The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-01-11


G.. B. Mccormack
G. B. Mccormick of Ramsay & Nc
Cormick stated he had lived here many
years; that he thought conditions as
regards crime had been steadily i'm
proving since he had come to Birming-
ham; that Bodeker was highly esteemed
by and was giving satisfaction to the
great majority of the business and
professional men of this city; that he
believed Bodeker perfectly honest and
not CRATER. f..zt4z.I
A. L. Fulenwider
A. l. Fulenwider stated he had lived
here about 20 years: that he (witness)
was president Birmingham Realty COM
pany for many years; that conditions
here in reference to crime. in his opin-
Ion, were as good Is at any time in
past 20 years. Witness described how
he built $4,000 home for Bodeker with
$1,000 payment. the remainder at $40
per month; that he had done this after
carefully investigating Bodeker's char
acter' honesty and standing in the
community; that he believed Bodeker
thoroughly honest and reliable and an
able and active police chief. that he
believed great majority of people OF
Birmingham had absolute confidence
in Bodeker.
DIR. J. E. Dedman
Dr. j. e. Dedman stated he had lived
here Is years; that criminal conditions
were as good now as any time in past Is
Years; that he believed Bodeker an unus-
ually honest efficient and able chief of
police; that he thought great majority OF
people of Birmingham thought the same
thing; that he knew especially Bodeker
had done good work in arresting cocaine
~ Il r.-,1, H.
justice AZ murderers out of 70 in one year
was very good police record and a very
bad criminal record that he highly re-
garded Bodeller as a man. a husband
father and a friend.
Judges Fort and Greene were brought
into room and informed that their state
ments in regard to appeal cases in their
courts from recorders court could be
made later in writing, and would not be
taken now as time was too scarce. Judge
Fort stated he considered It best unless
there was plain necessity, that he and
Judge Greene should not be drawn into
present case.
Marcus We'll
Marcus We'll stated that he considered
criminal conditions now better than at
eny time in past Is or 20 years: that nine
terths of people thought Bodel5er an eff
ticient and active officer that he consid-
cred Bodeker an honest and upright gen.
tleman; that he had told Austin it was
better for police chief to protect mer-
chants from robbers chan to raid gam
blers, If one had to be done at the ex-
pense of the other
Robert Fulenwider
Robert Fulenwider stated he had been
a resident of Birmingham II years; that
lie thought crimi1G snditlons as good
now as any timeeRVIt 12 years; that he
esteemed Bodeker as an able and efficient
officer and an honest man; that after a
Pmkerton detective and Detective Steve
Virgins had failed after six weeks to
catch a defaulting cashier, Bodel1er was
given case and caught man in II days.
The Rev. r. E. Tyler 4 Methodist min
lister stated he had a brother on police
force; that If criminal conditions in last
few years were any worse than in years
past 1t was not due to any persons con-
eorned in this case, but it was due to
saloons.
Robert McLester of McI.ester & Van
Hoose stated that criminal conditions
We're nc worse now than any time since
he had lived in Birmingham; that he had
always considered Bodeller en honest and
upright man; that Bodeller was esteemed
as an honest man and efficient chief of
police.
]. r. Hornady
j. r. Hornady, a well known news
paper man. stated that George Estes had
tolG him that reason prohibitionists We're
backing Ward in his campaign for city
commissioner was because Ward had
promised to fire" Bodeker; that later Mr..
Ward had stated to him (wtness) that
the statement was mistake, and was
not fact; that he believed gambling
could be minimized; that murders showed
crime conditions very bad: that owing to
conditions here the murder record was
not surprising, and that record of police
force in handling these murders was very
commentaries; that there was no doubt
police force was too small: that blame
for criminal conditions did not necessarily
fall on chief of police.
J. L. DOnelson
j. E. Donelson stated ne had lived here
. years; that he was familiar with other
southern cities; that there is no more
crime here now than any time in past;
that he considers Birmingham from top
to bottom the best governed city in the
south; that he believed Bodeker honest;
that he thought Bodekcr an able and ef-
hoient police chief; that he had heard
many people express surprise that nothing
any more tangible had been exposed
against Bode1er by the police probe.
f. L. Bivens
F. l.. Bivens of Roden Grocery company
stated he had lived here since 1885, that
criminal conditions were no worse now
than any time in past u or 20 years; that
Bodeker was esteemed by witness as an
efficient and honest chief of police: that
he thought Bodeker. was strictly honest;
that he thought great majority of people
of Birmingham thought the same way;
that the record OF police department in
1913 showed a good police record and
bad condition of crime to be handled: that
his knowledge was general.
Charley Hall
Charley Hall stated he had lived here
since 1889: that he was chairman of the
executive committee of the Order of Lo-
comotive Engineers: that he did not be-
lieve conditions of crime any worse now
than IN past 10 or 20 years, but thought
they were better; that when Bodeker was
suspended before, lodge of engineers sent
a committee to commission in Bodekers
behalf, something the like of which had
never been done before as it was against
rules of the ORDER That he considered
Bodeker honest and efficient; that lie
thought police record in 1913 very good, as
showing both efficiency of small police
force and seriousness of criminal problem
facing the police department.; that police
conditions were much improved in last
two years MIR. Hall was an exceptionally
good witness, efforts to confuse him being
of no avail.
A. S. Klyce
A. S. Klyce stated he had been Louis
Vile and Nashville engineer and was now
in real estate business that he thought
criminal conditions better now than they
ever had been; that he had never heard
anything against Bodeker's character;
that he believed Bodeker best chief city