The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-21
Supplemental Report Rec
ommending His Impeach-
ment Is Filed in the
Criminal Court
BERRY AND MATHEWS,
JUSTICES OF PEACE,
ARE ALSO CENSURED
Recommend That They Be Impeached.
Agee Charged With Corruption
in Office" and Commission
of Offenses Involving
"Moral Turpitude"

The Jefferson county grand jury, which
adjourned yesterday, recommended the
impeachment of Walter C. Agee chair
man of the excise commission.
The grand jury also recommended the
impeachment of Henry P. Berry, justice
of the peace of Precinct 10, Palos, and
r. II. Matthews, justice of the peace OF
Precinct 4s, Littleton.
Chairman Agee at his home last night
said he had not seen the charges and
did not feel we'll enough to come down
town and examine them, consequently
he would have nothing to say. How
ever" he added, Il shall certainly, make
suitable answer as soon as I can go over
the charges
Filed as Supplemental Report
The impeachment recommendations
were not Incorporated In the grand jury
report, but were drawn up separately
and filed with the clerk of the criminal
court as information on which the solc-
itor may proceed. The information was
not made public until 4 o'clock yesterday
evening after consultation between
Hefiin and Assistant Solicitor Ed Win
ston.
The recommendation of the impeach-
ment of Mr. Agee is based on alleged
corruption In office and the commission
of offenses, involving moral turpitude,
claiming that he accepted a certain sum
of money from the treasurer of the Law
Enforcement league Of jefferson county
for the suppression of the illegal sale of
liquor. and that he converted it to his
own use, and that by so doing was guilty
of moral turpitude.
There are 32 separate transactions mem
toned In the complaint. 16 alleging that
sums of money ranging from $50 to $3.50
were paid to Mr. Agee monthly by the
date and the amount; the other 16 counts
allege moral turpitude
Report in Part
The report in part Is as follows:
State of Alabama, jefferson county.
The criminal court of Jefferson county,
September term, 1918. To the honorable
the criminal court of Jefferson county:
THE grand Juhy OF said county, or
ganized and empaneled at the September
term. 1918, of the criminal court of JEFF
ferson county, after diligent inquiry con-
cerning the alleged corruption in office
and the commission of offenses involving
mitted under color thereof. or connected
Herewith, of one Walter C. Agee, the
chairman of the excise commission of
jefferson county, Alabama. duly appoint
ed to said office and legally qualified for
same, and now has and Is exercising the
power and authority of said office, recon-
mends the impeachment and removal
from office of the said Walter C. Agee,
chairman of the excise commission of
Jaff la ba a id
for corruption in office and the commits
sion of offenses involving moral turpi-
tude while in office, or committed under
color thereof or in connection Herewith,
which said grounds are more specifically
set forth as follows:
specialization LIN that the said Walter
C. Agee, chairman of the excise commits
sion of jefferson county, Alabama, is
guilty of corruption in office, within the
meaning and purview of section 173 Of
the constitution of the state of Ala
bama, and section 7099 of the code of Ala
bama. 1907, in that since the commence
ment of his term of office and before al
ing of this information, on to-wit, about
the 18th day of june 1919, the said Walter
c. Agee, chairman Of the excise commits
sion of jefferson county as aforesaid, and
under the color of his said office, received
from F. L. Schillinger. the treasurer of
the Jefferson County Law Enforcement
league an association of persons COM
posed of wholesale and retail liquor deal
ers in Jefferson county, Alabama, $3.50,
to be used by him, the said Walter {.
Agee as aforesaid, in paying for the
services of detectives in detecting and sup
pressing the illegal sale of liquors In JEFF
ferson county, Alabama which said 800
the said Walter c. Agee, as aforesaid,
corruptly converted to his own use
Monthly Payments Alleged
The second and subsequent specifica-
tions are worded in the same language as
the first the only change being the dates
and the amounts and every other one In
cludes the words moral turpltude.
Monthly payments are alleged to have
been made from June, 1912. to July, 1913.
1t is understood the recommendations
are merely information on which the so :
licitor may proceed and gather the testi-
mony upon which to begin impeachment
proceedings.
In the case of the two justices OF the
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