The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-05-19
Answers Card of Charles M. Allen in Last Mondays
 Age-Herald
DEMANDS THAT HE.
 BE MORE SPECIFIC
Defies Contractor to Show Instance Where Brick Masons' Union Has Countenanced or Been Charged
 With Any Violence

C. O. Jacobs. memner oi tue e"t'
 ners jury which investigated the
 Steel-Smlth wall disaster. fixing the
 blame for the disaster on Harry D.
 wheelock. George Ward. c. NJ. Allen
 and W. O. Matthews, yesterday repied
 to the communication of Mir. Allen pup
 ushed in Mondays Age Herald. MT
 Jacobs letter to The Age-Herald fol-
 lows
 Mir. Jacobs Letter To the Editor of The Age Herald:
 Dear Sir-1 am inolosing reply to the letter of MT. C. NJ, Allen. which appeared in your issue of May l7 and trust this letter may be given equal prominence with the letter of Mir. Allen
 On May was served with summons to serve as juror on the coroner's jury to investigate the falling of the Steele Smith wall. and if the evidence justified to fix the responsibility for same. This unpleasant duty came unsolicited and would have been glad if could have evaded service but such was not to be- I was selected as a citizen of Jefferson county and not as q representative or organized labor.
 l have been a resident of this city since 190l and a taxpaying citizen since 1904. During these years I have made many friends in this city and county, and l am glad to say that l number my friends not only among the working people, but among the professional and business peo- pie of this community; and it is to these friends and all other unbiased citizens that l am willing to leave the judgment of the truth or falsity of MT. Aliens in- situations.
 wish to correct MT. Allen in his state ment that l am an ex-official of the Brcklayers' union; l am an official of this unon and am proud to say that during my membership in the Brickayers' Inter- national union No. l of Alabama I have served two and one-half years as eorre- spending secretarys and am now serving my fifth year as financial secretary, My duties in this capacity are to keep an ac-. curate account of the indebtedness of the members collect all money due the union. and pay the same to the treasurer. believe MT. Allen knows that no officer or member is assigned the duty to blame, indict and convict, and if necessary de- stroy all men and their property under any circumstanees. The local union would not .countenance any such proceedings and our international would take our charter before they would allow representative of their organization to employ such un- derhand methods. As worlxlngmen we have our opinions as to what are just and proper conditions under which to work. As contractor MT. Allen has the same right to his opinion as to working condi- tions As workingmen we are law-ahiding and in many instances tax-paying citi- zens
 Challenges Allen to Be Specific
 challenge MT. Allen to show one in stance where property has been destroyed or lives lost by an act of lawlessness committed by any member or members of the Bricklayers, Masons and Plasters International Union of America
 I wish to state the coroners jury was composed of two business men, two car penters and two bricklayers. Four oe these men by virtue of years of training and experience were qualified to a six ques- tions which would bring out true facts and conditions of a wall of this height and length and it's ability to withstand stresses of any nature which might be exerted against it. Of these six men on the Jury two are identified with organized labor and one at least has worked all his life with morganlzed labor and if the two business men were ever identi- fled with organized labor 1t is a matter for them to state.
 l went on this jury without a Knowledge of the names of four of thes emembers, and yet MT. Allen would have the peo- pie of Birmingham believe that after four days sitting was able to dictate ] to the other five members of the jury. and all older men than myself just what kind of a verdict We should bring in.
 The witnesses consisted of eyewitnesses, expert witnesses. the three commissioners. MT Leedy, and those having in charge 'the tearing down and making the walls safe after the fire and two men who were appointed to examine and report on the condition of the wall after the wall fell. Of the many witnesses examined two are identified with organized labor, and three were employers of nonunfon or open-shop labor I cannot say what the inclinations of all the others were but am satisfied in saying they were just and honest in their answers. Each wit ress ~Gs allowed to tell his version -of the calamity. and then the coroner or'any member of the jury would ask questions, in order that complete knowledge might be haf of the case.
 One witness stated that there was
  "biown up or blown down" and in re- ply to a question as to what he meant, he stated that 1t had been rumored the wall was blown up. When asked for something definite he replied 1t was mere ly rumoS. Mr, Wheelock, in reply to a questicH propounded by me, stated that the day after the wall fell he saw noth- ing to indicate that the wall was blown up.
 All Testified Wall Was Safe
 All testimony regarding the safety of the wall, given by men who from ex- perience and training should know. was of the same charaeter--that it was un- safe could write great deal more along the line of the testimony. but I feel satisfied the general public. and the unbiased people are satisfied. The only people who could be held responsible were the ones who were entrusted with the work of making the walls safe
 There has been a grave, general charge made by MT. Allen, and 1 demand that he be more specific and enlighten the pub lie with facts, and not vague r1mors and insnuations. It is his duty as a citizen to place this matter in the hands of the grand jury, and let them sift this matter to the bottom. and bring out all the facts in the case. Whenever called upon to take the stand I will do so, and tell what ever I can regarding the falling of the wall.
 It does not take man of even average intelligence to know that If that wall had been 'blown up,' there would have been a report and coirussion that would have been heard and felt for considerable dis- tance This report would have been so k<..t