The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-03-24
State Exercising Great Care In
Probing COnOict Department
tcontinucd From Page one,


spacious chambers of the governor OF
Alabama. The members of the railroad
commission, having just completed their
arduous labor in finding out If the rate
laws of the state are discriminatory or
capable of confiscating the property Oh
certain corporations admittedly OF certain
usefulness, have yielded their nest 1or
this momentous enterprise. The presiding
officer of the probe is Judge Mccall, tine
states chief examiner of public ac-
counts, and one of the most efficient
agents in the service of the common
wealth. To the left of Judge Mccall are
the attorneys of the state. There Is
Robert c. Brickell, attorney general, the
ponderous Front de Boeuf of the tai
ented cast. There is Robert B. Evins,
known as the legal adviser of the gov
ernor He sits with serious face
drawn and attenuated as result OF the
horrors of the disclosure. And next is
Mai r. E. Steiner. the special counsel
employed for the probe, the wiliest of the
three, the strategst. the clever and mag
netic. He is the general on whom the
state is leaning, and whose appointment
ELECTED the hearty commentator OF the
anxious public.
These four dignitaries, Judge Mccall
and the attorneys, are protected from the
crowd by table, which in ADDITION TO tne
elbows of the stars serves also to uphold
the mass of intricate figures and ponder
Gus pile of legal tones with which the
state has surrounded itself.
Between this table and the table for
''the gentlemen of the PRESS Is the wit
ness chair, still sound and stable despite
the startling information which mas
emerged from above its genial cusplon.
Inst TO the rear of the chair is little
table on which Mr.. Ford indites his
stenographic, notes. and guarantees 20 all
future generations an opportunity TO oe-
hold the ghost ofthe present scandal, ana
to recoil from the fume of its nauseous
odors.
which has been inscribed all the news IN
which hours later the public has reveled.
There in n bunch sit the representatives
of the great papers of the state, each OF
which is represented not only by its reg
ular MONTGOMERY correspondent, but by a
member of it's staff-for be 1t known that
the scandal is of such magnitude ana OF
such intricate ramifcations tnat the taSN
of its revelation is too great Cor single
individual.
To the rear of the press are chairs pro-
l
vided for the gallery, for those curious CIT
izens of Montgomery ana anxious Visit-
ors from other localities VINO preIer tneiI
| information direct from the NOUNS OF
witnesses, and not through the pencils
of the indefatigable newspaper reporters
There Is the probe in the open, the daily
grind as II were, the mill out of when
comes the stuff already developed. but
| that machinery inclosed In the champer
of the railroad commission Is not py any
means the probe entire.
| One must not overlook the otner eA-
aminers. for ON them the great mil ue-
pends in main for its evidence. III. l.
Brooke, the master of cold ngures' -
checking up the convict department from
headquarters Frank v. Evans is malNhs
daily trips from Montgomery TO Spe'sner
and return. Judge Wilkerson is makihs
his report of the four mines In the en-
viron OF Rirmingham--those In wnlcn the
conyicts Of the state are employed. MAJOR
! German has been in the turpentfne camps
Captain Sedberry has been ON the rarln
| of the state Charles Townes STANDS
| ready to receive the daily instructions OF
the governor. a.
Alex E. walker superintendent OF the
state banks, and his examiners are on tue
line of battle. And the governor Is alo,ns
in every possible manner ana pianhine
and directing the general scheme OF Datee
against the iniquitous.
And what has been developed!
That the state has lost through piunder