The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-01-31

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 The figures given rival those of the old days, and 1t Is believed that the number of arrests for the month which is about to close will prove the greatest within a period of at least two years. The status of conditions is shown by the number of persons who might be termed regular "city boarders," who are now confined While the city bastile has not in years been a place of loneliness, as rule dur ing the past two years there have not been many more than 100 regular occu- pants of the jail. However. at present there are between 1S0 and 1855 prisoners who are doing time" for the city.
 Not Duo to Special ExertIon.
 The excessive number of arrests this month is not due to any special exertion on the part of the police department. In fact. 1t has always been the policy of Chief Bodeker to hold down the number of arrests as well as possible and still make no sacrifice in the way of failure to preserve due order The question of officers making unnecessary arrests was at one time very live question in Bir- mingham, and Chief Bodeksr has repeat edly instructed his force of patrolmen not to make unnecessary arrests for trivial offenses.
 The month has been one of considera ble disorder in @ small way. It will be noted that there were more than 1eO arrests for drunkenness. and this charge, togeth- CT with that of disorderly conduct, which is kindred. will account for a full third of the entire number of arrests.
 While 36 arrests for violations of the prohibition law were made during the month, 1t is openly admitted that the police have met with but little suc- cess in their efforts to cope with the ''blind tiger" The excessive number of arrests for drunkenness Is prima facie evidence that whisky is being sold in Birmingham in considerable quantities. but 1t is being handled In so careful a manner that the police department, even with 8 squad of specially detailed de- tectives, finds it perplexing problem with which to deal.
 Cases of larceny have run up con siderably during the month, but most of the stealing has been conducted in small way.
 No Serious Disorder.
 No record Is shown of excessive dis order of very serious nature, although the coroner's report for the month will indicate quite a number of homicides, the majority of which are confined to the outlying districts and principally to the mining communities where negroes com prise g great portion of the population.
 There are still a few wrinkles to be pressed out of the arrangement of hand ling violators of the law of the greater city. At present the white prisoners from all of the newly annexed territory are assembled at the Birmingham jail. Ems ley being partially exceptional, while most of the negroes are retained in the jails of the communities in which they are arrested. This has put considerable extra work on the wardens at the city jail and while some little difficulty Is being experienced fin transporting the law-breakers. the present method ap- pears to be working very smoothly.
 With the complete organization of the various recorders' courts 1t Is believed that matters win be considerably simpl- fled. The method of handling prisoners from the outlying sections of the city will no doubt be worked out satisfactorily.
 Patrol Service Unsatisfactory.
 Tho police department is considerably handicapped by way of inadequate patrol service. At present only one patrol wagon Is fin service and this is the little one- horse affair which has been employed for years by the city in free-rtding law breakers. The little "Black Maria is not intended to hold more than half dozen prisoners. and 1t is practically an impossibility to stack ten men inside of it. Aside from this the one wagon Is sup posed to cover too great a portion of the territory within the limits of Greater Birmingham. Ensley. Pratt City. East Lake. woodlawn and North Birmingham being the sections declared out of range, except in cases of emergency.
 Frequently the wagon is kept on the run practically throughout an entire day or night. When patrolmen call for the wagon and 1t is out on another call the officers are forced to remain with their
 
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