Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-01-12
REPLY Of MAYOR
To BE IGNORED
BY CUMMINGS

Politicians were awaiting with m
terest Monday the outcome of threat
to have the Grand Jury investigate
graft charges against Fire Chief Cum
mings made in vitriolic letter signed
by Mayor Woodward. The letter was
Mondays contribution to the Wood
ward Cummings feud which has
ragged at intervals for months.
! 1t was in reply TO the Cummings
attack Of Sunday in which the fire
chief had applied character assas-
sin" and other warm terms to the
Mayor. In language and temper both
letters bear a marked resemblance TO
the interviews given out by the two
men at the time of the Council probe
some months ago, except that botn
are much hotter.
The Mayors attack. EXCEPT for a
yelled threat of Grand Jury lnVes-
| tigation of alleged graft in the fire
| department, has little in it that the
| public has not already heard or read.
Not Afraid Of Probe. Says Chief
81 certainly am not afraid of
Grand Jury investigation or anything
else that Mayor Woodward insti'
| day/after he had read I Mayors
denunciation.
There isn't any reason that
| should fear him or his continued
abuse of everyone Tor wnom ne forms
a dislike. There wasn't anything new
/ in his letter of Monday morning. Elk
| cept for a change of a name here
and there, it almost might have
| passed for any one of his other TRADES
| that have hecoms familiar to the
| public.
IL 1, MI ai t.a6
! that | hardly believe there will be an
| occasion for me to make formal re-
| ply. it was not my intention TO start
| long newspaper controversy that
would disgust everyone in town by
| his abusiveness ! merely wanted ia
make public my opinion and let the
matter rest there. | hardly think
there is anything more for me to say
! or that there is anything in the May
! ors letter demanding reply"
| Mayor Woodward retorts to Cum
mings observation that 1t is only the
, Mayor graying hair and years that
saves aim from the calamity OF
physical chastisement by saying thai
| he never has dealt with Cummings
! personally and does not intend to do
so at this time, his quarrel with the
fire chief being only against his Of
fetal conduct as the head of the fire
department.
Calls Chief "BIackeuard."
The fact that the feud is entirely
impersonal does not prevent the
Mayor from describing the fire chiefs
thinking apparatus as a degenerate
brain" and asserting that the chief
has assumed the plane of a black
| guard, where he properly belongs"
Mayor Woodward pays his compli-
ments to the chiefs veracity by de-
claring that he wouldn't believe him
on oath and that, in fact, he would
much rather believe an informal
statement by Mr. Davidson, Cum
mings' accuser than believe the chief
when solemnly sworn.
Chief Cummings said Monday that
| he had rot had the opportunity to
read the Mayors open letter care
| fully and that he would have no re-
| ply to make until he did.
Here~is the letter in part:
To the People of Atlanta 1t is
! not pleasant at any time to get into
| a newspaper controversy with any
of the heads of departments of the
| city government or to answer any
thing that one might say; but with
the desire that no one should be
| led astray by the billingsgate and
slime that was emitted through the
| newspapers yesterday morning from
the foul mouth and degenerate brain
of Bill Cummings. who dishonorably
! represents the fire department of
this city, it is necessary that |
should say something to the people.
"Hit Cur Yelps."
The words of that well-known
evangelist can be used in this case
| very appropriately-"the hit cur
yelps.' He has yelped; and from the
| character of his yelpings ii is plainly
evident that he has no other means
| of presenting his case.
| Cummings used abusive language
| to Mr.. Davidson when he gave in his
| evidence relative to giving him $500,
| and threat ened prosecution for Ii