Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-10-21
.uPL|F WORKER
CALLS POLICE
|NQU|S|T0RS
Miss Benton Demands Punish
ment of Policeman Wood for
Persecution of Sister.

q charge the Spanish Inquisition
fair city of Atlanta"
That is the declaration made by
Miss Alief Benton.
Alleging that John d. Wood is
guilty of the intimidation of wit
ness, of police persecution and of
conduct unbecoming an officer, Miss
Benton. William M. Southland and his
wife. Elizabeth Southland. have in
sisted, through their counsel, Colonel
Lewis W. Thomas and Leonard J.
Grossman, on special hearing at
which Officer Wood shall be tried.
A special session of the Police Com
mission will hear the case on Tues
day night. Among the IS or more
Witnesses who will be subpenaed by
the prosecution are Chief James L.
Beavers, Chief Jet, half brother Of
the accused Officer Wood, and Judge
Broyles, who has twice released Mrs.
Southland on charges which were In
sttuted by Wood.
SAYS Offlcer nix OIo man.
Policeman Wood has left no stone
unturned to turn us out Of house
and home" said Mrs. Southland, re-
lating a long story of police persecu-
zion which dates back to April, 1912,
when she saw officer Wood assault
an old man in the street.
Later Officer Wood and his sis
ter, Mrs. Jet, called on me to testify
for the policeman at the trial. / told
them officer Wood did wrong; he as
saulted an old man without cause
Mr.. Jet was so years old, and gave
no cause to officer Wood to assault
him: so | said right out that my tes-
.imony could do them no good.
Then Mrs. Jet approached me and
tried to get me TO testify for her
brother. Policeman Wood, who was
charged with assault and battery. She
said if did not go to court and swear
for John ID. Wood that she, Mrs. Jet,
had large family connection in At
larta, and that she would go to court
and swear lies to put me out of town
THAT Officer Wood instigated the
petition against me would be easy to
prove at the trial. and then they made
a case against me because | would not
move OF course, the object of this,
as | discovered later. was to create
record that would muddy the waters
and discount my testimony against
Wood.
Sister Defends Miss Benton.
However, | allowed friends to per-
suade me that it was best to move to
avoid unpleasant notoriety. Later 1
found that these friends were actu-
ated by threats of Detective Hollings-
10 nd N r.
tngly I walked into their trap and
allowed them to create record which
they calculated would be to my dis
advantage"
Indignant with the treatment her
sister has received, Miss Alief Ben
ton has come to Atlanta and, together
with her counsel, has gone carefully
over the evidence which she believes
will lead to the expulsion OF WOOD
from the police force.
Wood vented his malice and spleen
and personal resentment of my sis
ters unwillingness to be his tool,
said Miss Benton, who comes to At
lanta with credentials from the lead
ing citizens of Macon, including John
T. Moore, Mayor of Macon; John P.
Ross. Solicitor General; J. j. Cobb,
vice president of The Commercial Ma
tional Bank; Hon. Harry Stillwell
Edwards and Judge n. E. Harris, all
of whom commend her as being a
leader in the uplift work of her COM
munity. ,--,.
Uplift Worker Determined.
1T would be folly for me to give
my life TO the helping of the needy in
Macon and disregard the persecution
Of my sister by an Atlanta police
man who has used his official posi-
ton as a club to intimidate her con-
tinuously and repeatedly. though
every charge he has ever preferred
against her has been dismissed" said
Miss Benton: II have full confidence
in the Ease my counsel have pre-
pared" she said. Colonel Lewis has
been hard at work for some weeks,
and has not only compiled the charg-
which should turn out Policeman
Wood from the police department
ing but he has also worked up
case which Officer Wood will not hear
the end of. even after his expulsion.
Attorney Leonard J. Grossman, as
Scciated with. Brown & Randolph
Parker & Scott, has been gathering
evidence which points to the guilt OF
the accused officer, and we expect
lively time on Tuesday night when
the high officials of the police de-
parlment will be compelled to either
60 on record as indorsing police
persecution or else make an exam
pie Of the man whom the evidence
shows has bounded one family out