The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1911-02-03
ADMISSION COUNCIL
IMPEACHES BURGESS
Prefers Charges Against Mayor
and Recorder
OFFICIAL MISCONDUCT
Was Charge Proved Against Alderman
and Charge of Accepting Bride
Was Observation-Disclosures Adj
nits Accepting Money
OFFICIAL MISCONDUCT

Admission, February 2.-(Special)-By
vote of eight to one the Admission
city council in special session tonight
voted to impeach Alderman ]. A. Burgess
of the Third ward on an indictment
charging official misconduct in office In
two counts, but voted as unit to ac-
quit him of the charge of accepting a
bride, as charged in q third count, all
of which grew out of his alleged accept
anoe of money from alleged blind tigers
of the city without authority
Alderman Burgess undertook to impli-
cate Mayor j. l.. Wikle in a statement
before the council and following the pro-
ceedings. Former Mayor Pro Tenn. e. P
Cooper stated that at the next meeting
of the council he will petition that body
to institute impeachment proceedings
against Mayor Wikle and Recorder j.
F, Green for alleged failure to impose
street sentence on alleged tigers for sec
ond conviction, alleging that this has
been made mandatory under the provi-
sions of the municipal code Mr.. Cooper
stated that he would have taken this
course tonight had the council not ad-
journed Immediately after the impeach-
ment of Alderman Burgess.
I7TesiueHt "A. L. ASee pISsiteu a. the
hearing and the prosecution was con-
dccted by City Attorney c. H. Young.
w. 7. Grace, Sr., ]. d. Chamblee md
Jack Garner were introduced as witnesses
against the accused alderman, but little
was gained from their testimony.
Admits Accepting Money
In his statement, however. Alderman
Burgess admitted that he had collected
500 each from Grace, w. H. Marion and
Tom Ferguson. He stated that in this
procedure he acted in accordance with
conversation he had had with Mayor
Wikle, who, he says. agreed to remit
street sentences against alleged tigers
provided that they would plead guilty and
pay a fine of 800. He said that the
mayor had admitted to him that he had
been considering this procedure as a
money raising plan but that the mayor
had stated that 1.-The fanatics will give
me the. devil if l do So" He said that
the alleged tigers paying the money We're
not guaranteed any exemption under the
law, and he admitted that he acted with
out instruction from the mayor.
He said that he told the alleged tigers
that they would be arrested as often as
the council saw At, but that he thought
1t not advisable to arrest them oftener
than once every quarter. by which pro-
cess the city would raise from $500 to
$500. He says that he had promised
those from whom he had collected money
that he would return their 500 If all the
alleged tigers in the city did not pay ac-
cordingly. This was not done, he says,
and he returned the money to all the al
legged tigers except to Porter Bradley, al
legged agent of w. T. Grace, after keep
ing it 80 days.
Mayor Defends Himself
Mayor Wikle admitted the converse
ton with Alderman Burgess, but said
that he had no idea the alderman would
undertake to collect the money his idea
being to collect from the alleged tigers
by the regular judicial procedure. lie
stated that his proposal to remit the
street sentence against alleged tigers car
ried with 1t no idea of abandonment of
the city's established policy, and tnat
he had on no instance animated tnat ne
would countenance any proposal to ex-
tend exemption from prosecution to the
fun extent of the law to any person con-
victed before the recorder. He SAID
further that he knew he would have been
transcending his official authority In I'M
dertaking to instruct Alderman Burgess
or Recorder Green as to their actlons'
but that he did suggest to the recorder
that the street sentence be reunited LOT
the sake of revenue, as convictions coulo
not be secured otherwise He also dehieo
his alleged expression of fear of criti-
cism by fanatics.
Those voting to impeach Alderman
Burgess for official misconduct In the
two counts were President Agee, Alder
men Henry, shelnutt, Pruitt.' Ward'
Morris, Evans and Thresher Alderman
T. c. Yancey, colleague of Mr.. Burgess
voted may on all three counts, all other
members concuring with him on the tnlra
aa,,,,t The council chamber wan packed,
the proceedings being conducted In open
session