Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-03-19
Automobile Fire Engine Agent
TeStifieS That He Gave Chief
$400 After Making Sale I
MAYOR SECURES EVIDENCE
BY OWN DETECTIVE WORK
Conspiracy Hatched by w. r.
Joyner to Ruin Him, Declares
Fire Department Head. I

Mayor James G. Woodward Declared
20 day that he believed the charge Of
r. F.. Davidson, agent Of the Webb
Fire Apparatus Company. that Fire
Chief w. B. Cummings had accepted a
$500 gift from him.
The circumstances surrounding the
sale Of the $4,000 Webb automobihe fire
engine for the Ninth ward station by
Davidson and the means by which I
persuaded Davidson to make his state
ment before the investigating commit
tee together with other circumstances,
convince me that the charge that the
chief accepted the money is true" May
or Woodward asserted.
Il am responsible for these charges
being brought against Chief Cum
mings," continued the mayor. Re
ports and observations of the conduct
Of the fire department decided me 10
make an investigation. Davidson was
an unwilling witness have been able
to present this evidence to the commit
tee through a little detective work Of
my own"
Chief Cummings expressed his atti-
AuNt ip-hdg WIN al VI gent TGQutSL
that he not be condemned before he has
had an opportunity to refute some OF
the testimony.
The sensational part of the inveS-
tigation il yet to come" he cried. This
whole thing is a dtabolfcal conspiracy
by Davidson. ex-Chief W. r. Joyner
and other agents of fire apparatus 20
ruin me. Their whole motive is the
hope that their tactics will get them
some business.
Mayor Woodward could reveal the
whole truth if he wanted to. They
will be shown up later in the investi-
cation"
He was bitter in his denunciatlon Of
Davidson as a THAR" and said that he
was fired from the Eureka Fire Hose
Company.
Fight Over Contract.
THE whole trouble began over a
fight for the contract for the aEtou1o-
bile fire engine for the new Tenth VJard
station. The board Of fire masters has
recommended the bid Of the LaFTancs
company for $4,000. Davidson, of the
Webb company, still hopes to sell the
machine for that station. Davidson now
says he offered the board OF fire mas
ters a ten per cent rebate on his ma
chine. No member of the fire board
ever heard Of any such rebate. Ths
whole chain of evidence is obviously
crooked.
Il had heard Of the Infamous charges
that were TO be made yesterday and
employed ex- Mayor CORTLAND s. VIM
to represent me-"
Chairman ], H Harwell of the in
vestlgating committee, announced to-
day that his committee would use
every effort to make its probe OF the
fire department complete./ The next
meeting will be held next Wednesday
afternoon.
The testimony before the committee
during the four-hour session YESTERDAY
afternoon was very spirited and pune
tuated with short. singing epithets.
CORTLAND Winn denied the statement
Of r E Davidson, representative of
the engine manufacturers, that the
agent had shown him a letter Offering
a rebate on the Tenth ward engine.
He said ne had never seen the letter
and that if Davidson we're honest. he
would have made it known to the board
that the rebate would be given.
when Chief Cummings told me that
Davidson said he had offered rebate.
/ told him that if Davidson said so he
was either a skunk or a scoundreI,"
said the former mayor.
Mayor Woodward declared that all
the facts he had in hand of dealings
with the Eureka Hose Company show
that the company is crooked
Joyner in League.
Chief Cummings a. this juncture in
dignantly charged that Captain w r.
Joyner was in league with other per-
sons to besmirch his official name and
that Davidson was led into making the
charge he did through others. Cum
mings denied that ne had engaged for
mer Mayor VIM as attorney.
}. J. Rafter local representative o.
the Fabric Fire Hose Company
was called but he did not appear. ant
an attachment later was issued 70
him RafteI. it is said had made
STAT, neBt To Mayor Woodward tina