The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-01-01
Reviews Crime Conditions
and Police Activity Dur
ing Past Twenty Years
ONLY AN "OFFICIAL"
ENEMY OF BODEkER
Says Law Enforcement Under COM
mission Government Has Not
Been Very Good"-Tells of
His Political Campaigns

A resumption OF his story OF conl--
tions In Birmingham by Connie Austin
and his remedy for them and cross-eN-
animation of Mr.. Austin by Capt. Frank
White attorney for Police Chief Bode-
lSer. occupied almost the entire day in
the police probe yesterday. Testimony
was interrupted at 1 o'clock by the at
tack upon George Ward. president of
the city commission, and little was taken
thereafter At o'clock the hearing adj
journed until 10 o'clock Friday morning.
Mr. Austin denied upon cross-examina-
ton that when he was BodelSer's oppo-
nent in the campaign for police chief
some time ago Bodeker stated in Aus
tins presence in a speech at Woodlawn
that his opponent. through his paper
had told 'an Infamous lie He admitted
to Captain White that there were many
gamblers he had not arrested during his
term of office as chief of police, and
many houses of i'll repute which he had
not broken UP during his term.
Weatherly's limitations
During the testimony some remar s
made by Commissioner Weatherly left
the impression that before long the city
commission contemplates some further
action in regard to a segregated district
During his cross-examination Mr. Aus
tin stated that the enforcement of law
under commission government had mot
been very good" that it was as good
as under some former mayors and not
as good as under some other forme'
mayors.
He alleged that during the recent po-
lice chiefs convention in Birmingham
notorious gamblers and blind tiger keep
ers were on the reception committee.
Mr. Austin resumed his story, which
had been interrupted by adjournment
Tuesday evening. Witness stated that he
had discussed with BodeSer note OF
Bodeker's indorsed by e. IL. Hickman,
that at another time he had warned Bod
eker that If he didn't do his duty he
(witness) would get after him. just
as hard as he had got after Ware that
Mrs. Wilson Searight had been placed
in charge of a newly created city well
fare department on account of growth of
white slavery in Birmingham that Mrs.
Searight could accomplish wonders If she
received cooperation of police depart
ment that hotels and rooming houses
which were houses of i'll repute and in
which were led astray the girls for whom
the city welfare department was cro-
ated, were many and in all parts of the
city at present.
Bought Dope at Drug Store
Witness stated that he bought dope"
from drug stores in all parts of the city
and that dope eaters and users were
a conspicuous set of criminals in BIr-
IL tYrax In1 FnnA
house near Mount Pinson and that joy
riders would drive around town and then
go to the road house; that Patrolman
Bob Waldrop had told witness Bodel.er
kept reserves at station one whole day
because he (witness) had been seen on
streets with a little pick in his hand ana
the report was circulated he was going
to raid blind tigers; that after Patrol
man Disheroon was discharged from po-
lice force he (Disheroon) knocked Bod
eker; that Disheroon was soon put back
on force; that other discharged police
men who knocked Bodeker were SINH
larly reinstated: that during police chefs
convention in 1910 Billie Corning. Johnny
Collins and Joe Frank wore reception
badges of the convention as members of
the reception committee; that Corning
and Frank are notorious gamblers and
that Collins was a notorious blind tiger
keeper: that he undertook to aid Mr.
Wheeler of Oklahoma City to get mis-
CWheelers) daughter away from Mrs.
Wheeler, whose reputation was bad; that
he (witness) intended to go to police but
the little Wheeler girl said Officer Pat
ton of the humane department and Off
GERS Warren and Daley were friends
of her mama" so he was afraid to put
the matter in hands of police.
Not Reported to Bodeker
IL,
he had not reported Wheeler matter to
Chief Bodeker and witness stated he did
not do so because he had no confidence
in Bodeker.
Captain White took witness. who stated
he did not take Wheeler matter to Sher-
iff McAdory, although he thought sheriff
an upright and efficient officer of the
law: that he didn't take matter to cont
mission. although they were here; that
he was deadly enemy of Bodeker only
'officially:" that he did not recall that
Bodeker in speech at Woodlawn in Aus
tins presence when Austin was his op-
ponent had said: His (Bodeker's) oppon-
ent had published in his paper an in
famous lie:'' that he got out of race right
after that: that there were 40 drunken
men on streets now where in prohibition
times there were two: that there are twice
as many homicides now as there We're
in prohibition time; that crime under
regime of saloons has increased 30 per
cent: that by crime lie meant all lawle5s
acts, small and great; that abolition of
segregated district Increased number of
houses Of i'll repute in all parts of city;
that he did not know of any of proprie-
tors of segregated district who mad lett
town since district had been abolished.
Wsatherly Interrupts
Mr. Weathsrly here interrupted: "Tnat
is a very interesting proposition. he said
"it will have to be solved some time !
reckon-at least take another stab at it
at any rate. Mr.. Austin, what is your
opinion of a segregated district?' MIR
Austin stated that 'it would go or for
ever," he reckoned, and that If it was
run without use of liquor laws could De
inforced. Witness later stated probably
best way to get rid of evil would be to
abolish segregated district and then run
houses of i'll repute out Of residence dis
tricts and thus reduce evil to a mini
num-" that 1t was harder to run bad
women out of hotels than out of residence
district; that while he (witness) was chief
of police Burton hotel, Gaiety hotel,
Metropolitan hotel Eagle hotel were
places of i'll repute; that he did not know
If Twenty first Street hotel, Wilson build
ing or Stag hotel were houses of Ill re-
pute: that Mayors Drennen. Ward.
O'Brien and Exum had held offices during
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