The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-31
Long Story of Conditions in
City Recited to the
Commissioners
M'GILL BUFFETED
BETWEEN LAWYERS
Captain Write Insists on Reading
Bodeker's Written Orders in Spite
of Strenuous Objections by
Judge CASTOR

Connie Austin, the man behind the
charges of corruption and incompe-
tency against Police Chief Bodeker,
yesterday afternoon told his story to
the city commission. 1t was largely a
repetition of evidence brought out by
witnesses who have previously testified
for Mr.. Austin.
There were two features to the morn
ing session of the police probe yester-
day. SOne was the buffeting from one
side to another of Witness e. F. McGill,
a plain clothes man on the police force.
by the two attorneys In. the case. Nc
Gill is a man of high standing and good
character in the opinion of all men on
both sides of the case and the attor
neys for each side attempted to make
his testimony favor his client. McGill
was examined and cross examined and
recross- examined about a dozen times.
BOdeker's Orders Read
The other feature of the morning
session was the introduction by Captain
White of orders from Chief Bodeker to
the police department given at differ
ent intervals in the past five years and
urging the department to enforce the
gambling and blind tiger laws and all
other laws. Judge CASTOR repeatedly
objected to Captain Whites reading
these orders aloud, but Captain White
persisted and did read them. Chief
Bodeker stated he has every one OF
his written orders to the police de-
partment and all are open to inspection
If the commission wishes to see them.
The two features of the afternoon
session was the dismissal of several
witnesses by the commission on the
ground that their testimony had no
bearing on the case, and Mr.. Austin's
own testimony. Judge CASTOR stated
yesterday noon that he had 100 more
witnesses to testify, but said last night
at adjournment that he expected to con-
clude his side of the case today. Chief
Bodeker states that he will introduce
about 200 witnesses
Dr. Cunningham Wilson, prominent
physician was the witness who opened
session yesterday morning Witness
stated that in last thre years he had
occasion to several times look up
friend who CANDLES, that he always
came to Bodeker who gave him an Of
ficer to go along to gambling houses.
so he could get friend; that he went
to Oscar Freemans Suburban hotel and
others, that Bodeker sometimes tele-
phoned to gambling houses to ask for
witness's friend; that vagrants were
pretty bad.
Captain White took witness, who
stated any man not making honest liv
ing is vagrant. that he thought it was
young men of wealthy families who
did most of gambling more than the
working class: that there We're more
crimes in past year in Birmingham
than ever before that it is worse than
in prohibition times that crime is due
to vagrancy: that he declined to name
man whom he was looking for.
After some argument, the name of the
man was written on a piece of paper and
passed to the attorneys and commission
ers. Witness stated that anybody would
have telephoned to houses like Bodeker
had and still not be able to prove what
was going on there; that he knew the
police force had been cut in half or
more: that the city had been greatly en-
larged in area and population; that when
BodelSer telephoned he referred to the
telephone book and at times asked Of
ficers who was running certain places;
that Birmingham was the harboring place
for the criminals of the county: that he
thought crime might be decreased in Bh-
mingham. although he realized the po-
lice force was too small.
McGill Resumes Testimony
Plainclothesman F. McGill, who was on
stand when adjournment was taken Mon
day evening resumed his testimony
Upon examination by Captain White.
witness stated that Bodeker did not know
where witness was going when witness
went out on raid; that Bodeker had never
told him to protect favor any gam
bier gambling house or any other per-
son; that Bodeker had told officers many
times that he heard of gambling and
tigers. etc, and that they had to go out
and stop It or he'd get somebody who
could; that Bodeker was kept busy In his
office all time; that he had been on force
six years; that Bodeker often urged of
ficers to break up gambling, houses OF
ill-repute, tigers, etc: that the chief had
told witness to break doors when there
was reasonable cause and he would back
him un; that all gambling houses had
club charters; that on one raid he ran
to the "coller door and hallowed that
the police We're coming and to let him III:
that door was opened and he found the
room full of men: that he did not ar
rest them because they were doing moth
ing to be arrested for; that his opinion
was Captain Eagan and six men on the
gambling squad had put gambling houses
out of business that he believed Captain
Eagan, witness and partner, could keep
professional gambling houses closed; that
-->-------~-----------~~>-