Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-02-16
REIGN
ST|RS EAST
LANTA
Merchants, at Mercy of Burglars,
Aroused Over the Lack Of
Police Protection.

Merchants and citizens in East At
lanta-particularl the merchants
are thoroughly aroused over the lack
of police protection in that district
as shown in the sixth attack by bur-
glars since Christmas on the Wag-
goner &, Waldrop stores. The last eff
fort was a successful safe blowing
early Sunday morning which netted
the thieves $50.
1t was the Waggoner & Waldrop
Arm members who lay in wait for
thieves at their store near the Atlanta
and West Point Railroad two weeks
ago last Thursday and killed one boy
burglar and wounded another with
heavy bueIsSheIssI0adsqsf gom shot.
gun,
Tho latest attack was on the up
town store in the heart of East At
Ianta.
5Iames Scarcity of Police.
There was nothing to show that
the cracking was spite work or
in revenge for the shooting at our
railroad store" said G. H. Waggoner.
1T was Just a clean job, made easy by
the scarcity of police in this terri
tory. Neighbors heard the explosion
about 1915 Sunday morning. 1t was
nearly ) o'clock when the police dis
covered what had happened and no.
tilted me-"
The cracksmen evidently had plen-
~ Of freedom for their work. They
entered through the front door, pry-
ing out and breaking a glass panel,
right on the sidewalk. The other
door had been broken through the
same way not long before. The safe
was clearly blown, the books being
undisturbed. The cash drawer was
found about two blocks away.
We simply haven't the protec-
ton Mr.. Waggoner stated. 1--WE are
well inside the city limits-both of
our stores-and they've been entered
SIX times since Christmas. That
seems to prove the case
Other Merchants Complain.
e. A, Minor, of the firm of Marbut
a Minor, in East Atlanta, supplied
some more facts on the situation.
u certainly am not knocking Chief
beavers he said Il believe the chief
IS doing his best, but hasn't enough
men to cover the territory. | have
Adlied him up number of times and
put the situation before him, and he
says he will try to help us out, but
al the police protection we have is
TWO men who have a territory of about
Two and one-half by four miles to
cover. If they ran their motorcycles
at TOP speed, and just gave a shake
20 every door they are supposed to
Try II would take them close to three
hours to make one round.
The district these two men are
supposed to guard includes East Aa-
anita, Reynoldstown, Edgewood ano
Druld Hills. | think we should al
The very least have two men to looF
siler East Atlanta and the Belt Line
district adjoining, and have nothing
else to cover
Hire Own Watchmen.
These stores are big ones. There
are eight in this district that have a.
Dig stocks as many on Whitehall Oui
gwh stock runs from $40, 900 to $50, 900
lneh tnere are drug stores and small
establishments. For the last veal
ana more we have employed two mef
10 stay in our store at night anc
shard it-private and expensive pro.
tecllon in place of that the police are
IMPOSED to furnish US"
Inc East Atlanta merchants agree
eldt tneir stores are as much with.
out protection as If no police were
assigned to that district.