The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-08-02
Special Detectives Paid From Mayors $500 Fund Create
 COnsternation In Rooms PURGE REFUSED ID HOLD
 UP HANDS WHEN ORDERED
Mayor o'Brien Thinks Officers Should Have Assisted Special Men In Making Arrests Without Fur
 ther Question.


 regular city detectives during a raid on
 the Birmingham Social Whist club in the
 Metropolitan hotel annex shortly after
 5 o'clock yesterday afternoon resulted In
 City Detective W. M. Burge being shot
 and dangerously wounded by Special De-
 tective J. R. Waggoner. The former was
 rushed to St. Vincent's hospital by Green
 & Co.,, while the latter is confined in the county jail. Waggoner received several
 bullet holes in his coat.
 The shooting occurred by the officers
 being unknown to each other and neither E thinking that the other was an officer.
 Waggoner Is one of the special detectives who have been employed by Mayor O'Brien
 to prosecute violators of the prohibition law, while Burge has been assigned to
 the duty of visiting the various locker clubs and gambling establishments. Waggoner has been working with c. H. Carroll, both of them being brought to
 Birmingham by Mayor O Brien, their services being paid for out of the $500 ap propriated by the City Council to the
 Mayor to be used as he saw fit in the
 prosecution of violators of the prohibi-
 tion law This Carroll is not the regular
 patrolman working on Second avenue. Burge was shot one time, the bullet striking him in the upper part of the
 right breast, perforating the right lung
 and coming out near the shoulder blade. At a late hour last night his condition
 was reported as being serious, it being
 stated, however, that it would be from 24 to 4s hours before anything definite could be told regarding 1t. He Is suffering in- tense pain. but his constitution Is strong and this will undoubtedly prove greatly in his favor. The fear is that he may contract pneumonia or other complica- tfons.
 Not Known at Headquarters. Neither Carroll nor Waggoner were known to Chief Bodeker, Chief of De- tectives Jack Mcdonald, Capt Martin Eagan of the evening shift nor any other members of the force except two. These two were Detectives J. F. Burke and A. D. Brown, who were ordered to report to Mayor O Brien last Friday and work under his instructions.
 Yesterday morning the Mayor sent an
 order to the chiefs office for three po- lice badges, these being sent to him by Desk Sergeant Morgan Seals, and no one
 In the department Knowing who was to use them. Carroll and waggoner report ed to the Mayor that they could catch the Birmingham Social Whist club. They were given badges and Detectives Burke
 and Brown were detailed to assist them.
 Accordingly plan was formed by
 which Carroll and Waggoner were to go up to the club, having memb ership
 cards, and 15 minutes later Burke and
 Brown were to appear. The plan was that the former were to mingle with those in the club until the doorkeeper gave the signal telling of the approach
 of Burke and Brown. the supposition
 being that the latter were known to
 the doorkeeper.
 Statements differ as to the shooting and the incidents leading up to it. When Burge and Cornett walked into the club they found the occupants lined up with their hands up and Carroll and Waggoner holding their guns on them. The latter ordered the former to hold up their hands, not Knowing they were officers. Burge and Cor ! nett thought it was some one playing
 
 1 to hold up those in the house and de- clined to do so. They claimed to have told Carroll and Waggoner that they were officers and showed their badges, while the latter deny this.
 Statements About Shooting. The statements of the different par. ties to the affair as given to an Age
 Herald reporter are as follows: c. H. Carroll-"Waggoner and my self were to go into the club and Burke and Brown were to follow 15 minutes later. At the giving of the alarm at their approach we were to draw our guns and order everyone under arrest and hold them until the regular of- ficers arrived. We went into the club and after watching the game in progress for a moment each of us or dered a drink, which was brought to us by negro porter. I noticed that we were being sized up and we de- cided that we had better place every one under arrest at once and not wait until Burke and Brown arrived. Previously we had learned of the three get-aways. We Jumped up from the table. Waggoner got to one side of the room while moved further down, both of us getting in between the crowd and the getaways. We each had two guns and 1eveled them on the crowd and ordered them to put their hands up, stating they were un- der arrest A few of them were slow in putting their hands up and I had to speak twice, stating I would sh oot. One man dived behind a table and I brought him out. Another sprang into the safe and pulled one door to, and ordered him out. Just as he was com ing out Corhett and Burge walked in, Cornett being in front.
 We ordered them to throw up their hands, but they grinned I did not hear them or anyone else state that they were officers, neither did I see them show their badges. We ordered them three different times to throw up tn cir hands, that they were under arrest. Cornett dived through a doorway and would certainly have shot him had there not been man between us "I never got full look at Burge. All could see was part of his body while hs held pistol in his hand at his hip. Not shot had been fired at this tiins.