The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-01-14

He further says that | have been
deeply engrossed in politics, and that
have played the game and have been
the recipient and distributor of its ia
vors. What political game have
played, except the game [ played with
him from which he has received his
political reward in the shape of COM
missionership of the city of Birming-
ham, l have not yet been the recipient
of any. Let him point to where
have ever been the distributor of any.
Possibly when he made this assertion
he had passing through his mind the
fact that he had recently aided his
brother Commissioner Ward in distrib-
uting political favors, when he foisted
Virgins and STREET. upon this city and
dpon the police force.
Commissioner Weatherly further saws
that it is high time this important
Office be removed summarily and for
ever from the conflicts of faction and
the field of politics. and that a chief
of police be appointed who shall be i'm
bued with the modern conception of
business efficiency ip the service of the
public, who shall command the univer-
sal respect of all classes and eondf-
lions of people; who has not been en-
tangled in any of the faetional battles
of the past who has no political
grudges to pay and no political re-
wards to hand out. The act creating
the commission form of government un-
dertook to remove the office of this
commission from the field of partisan
politics, political intrigue and chican-
cry Why doesn't Commissioner Wealth
erly apply this rule to himself. and de-
sist from mis- attempt to make the po-
lice department of the city political
weapon to be welded in his behalf in
his effort to succeed himself?
Commissioners Weatherly further
says that above all the chief should
be one who understands that his tenure
of office is solely by appointment of
the commission, and dependent solely
upon merit good service, etc. People
who know him and his methods best
doubtless believe that he wants the
CHIEFS tenure of office to be solely de-
pendent upon the political activity he
eXerts in bringing about Wea therly's
reelection to the office he now holds
Character of "Hearsay" Testimony
Commissioners Weatherly further SAYS
that he has listened to all the evidence
in the Bodeker hearing with an unpreit-
diced mind, and weighed it carefully n
it came out. No doubt he means to say
he listened carefully to the fearsay tes-
tlmony, and the testimony of the prosti
tutes and gamblers who testified against
me, but failed to listen or give an
need to the testimony of the unbissed
respectable citizens who appeared in
scores and testified to my efficiency and
honesty.
Again, l challenge him to put his
hnger on the testimony against me that
would convince an unprecedented mind of
my 1nefficieney. Again | challenge hin.
to contradict or impeach the numerous
high-toned witnesses that spoke in my
behalf. Furthermore, commissioner
Weatherly says that the evidence ana
my own testimony showed that | hadn
the proper conception of the relations
my office should. bear to certain classes
whose mode of life or occupation might
render them liable to arrest and prose-
cution for violations of the muncinal
laws; that he believed that my business
transactions and dealings with certain
people set vicious precedent, full of
danger, and had a tendency to tie the
hands and duh sthe keen edge of desire
for suppression of certain offenses.
Dares Them to Produce 1t
Commissioner Ward speaks of my
ability to infuse into the force under ME.
ana the underworld, a disposltian to cre-
ate anarchy and strife and thuggery.sl.et
them point to a single iota of reputable
direct testimony that would establish the
assertion of either. | dare them to do
it, and l ask them when scanning with
severest scrutiny my conduct touching
certain classes to- which they seem SO
anxious to refer, how they would hoe K,
l. that scrutiny were applied to theri
and to their relations: with these satre
classes. If they will point to any direct
reputable testimony that connects me
with these classes, i will accept it as
an invitation to drag the skeletons from
their closets and exhibit them to the pub
lie. We We're on the verge of dis.
closure that might have been interesting
to the curious public at one time dur
ing this trial, but to save one of thes,
commissioners from the shame and dis-
grace 1t would bring upon him, | in
terposed in his behalf, and my reward
from him is that | am accused by him
of arousing the underworld through the
department under me to create anarchy
in the city. Pull up the curtain. turn
on the searchlight, and let the public
see how they will look compared with
me. GEORGE II. BODEJ<Eta ;,
EychauCe nirorfOrc 70 Mox