The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-07-14
WAR ON WARRANTS BEGINS IN EARNEST EARLY THIS MORNING
Officers Get Instructions to Start Campaign-Darnell Talks of Plans for
 the Work

In the riot of bloody crimes of the past week the police authorities of Bir- mingham have awakened to the fact that vagrancy is perhaps the chief cause. The head of the detective de- partment announced last night that vagrancy would be stamped out.
 Chief Darnell asserted most positive ly that every man and woman within the confines of the city of Birmingham must have some legal means of sup port or be subject to arrest and being placed in the county jail. A drastic enforcement of the Alabama yagrancy law begins this morning.
 The auth critics alarmed by the four killings of Sunday held conference yesterday afternoon. Suggestions were made by several prominent citizens on the grave situation and the elimination of vagrancy was finally decided as the wisest course to persue. Commissioner A. O. Lane. of the department of pub lie justice, then instructed Chief of De- tectives Sydney H. Darne1l to drive out the vagrants. Tn characteristic order Judge Lane said.
 "Syd, want you to go out and give them h."
 Chief Darnell promised his co-opera- ton and the strong arm" squad was instructed to round them up Chief Darnell in a prepared statement gave out what had been done lately on the vagrancy problem and what was pro- posed to be done The statement fol- lows:
 We agree with anyone who offers a suggestion or probable solution of the vagrancy problem, or any other now confronting the people of this city and county in holding down crime, and are always glad to profit by their ideas. We have been so busily engaged in cer- tain lines of work lately that, with our limited force, considering the vast amount of work and the large territory to cover, other lines have naturally had to be neglected to some extent
 '"rhe burglaries. through several re- cent good catches. have been reduced tc minimum. and there have been but few reports in that line in the past few days. We believe that we have this particular line of law breaking curbed However. and this is something seldom taken into consideration, there is as much work in the prevention of future thefts as in the apprehension of those responsible for those past.
 "The large number of killings and affrays in the past few days, in addi- tion to several older cases of like na- ture still hanging fire. have kept sev- eral of our detectives busy almost day and night. We have been able to get a fairly good percentage of those re- sponsible for these crimes, and of course will keep after the ones still at large
 Unless something big turns up. the vagrancy problem is the next to be tackled by this department. We are after them at all times, as is shown by the fact that during the months of May and June the police and detective departments arrested 239 for vagrancy 166 of whom were tried before Judge Abernethy of the court of common pleas.
 "Vagrancy is without doubt the source of a great amount of crime and it is our idea to strike at the root. There are great many of those of a so- called better class who are getting by without work through various schemes and subterfuges, but we ex- pect to hsndle them all alike, and with proper cooperation on the part of in- terested citizens, goods results are ex- pected.
 "A prominent merchant called at headauarters this morning and stated that he employed a number of women in his establishment; that he paid them from ss to $15 per week. good wages for working girls. and that owing to the present conditions. he was unable to keep enough help to run his busi- ness.
 Every man or woman must have some legal means of support, and to have wish t0 give fair warning. The law against va grancy is going to be enforced"