Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-01-11
CUM Mines
WOULD WHIP
MAYOR ONLY
FOR HIS. AGE
Fire Chief Calls Graft Charges by
Woodward lilies and villifica-
tion"-DecIares Attacks Are In
juring Efficiency Of Department.
"I'm Ready for Any Investigation
by Council, Citizens or Grand
Jury" He Says-Cites His Ex-
oneration at Probe in Defense.

oneration at Probe in Defense.
W. 3. Cummings, chief of the At
lanta fire department, Saturday night
issued a sensational public statement
denouncing bitterly the continued re-
iteration by Mayor Woodward OF
charges of crookedness and graft
against him.
Chief Cummings declares that he
would seek reprisal against the May
or by MASKING his lies fiat in his
mouth, or cowhiding him, but for
Woodward's age He unqualif1edly
applies the epithet liar to his hon.
or
The statement relates the course OF
an investigation made into the con-
duet of Chief Cummings by Coun-
Gil committee, following the first
charges uttered by the Mayor.
The chief tells that he was exon
Grated by unanimous vote of the com
mittee, and that despite this Mayor
Woodward repeats the charges ION
every street corner"
Would Welcome Probe.
He asserts the Mayors tactics have
imperiled the welfare of the depart
ment.
The fire chief is bitter in his analy-
sis of the Mayors personality, de-
claring him vindictive, unfair and
worse.
He makes the offer Of submitting
himself or his department to any ex-
animation Council may exact.
The chiefs statement, in part, fol
lows:
After the investigation and report
of the committee of Council, whereby
| was completely and unanimously
generated of all wrongdoing, l haf
hoped that this persecution and VIII
fiCation of me might cease, but in ms
message to the Council ne reiterated
his charges of graft and continues tt
denounce and villify me on every
street corner
Even those Of the Mayors closes
friends, while admiring some of hi
traits of character that make him
capable public official, most readily
admit that to his political enemie:
he is the most vindictive, unrelentinG
human that ever breathed.
"lnjurine Department"
His groundless attacks are proV1ns
more of an injury to the department
than they are to me, his talks VIII
various firemen. wherein he de
nounced their chief as a crook ant
tO the eff
fciency of the department and has
tendency to destroy that discipline
have striven so hard to maintain.
When the vaporings of a drunken
vagabond Ca man who has since tha
time been discharged from every po-
siton he tried to filD reached Wood
wards ears he seized upon the oppor-
tunity to vent his spleen and an In
yestigation by Council was ordered.
The investigating committee, with
out one dissenting voice, completely
and fully eXonerated me.
The report was UNANIMOUSLY
adopted by Council, the Mayor
promptly vetoed it, and at the mex
meeting of Council the report of the
committee was for the second tim'
unanimously adopted over the veto o
the Mayor
With that report I felt satisfied
and here the matter rested. VIVA
was the result? The Mayor abused
and ridiculed the committee and con
unued in private conversation to re
fer to my official conduct in the viles
terms possible, and in the publi'
Prints to insist upon the truth of hi
charges.
Brands Charges as Lies.
Without any regard as to Whethe'
"a hA nh - mr. rnf
position | hold, | most emphaticall!
and earnestly denounce his charge
as the basest and most cruel lies, In
splred by no other motive than hi
personal hatred of me.
No human being could foreve
stand the abuse of this dirty, willfu
ana conscience-lost old liar Abou
'Ae only recourse left me would be Il
mash his lies fat in his mouth, o
'oWh!de him, as you would any othe
COMMON dangerous cur dog. F'o
adopting such a course with a mai
ot his age l would properly receiv
we Just condemnation of all good cit
liens
3. must be content with branding
INN as a wlllfui, malicious, lyin'
s2oundrel, a deliberate and calculat
ing character assassin, a disgrace ant
humiliation to the great city which h
heads
am willing at any time to sub
.ect myself and this department Il
ue most scrutinizing and exhaustive
animation by any standing com
nHtee of Council; by reputable citt
1enS or by the Grand Jury, and viii
eAlhlt all correspondence and rec
Vwrds, and most cheerfully abide b,
VIZ result of their findings"