The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-06-13
GRAND JURY IS HOT
AFTER LOAN SHARKS.
Spirited Campaign Being Con-
Quoted in Atlanta
NINE TRUE BILLS
Movement To Establish Money-Lend-
ing and Pawnbroking Shop on
Charity Bnsis-POrt Rate
Fight-Orgnn Unruly

Atlanta, June 12.-(Special.)- bou
o. the grand jury with the money lend
ers, which will probably result at leas
| in a test trial to see whether convic
ton can be secured under the new law
against charging more than per cen
interest per month, has started an agl
tation here for the establishment of
money-lending and pawnbroking shop oil
| SC mewhat of charity basis
| The finding of 40 true bills against tht
money lenders for violation of the Grim
inal usury law may, or may not, meaf
| conviction The money lenders have
plenty of fighting blood and they hav;
banded together for the employment OF
| the best counsel to be had. And they
are going to fight all the way through
| the supreme court. That they will at
| tack the law on every possible grouni
there is no question: likewise none that
the citizens movement organized for the
suppression of their unjust practices will
fight to a finish and, If possible, land
some of them in the changing.
In the meantime the movement to or
ganize a philanthropic money lending
concern is being generally discussed and
promises soon to crystalize.
In Europe similar institutions are un-
der government control, while in the
larger cities of this country wealthy
pbilanthropists back them, seeing TO IL
that only sufficient interest Is charged to
pay expenses.
In Atlanta the suggestion comes from
the Associated Charities looking to the
establishment of such an institution. IL
IL proposed to organize stock company
with at least $4,000 capital for the pur-
pose of loaning money in small sums to
those who need it, upon household fur
niture or other property of personal
nature as collateral.
II is proposed to put the rate of in
terest at such a figure as will pay the
expenses of operation and Z per cent on
tie capital invested 1t is stated that
this can be done upon maximum rate
Of 2 per cent per month, and probably
much lessy A number of prominent At
lantans have already agreed to subscribe
literally to stock in such an institution.
The Georgia law recently passed makes
1t a misdemeanor for anyone to charge
a rate of interest in excess of per cent
per month; but that much higher rates
ere charged is a notorious fact as was
developed before the Fulton county grand
jury.
1t was a difficult problem getting evil
dence as the victims of the money
sharks" were not eager to talk. Many of
nd a
With the railroads is that any employe
who makes assignment of his salary for
a loan shall lose his position.
BY special request of the grand jury,
however, many of the railroads here
suspended this rule in order that EVIL
dence might be secured. 1t. is said in
many instances as much as 200 to 5o(
rer cent year is being charged, despite
the state law.
Port Rate Fight
TIE petition of IS Georgia hardware
jobbers, filed with the railroad commits
sion, asking a general revision of the
special iron" rate, sounds very much
like a revival of the old port rate fight
with it's .13" and "23"-figures which
seem to have sent the port raters to the
tall timber
1t will be recalled that the hardware
lobbers particularly the Atlanta job
Leis sought to have the special iron
ate from the ports to Atlanta, which
j., now so cents, made the same as from
Atlanta TO the ports, which is only IL
cents How the commission finally turned
that petition down, and the events which
followed that action are ancient but well
remembered history
Whether the port rate niger Is MD
mil q
is a problem that remains to be solved
hut it looks quite suspicious.
Then, too, the governors race Is on
and the port rate slogan Is rallying
rojnt to a certain extent, for at least 9
small element of voters.
If there is any such object in it, the
new petition was filed at quite an oppor-
tune time, as the hearing Is likely tc
come on just about the time the race
gets warmest.
But the petition gives no indication oil
sny such purpose. 1t merely asks q
general revision downward, and entire
" throughout, of the special iron rates
to all points in Georgia, on the ground
that the present rates have been Ions
In force and new conditions demand tha'
changes be made along the lines asked
II seems to be what might be calle|
an Inclusive petition. For the chic
revision downward that the interior hard
| ware iobbers want is the downward re
,-jsion of that 20 cents from the port
| TO the interior cities.
Mishaps to Big Organ
| Atlanta's big $4,000 organ, which fill
the rear of the big stage In the audito
| rum annex has experienced two mis-
| maps in its brief career.
The first time 1t failed was when
was being played before an audience o
| {, 40 persons by the famous English or
,,anist, Lemare Some of the stops wen
wrong and y was some time before tn
| trouble could be remedied and the per
sormance proceed.
| Again on thursday night when playe'
by Clarence Eddy the organ suddenl
gave out. and no amount of coaxinl
would bring 1t back into condition Tn
remainder of the organ part OF the con
| cert had to be abandoned.
This conduct on the part of the ex
ensive instrument is considered sig
CT weakness in some of its importan
narts, and. naturally, 1t has the member
| If the Atlanta Musical Festival ass0
citation, who have been raising the fund
FER Its purchase. somewhat worried.
]
Notice
| once New Orleans Railway & Ligh
Co., 317 Baronne Street.
| New Orleans, La, June 2, 1910.
Sealed bids will be received up to 1
o'clock, noon, Saturday, June 49, 1915
for furnishing one years supply o
coke to this company as per specifica
lions now on file in the Office, No. 81
Baronne street, copies of which ma
be obtained on application.
All bids must be addressed to Nj
Hugh McCloskey, President.