to do the explaining than you are.
| Rule 4. Let every days work show
! for itself: keep dates
| Rule 3. Always keep your own coun
sell Don't boast, Flint out all the othe
| fellow knows without letting him know
you are doing it.
Rule 6. Make reports on slips to JOIN
| Mccoy, my secretary. every evening
| Don't fail to do this In that way | car
! keep matters close in hand daily.
Rule Z. Don't come in daily and re
port that everybody is for O'Brien. Tina
| can't be possible. | want the truth ant
the truth only The truth will show m,
weakness as well as my strength. II
| conclusion. work diligently and we viii
succeed. Ny success will be but re
Election of your good work.
CRANK T. O'BRIEN.'
! Captain O'Brien's friends claim that tn
| suporters he had in the recent campaign
| are loyal and they point with pride Il
| the race he made against such slogans a
second term idea" and endorsement
| of a faithful officer"