Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-04-06
POLICE BAFFLED
IN BEAUTY HUNT
IN OWN RANKS
Who Is AtIanta's HandsOmest
Guardian Among BIueCOats2
Chief Beavers Can't Tell.

Chief Beavers twisted his mustache
nervously, shut off his smile, and said
he should worry.
A visitor asked him to point out
the handsomest policeman in Allan
ia.
ASK the boys" said the chief.
There's 2s6 of them, and all styles
Of beauty. That's more than job
for one man."
The boys" couldn't tell either. a
poll was unsatisfactory and resulted
In no choice. However. the field mar
rowed down from 296 possible cam
didates-and most of them are pos
sible candidates in a beauty show
to three.
Some of the boys" pointed with
pride to Sergeant B. j. Sells. and reg
lstered their votes.
Now there's a good looking man."
they said. He is.
A formidable vote backed the can
didacy Of Patrolman z. c. Thornton.
Handsome Ernest Thornton has a
strong public following to boost his
claims. for 1t is an open secret tina;
many persons have watched him han
die downtown traffic, and have felt
their esteem for the Atlanta police
force grow greater. He has been hail
ed as the force beauty" before this
Another Richmond appeared in the
battle of beauty In the person Of Pa
trolman William c. Hardy Entered
rather tentatively as a sort of dark
horse by those whose esthetic eyes
fancied neither the rather spirituelle
grace OF Sergeant Sells nor the stall
wart charms Of Ernest Thornton, his
grace was soon pushed vigorously by
his supporters, and gained a follow
ing as it went.
Chief Beavers Barred.
Sure he's a handsome man." they
said. and cast their votes.
Then there was a scattering vote
Chief Beavers himself received a word
or two in this connection, but in a
beauty contest he necessarily was
barred for professionalism. It's
chiefs business to be good looking.
The boys" who ran one two, three
in the qualifying heat for the Adonis
class--as a matter of fact. they ran
under the wire in a bunch-are all
young men, a wee bit below the av-
erage for the force. Sergeant Sells
and Patrolman Hardy are together at
SO years. and Patrolman Thornton is
2S.
The average age OF the 296 mem
bers of the Atlanta police force is
about "a or 80 years, a majority OF
them being young men, relatively
youngsters against the smaller pro-
portion Of grizzled veterans
There is J. G.. Carlisle, a custodian,
at one extreme, as the oldest. He is
90 years old, and has been in service
81 years. OF the active policemen.
however X. 5. Foster. field sergeant,
and T. J. Thompson. patrolman, are
the oldest, aCh claiming 70 years to
his credit. Thompson has been 80
years on til force, but you couldn't
well tell II.
The youngest cop is J. p. Born, one
year on the force. who is a mere
kid" with his % years.
These statistics came from the
chief.
"Now. II you're looking for dope on
the force he said you can have il.
Anything you want But don't ask
me TO pick the best looking man"
Gershsm the Biggest.
The biggest policeman is John
Gresham. whose eleven years on the
force, eleven years OF yigilant work
in helping to keep on Atlanta's lid,
has only added TO the husky frame
that has won him chief claims to ap-
pointment at the first.
Now there's the majesty Of the law
for you, all in one man." said the chief.
Patrolman Gresham was bearing
down on him with all the glory Of his
260 pounds Of cop"
And now for the smallest" said
the man who is at the head of At
lanta's finest.
He guessed II was PatroIman
George Harper, who guards Atlanta's
Union passenger station with all the
pride Of George Washington at York
town
Patrolman Harper, Ga years old and
with a service record of 25 years
chalked up TO his credit, could hardly
enter the Kid Young class But
he is one OF the prize cops Of the
force. at that.
Like a regular soldier" said the
chief. He's about the neatest and
the straightest man we have. And I
believe he'd rather be on his job as
an Atlanta policeman than to be Gus
tOdian Of the pearly gates"
Twenty three years ago when Chief
Beavers became a member Of the no
lice force, there were less than 100 men
under Chief A. B. ConnaUy. The
roster OF the 1912 report bore the
names and records Of 296 men, all but
nine OF whom are I'm service today.
The nine are retired on pensions after
period Of service Of 80 wears or more-