Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-10-22
BOARD VOTES To
CLEAR ACCUSED
POLICEMAN
But Beavers Is Asked to Give
Reprimand-Women Tell of
"Persecution."

A red-hot session OF The Police
Board Tuesday night ended with the
Patrolman John d. Wood being dis
missed by the commissioners. Mrs.
Elizabeth Southland. daughter OF a
Methodist minister. who brought the
charges. bitterly denounced the
methods of the police department and
of its officers. Miss Alief Benton. Of
Macon, sister of Mrs. Southland,
scored the men who freed Wood.
Speaking OF the acquittal, Miss
Benton, eyes swapping and face
flushed from excitement and from
fury, declared
The last OF this outrage is yet TO
be heard. The good people of Macon
are with me and in sympathy with
my sister and will not condone the
act of an ungentlemanly man con
nected with a corrupt police depart
ment. Its a dirty shame and dis
grace TO Atlanta"
The Complaint
The act which caused the charges
10 be preferred is alleged to have
been committed April 20 last, when
Patrolman Wood, who lived next door
10 Mrs. Southland on Moreland ave-
nue. near Faith street is supposed TO
have dug ditch which drained tho
s,,.,
ards YARD. The woman SAYS she re-
monstrated with the policeman and
ne placed her under arrest. picking
her up when she refused to go with
him and carrying her TO the street
where ne held her until the patrol ar
rived
Mrs Southland says her 1-year- old
baby was dangerously III with the
measles at this time and claims
Wood refused to let her go into her
house TO see that il was being cared
for while she was under arrest.
Miss Mable Hardeman, who lives in
the same neighborhood. told the com
missioneys that che tainted when she
heard the screams of Mrs. Southland
as she was being dragged" to the
patrol wagon.
The Police Board dismissed the
charges after listening TO a bitter ar
gument by Colonel Lewis Thomas. at
torney retained by Mrs. Southland
Several members of the board
wanted to dismiss the charge and
t0mDIPteIX n IN,,t
Chairman Carlos Mason declared he
was in favor of the charges being dis
missed after Wood was reprimanded
by Chief Beavers. This was agreed
10. and the finding was unanimous
In the prosecution of Wood Attor-
ney Leonard Grossman associated
with Colonel Thomas, charged Chief
Beavers with shielding Wood
Chief Beavers denied the charge.
Too Busy, He Said.
Mrs. Southland said that the head
of the department always sent word
TO her when she called that he was
too busy on the Phagan case to talk
TO her"
Attorney Grossman spoke of WOOD |
as former prize fighter"
petition, which Mrs Southland |
charged was started by Wood. caused
her to be elected from her Piedmont |
street home. ON the advice and eX- |
pense of the Associated Charities she |
moved TO the Moreland street house. |
next door to Wood rhe ditch digging
by Wood and arrest of Mrs Southland |
By that officer followed a snort time
after
when my sister was arrested l came
from Macon and asked Chief Beav- |
ers for protection from Wood for my
sister. He took my hand, shook H. |
and promised to protect her and told !
me to go back home. The strain and
worry under which | suffered in COM
ing here caused me to have conges-
tion of the brain and l was uncon-
scious for weeks" was the rather
startling statement of Miss Benton
last night.