The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-01-10
Many Citizens Prominent in
City and State Praise His
Personal Character
HEARING TO CLOSE
BEFORE MIDNIGHT
Night Session Held Last Night.
Weatherly Holds That Present
Testimony Being Heard Is
Only Cumulative

Concerning George Bodeker, friend
ship and esteem and respect are ap
parently not wanting.
At the two sessions of the police probe
Yesterday prominent and we'll known
business and professional men from al
sections of Greater Birmingham took
the witness chair. They were men fron
all voeations.
In terms free of doubt. they branded
Bodeker as an efficient police officer
In words of emphasis they charac-
terized him as a citizen of high stand
ing.
They unhesitatingly expressed theii
belief that reports or statements to the
effect that Bodeker was dishonest, OF
corrupt, or a CRATER were either mis-
takes or falsehoods.
Leaders in Community Life
They were men of prominence not
only in their own communities, but
many of them were leading men in the
social, civic, business and public af-
fairs of the city and county. The story
they wove was largely one of repeti-
ton but by reason Of it's repitition Its
own strength was multiplied.
| The hearing will be closed today OF
tonight. At the opening of the morning
session yesterday Commissioner Wealth
erly offered a motion that the hearing
be closed not later than midnight to-
night and that to that end night ses-
sions be held If necessary. night ses-
sion last nigh lasted from 7 to IL
o'clock on Mr.. Weatherly's motion
Judge Lane voted mo" and Mr.. Wealth
erly and President Ward voted AYE"
Before the motion was put, Capt
White. Sr., Bodeker's attorney; Judge
| Zell CASTOR opposing counsel; Mr.
| Weathely and others made stateemn.s
| They were as follows, according to the
stenographic report of Jack Stallings
of Stallinss & Brazeltin, court re-
| porters
Weatherly Resolution
| COMMISSIONER Weatherly: have a reso'
lution I want to introduce. ! offer the
| following resolutions:
Resolved, That the present hearing b.
| closed not later than midnight of Satur-
! day. January 10, 1914, and to that end
night sessions be held from now on
| Commissioner Ward: / second the mo-
| tion.
Captain White: I want to say that /
/ would like and will endeavor to meet
the emergency the best l can, but I don't
want a definite time fixed in which to
close the evidence for the reason that my
clients character is involved in this thing,
his reputation is at stake and he must be
allowed, or should be allowed an oppor-
! unity to meet the insinuations that have
saen hurled against him by hearsay and
I lirion testimony and inferences ana
things of that kind, and to do that 1t
nece sstates the examination of great
| many witnesses from different parts OF
the city.
| Judge CASTOR: will say this. gentle
men, before you vote on 1t. to let my
position be thoroughly known. Captain
AUSTIN informed me that he expected to
bring ahout 500 witnesses In rebuttal and
we are ready to bring them. but / am
not going to. get in the way of fixing a
| time to dose the investigation.
| Captain White: BY all means let him
have an opportunity to bring 500 witnesses
! would aot have him denied that op-
rortunity for ANYTHING. Let him bring
them; l defy him to- bring them
! Commissioner Weatherly: l will state
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