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

~ protested against such a statement
being made concerning the many prom
inent men who had testified to ii.
Dan A. Hogan
Dan a.. Hogan, formerly alderman,
stated he had lived here 30 years; that he
| was conVersant with enforcement of law
during those 30 years; that criminal con-
ditions were better in past few years
| than ever before that he had known
Bodeker all his life and thought he was
| a good detective and an honest man;
that as a police chief he thought Bodeker
! one of the best: that he did not believe
Bodeker a CRATER that newspapers and
grand Juries made conditions out bad but
always had done so; that he regarded 1918
/ record of police department very good.
| Witness told of an incident in which
| Bodeker caught thief who robbed witness
! store and recovered stolen goods.
E. d. Smith
E. d. Smith, well known attorney, stated
he had lived in city since 1891; that he
| had been city attorney for several years:
that he did not consider criminal cond-
| tions worse in Birmingham in past year
| or two than any time previous; that he
aid not believe vagrancy. gambling or
! bawdYhouse conditions any worse now
than in times past; that he thought con-
| Nlctlons more important than arrests; that
| he thought Bodeker an efficient and cour-
! ageous man and he had no reason TO
doubt his honesty. Witness stated ordi-
nances he had had enacted into city
code, some of which were contained in
/ ''the yellow affidavit" he considered good
weapons for the police to use in raiding
| gambling houses that there was much
| difficulty in getting convictions in higher
courts because Officers would forget de-
tails of their evidence before appeal case
came to trial; that a stenographic report
\ of cases in police court would be big aid
| IN prosecuting appealed cases: that it
was very hard to convict gambler OF
Vagrancy; that the sections he referred to
, as effective against gamblers and which
| he had placed in city code would not be
| effective If gamblers took down barred
doors and electric buzzs or fixed matters
so that buzzes could not be found.
Judge F. o. Harris
Judge T. o. Harvis stated he had lived
| here q years and was judge of the in
| ferior court at Ensley; that he did not |
| believe general criminal conditions were
worse now than in previous years; tina [
| Bodeker was an honest, efficient and
capable officer and a citizen of high
| standing and character; that his knowl- |
| edge of conditions applied more to Ems !
| ley than Greater Birmingham.
Frank o. CrOy
| Frank o. Croy. state commander of |
| hcdDeeS, stated lie tnOuBnI BOueKef an |
| efficient chief. an honest man and a |
good citizen; that he did not believe Bodc-
ker would take any graft money; that |
| he considered criminal conditions good |
as could be expected; that they We're no |
worse than in past years.
J. E. Shelby
| j. e. Shelby, president of the Board |
of Trade and of the Cable Shelby Burton |
Piano company, stated he had lived here
since 1902; that conditions were not as
| bad as regards crime now as in past; that .
| lie regarded Bodeker as one OF most ef- |
| ficient chiefs in the country; that Bode- |
! ker's record with small force was re- |
| markable; that he did not believe BodeIer |
| was a CRATER; that fully 75 per cent of |
business men of city regard Bodekers |
work as most highly satisfactory; that he |
believed Bodelker honest; that Bodeler |
was feared by criminals all over the |
country, that record of police force last |
year speaks very highly for efficiency of |
police force; that there were bad conG-
tions ON Second avenue from Florence |
corner down to witness store; that wit |
ness mentioned this to Bodeber and it |
was Immediately remedied; that there has |
been gradual improvement in law and |
order conditions in last four five years; |
| that conviCts were dumped in here and |
made conditions bad; that business men |
| generally were very tired Of police probe; |
that there was more or less crime in all I
cities; that Birmingham compared very |
| favorably with Denver in regard to Grim |
| ihal conditions.
X. A. Brown
| r., A. Brown, insurance man, stated |
he had lived here 10 years that he |
considered criminal conditions greatly |
! improved: that he represented a bur-
glary insurance company and had rea-
son to keep in touch with conditions;
| that number of murders presented diff
| ficult problem to police force that one
of his companies did not like to write |
burglary insurance in this city on ac-
count of small police force: that Bod |
eker was honest, was a capable, eff
ficient chief of police; that he did not
believe Bodeker was a CRATER: that |
public generally regarded Bodeker as
| an efficient official and honest man;
that Bodel<er and his force had always
handled state fair crowds with eff |
cheney; that Bodeker kept pickpockets
away from fair gorunds; that pickpo
cts always made a speciality of fairs,
but they were put out of business at |
Birmingham fair. Adjournment was |
taken until o'clock.
Judge w. P. McCrossin
Judge w. P. McCrossin stated he had |
| lived here more than a quarter of a |
century; that conditions in regard to |
crime were improved in last few wears:
that Bodeker is an honest man; that
| Bodeker is an honest and efficient Of
| ficer: that he was recorder in 1898 and |
1894; that first year with population
of 26000 he had 11.000 convictions and
second year he had 900 convictions
White Gibson
White Gibson stated he had been
lawyer in Birmin CHAM 10 years; that
| criminal conditions in Birmingham
were remarkably good in view of cir
cumstances; that officers are up against
hard proposition. that whole state Is |
to blame for crime here: that most of |
murders and crimes We're among ne |
groes that Bodeker is honest and not |
CRATER; that majority of business |
and professional men of city think |
Bodekef good officer; that he heard |
on several occasions that Mr.. Ward had |
made arrangements with Mr.. Estes, Mr. |
Jackson and others to "fire' Bodeker |
that he did not remember exactly who |
said 1t: that Mr.. Ward and witness |
were not exactly friendly but that there !
was no personal enmty; that crime In |
this county did not reflect on any Of |
fetal of the county.
John w. Anderson |
John w. Anderson, advertising man |
ager for Louis Pizitz company, stated |
that he did not believe thereswas more |
crime here now than in years past |
when circumstances and other condi- |
tions were considered: that he thought !
Bodeker honest a good chief and that !
he was esteemed very highly by busi- !
ness men of city.