The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-02-24
SAY GOOD BYE
 T0JUDGE FORT Capitol Family Is Very Cordial. SHOWS ESTEEM BY GIFTS A. (. Sexton May Become Private
 Secretary. New Judicial Omcer for Birmingham is | Expected to See to Enferce- ment sf the Prohi- bitaon LAW.

That William B. Fort, Private Secre- tary to Governor Conner just appointed Senior Judge of the criminal bench of the Birmingham City Court. won the admiration and esteem of every Capi-
 tol oflcial and clerk. was testihed Tuesday afternoon when he was pre-
 sented with a handsome cane and um- hrella by the members of the Capitol
 family.
 Attorney General Alexander NJ. Gar Der. made the presentation in the Gov ernor's office. surrounded by every
 member of the Capitol family in the city. Judge Fort responded in a few words husky with the emotion which he expressed.
 Soon after the presentation. Judge Fort left for Birmingham. where he
 will occupy the bench today. His first case will be argued at o'clock this morning, and it SO happens that the outcome is being watched by Birming- ham citizens with more than average interest.
 Fort h Popular. On the streets of Montgomery, Mir. Forts appointment was received with satisfaction by the many friends which he has made during the two years in which he has resided in the Capital City.
 From Birmingham comes the intel- Fiigence that the appointment of MT. Fort to succeed to the place on the senior bench of the criminal division Of the court. made vacant through the granting of indefinite leave of absence to Judge Daniel A. Greene on account appreciation. Particularly ia this true with the members of the Law and Or. der League of that city.
 Birmingham citisens express them. selves as confident that Judge Fort will enforce all the laws on the statute books with impartiality. particularly the prohibition law.
 The first case which will come to the attention of Judge Fort will be upon
 warrants sworn out against 110 wo-
 men of the segregated district charg- ing vagrancy It is stated that Solic-
 itor Hefiin has said that he believed the warrants and subsequent arrests were
 made purely for the purpose of collect ing fees. and that he was willing to throw the cases out of court on that ground.
 What action Judge Fort will take In the matter is problematical. as his two years residence in Montgomery has thrown him to a great extent out of touch with Birmingham local condi- tions.
 Private Secretary In Doubt. As soon as the news that Mir. Fort had been appointed Judge. rumor be- gan, immediately to assert itself as te 1 the probable successor. Rumor first 1 stated that the position of Private Sec 1 retary would be offered to Recording Secretary Nunnelee, but this was stren- uously denied when 1t was stated that MT. Nunnelee was of the opinion that the Governors Private Secretary should be a lawyer.
 Deputy Insurance Commissioner AL | bert c Sexton. was then mentioned as
 being the most probable successor to MT. Fort as private secretary. Although Governor Conner was in
 Montgomery all of yesterday. no ap-
 pointment to the private secretaryship
 was made or even hinted. It is prob- able. however. that the appointment
 will be made within a few days. cer-
 tainly by the end Of the week. It Is evident that the official family
 of Governor Conner believes Judge
 Fort will not return to the Capitol as private secretary.