Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-06-10
INDICTMENT
Of FIELDER
AND FA|N
ASKED
Attorney Accused of Carrying Gun
and RoIiCe Commissioner
of Resort BrawI.

With blank bills of indictment
against Attorney Thomas B. Fielder
and Police Commissioner w. F. Fain
under consideration, the vice probe
by the Fulton County Grand Jury took
a sensational turn Tuesday.
Two witnesses told of disorder and
rowdyism in a house at 40 East Harris
street, in which the Police Commits
sioner was said to have been involved
The disorder. they said. occurred
first just after the Christmas Holt
days. and when a call officer went to
investigate, the Police Commissioner
escaped arrest by getting in telephone
communication with the department.
The witnesses said a repetition Of
the orgies occurred in April, with
Commissioner Faln as a participant,
and that although the disorder was of
an aggravated form, the Commission
er again escaped arrest.
Fielder Witness Missing,
When The Grand Jury began con-
sideration Of the charge against Colo
mel Fielder for carrying concealed
weapons one witness gave the at
torney clean bill of health and the
other and most important one could
not be found.
Circumstances on which the bill Of
Indictment was predicated TRANSFERRED
about a week ago in the Grand Jury
waiting room, when hot words passed
between Colonel Fielder and Newport
Lanford. chief OF detectives.
Trouble between the attorney and
the detective was averted by the
timely interference of friends. Later
the charge was advanced that Colonel
Fielder attempted to draw weapon,
and this morning the Grand Jury be
gan consideration Of a blanket indict-
ment 10 that effect.
Or. Horace Grant, who stepped be-
tween Fielder and Lanford and ended
the threatened fray, was sought as
the principal witness, but when the
Grand Jury wanted him to-day he
was not there. A most rigid search Of
all places where he could likely be
found proved fruitless.
Says He Saw No Weapon.
Henry Bellingrath, the one witness
examined by the Grand Jury in the
Fielder case, said he saw no weapon
either before. during or after the al
tercation between Fielder and Lam
ford He then was asked If some Of
Colonel Felder's friends had not re-
tired with him to an ante-room and
relieved him Of a pistol and he re-
piled in the negative.
Since DR.. Horace Grant can not be
found, and the only other witness
gives Colonel Fielder a clean bill, it
looks as if no Indictment against the
attorney will be returned.
The Grand Jury then plunged into
the vice problem. Carl Hutchinson, a
legal attache Of Colonel Felder's Of
flee. who attacked the competency Of
Chief of Police Beavers. was the first
witness. He was first questioned
about the house at IS Spring Street.
The Grand Jury was trying to OBJ
tain new evidence in the case Of Mrs.
y. p. Powell, who was given four
months sentence. Police Chief Beav-
ers charged the courts for many
months blocked his closing of the
place.
No Specific Accusation.
II also was understood that Hutch
csou gave no evidence against any
particular party but that he gave
much general information and fur
uished the Grand Jury a list Of wit
nesses who. he said could aid IN
making cases against specific individ-
uals
The two Witnesses testIfying in the
case of Police Commissioner Fain
were J. \. Skaggs. an agent Of the
Southern Express Company, and Al
/ len Young. d real estate man. Both
/ told similar stories 10 the Grand
jury
sH~i alltE tHF NAI->tlIIas HHl+-as :
SkagEs and Young said, they com
/ planned 10 the Police Commission #
d fight and general disorder i'm the
/ house al 40 East Harris Street. charg-
. ing Police Commissioner Fain with
being "a principal. While the disor-
.tsr "as Fla progress. they testified,
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