The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-05-21
DAMAGE SUITS VS. THE CITY
By ARMIES, Auth of Go al Alnbamsr

A decided increase in the number of damage suits against the city has been shown during the past few months. Com pared to the statistics of former years l1911 is so far the worst year on record. According to City Attorney Romaine 1 Boyd there are at present l B outstanding suits against the city of Birmingham, in the city, circuit and chancery courts
 These cases" said Captain Boyd, "are not all personal injury suits. Far from it. They are general, comprising personal injury suits, damages to property from cutting of grades. etc, Just the regular run of corporation cases. One hundred and thirty-five is the number of suits now outstanding. They have been accumulat- ing rapidly since Greater Birmingham be- came established. As far as I know, the city has larger number to fight than any railroad or corporation here.
 Why, here the other day man stepped 1 in a puddle of water and wanted to sue the city for s100. As it happens, most of the trivial cases are abandoned It Is the policy of the commission, as MT. Weath- erly says, to investigate every case and allow a fair compromise on all merito- rious cases
 Tn the main the city law business is pretty clean. We find, however, that juries | able. They persist in marking the city as business corporation pure and sim | pie, and rendering verdicts against us just the same as if the city were some company they all had it in for.
 Make It Hot for the Companies
 "Oh yes, they all go for the companies. But as far as that goes there is just as much to say against one side as the other. Perjury is about equally divided, I think. You will find, for instance that there are some claim agents here who are | just as apt to manufacture evidence as are certain of the shyster lawyers They are paid to settle claims as cheap as they can be settled, regardless. And some of them do it. It's their business.
 But the whole question is a serious one. Chicago is taking up the problem vigorously. The increase in damage suitz which that city has suffered this past year as a city, has actually devel- oped into drain on the city treasury The most drastic measures are being taken to curb the evil. As compared to other cities the total verdict against Bir- mingham is not so high. perhaps. but 135 outstanding suits this early in the year is as have stated greater number than has ever vet confronted the city, Preventive measures have recently been taken in the passing of the following: "An ordinance to prohibit lettering about the city jail and the soliciting for clients of persons held in custody or under arrest in or at the city jail.
 Be it ordained by the Board of Com missioners Of the city of Birmingham.
 Section 1. It shall be unlawful for any attorney at law or other person to loiter around or about the city jail or to solicit | for client for himself or another any person held in custody or under arrest in or at the city jail
 | To Cut Out All Loafers
 II ln edition to this, Chief Bodeker has \ issued the following order to the war dens at the city iail.
 ' am directed bv Hon. A. o. Lane. commissioner of public safety. to instruct you that loadng around the warden's of- flee by outsiders must be stopped There Is some complaint about parties using telephones who are not connected with the city government and who are not us- ing the telephones for the interest of any- one in jail
 Each of you will be expected to call up any attorney over the telephone that any prisoner may want to see or if they shoufo want you to call up some of their friends you will be expected to do so; or If they should want messenger to carry out a note or bond, call up the messenger ser vice and have them send messenger
 "1t has been reported that steve. dores have been charging from 5o cents to s1 to take notes out. Do not allow this to occur again if the same has been done
 GEORGE H. BODEKER. Chler."
 investigation of Claims
 Furthermore. the employment of detec- tives to undertake a rigid investigation of certain of the claims will result ad-