Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-06-07
POL|CE BOARD
WANTS PROBE
To co DEEP
McEachern Declares Vice Inquiry
Will Prove Beavers and Lam
ford Have Done Full Duty.

IF the vice probe in Atlanta is
carried to a complete conclusion" said
Commissioner J. n. McEachern, of the
Police Board, Saturday, sit will be
found that Atlanta is one of the clean
est and most moral cities in the Unit
ed States, the assertion of the Rev.
Mr.. Batten to the contrary notwith-
standing.
THE Grand Jury will find that Chief
Beavers and Chief Lanford have done
their whole duty, and that not one
single instance of corruption or graft
will be found. I have been a mem
Der of the Police Board for the past
six years, and 1 have watched the
department closely. l say without
hesitation that l believe in the abso-
lutte integrity and honesty of both
chiefs. l am confident that if there
had been any corruption or graft in
the department it would have been
unearthed by the board. which is
composed of reputable citizens and
business men serving in the interest
of the city and the welfare of the
people.
Board Trusts Chiefs.
Every member of the board is
more than anxious to have the probe
reach the very bottom. We know the
men and we know the chiefs and we
have the utmost confidence in them.
AN old saw is that where there is
so much smoke there must be some
IRE and this has been quoted by
many persons since the vice probe was
begun. The saying may he true; in
fact, I am rather inclined TO the opin-
ion that 1t is true in this case, but
not in the manner in which il is sug-
gested by those who would discredit
the Police Department. The smoke
has been raised by those who dis
credit the department, and the fire is
the desire Of those individuals to
to bring reproach on the men who
have dared to do right and enforce the
law. The investigation will reveal the
fact that the smoke does not arise
from the department, and that there is
no fire there, but on the contrary from
those who would turn Atlanta over to
the lawless element and the mercy of
those who value a dollar more than
they do a human soul"
Commissioner McEa chern unhesi-
tatingly stated that the morality Of
the city had been improved by the
efforts Of the police officials to en-
force the law, and that in this they
had his support and approval.
The question of segregation is one
that the majority of the members Of
the board hesitate to express an opin-
ion upon, but a large majority will
stand back Of Chief Beavers and
Chief Lanford in the discharge Of
their duties. and viii abide by the ac-
ton of the lawmaking body their
one and only duty being 10 enforce
the law as laid down in the City
Code"
Whitewashing Effort Fails.
That a faction in the Grand Jury
tried to whitewash the vice probe
shortly after the first witness was
examined, became known Saturday.
A vot~ was taken on the question and
the probe continued Two members
of the body, at least, will insist on
the inquiry being continued when the
Jury meets next Tuesday morning.
Immediately after Colonel Thomas
Il. Fielder testified and left the room
a ju-yman offered a resolution that
the Grand Jury go on record as say
ing Atlanta is better morally than
il has ever been and vice is effectively
stamped out" The motion was de-
feated by the necessary twelve votes,
and other witnesses were called. Sew
eral times before adjournment Thurs
day the same person is said to have
offered the resolution and each time
il was defeated.
A sensational development is ex-
pected Tuesday wheE a member Of
the jury, who will insist on the probe
being continued, will ask the foreman
TO summon a man high up in police
circles to tell what he knows of vice
conditions and what knowledge the
police have of them.
That the probe will be continued is
practically an established fact Sat
urday. Since adjournment Thursday
Foreman L. H. Beck has received nu-
merous communications from citizens
asking that vice conditions be more
thoroughly inquired into.
Many Offer information.
Some Of the communications give
the names of witnesses who VIII give
the jury addresses and. positive in
formation
Several names have been furnish
ed that were not in the hands of the
fury when Il adjourned Thursday.
One Of them is Mrs. Nell Powell, OF
IS Spring Street, who was sentenced
to four months Imprisonment Friday
for running a lewd house. She ex-
pressed a willingness TO furnish the
jury with the addresses Of some so
or so houses in Atlanta and over a
hundred names. She Will in all prob
ability be called before the jury
Tuesday morning and asked to fur
nish the list that the witnesses may
be called for a meeting later in the
week