The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-09-05
JUDGE H. P. HELM
DELIVERS CHARGE
TO GRAND JURY
Charge Featured by Alb
sence of ''Bull' and POliti-
cal Exigencies-GeO. M.
Reynolds Is Foreman

Judge Harrington P. Heflin opened the
fall term of the criminal court yester-
day morning with conservative charge
tn the grand jury, the outstanding feature
Of which was that he recommended a
/ thorough investigation of the treatment
| Of the state convicts worked in Jefferson
| county, also of the county convicts and of
the conditions in the county Jail. George
| D. Reynolds, a merchant, was chosen
| foreman of the grand jury.
| The charge of Judge Heflin confined
| itself to the regular routine duties of the
grand jury. He emphasized the fact that
the inquisitorial body should look into
the evil of carrying conceal weapons,
the use of electric headlights on rail-
roads, automobile speeding, pooling to
fix prices of commodities. corporations
contributing to campaign funds and also
to review the accounts and books of all
the county officers and to see that these
officials did their required duties in an
| efficient manner.
| Following is the September grand jury
charged by Judge Heflin yesterday:
George ID. Reynolds, precinct 81,
merchant; Emery Simpson, 33,
| clerk; Ossian l.. Drake, Jr., II,
secretary and treasurer, Smith
| CuIiom, Sr., II, real estate; Cleve-
land Gilbert, II, farmer; w. Earl
| Hargrove, "a, freight clerk; John
| Hawkins, 2, merchants Thomas p.
| Hodges, 81, operator; Frank f.
| Jones, Fl, clerk; VIII d. Scott. IL,
| saw miller; Charles A. Lovett, o,
clerk, Amado Reeves, Fl, book
keeper Gray Robertson, z, farm
| er; j. Harry Linden, IL, eIectri-
| elan; NJ. Turner Gilchrist. 81, con-
| tractor; William S. Blackwell. so,
| timber contractor; Albert ID. Dom
| ONan, Fl, floor manager; James A.
| Curl, 80, clerk.
| Immediately after the grand jury had
been charged Solicitor Hugo L. Black
assumed charge and announced that
William H. Batson, would be bailiff and
| Morris S. Allen stenographer of the
jury took recess until this morning,
! Immediately after the preliminary. or
ganization had been completed. y
| A heavy docket awaits the investiga-
ton of the grand jury. AT least $50 wit
nesses will appear at the daily hearings
| lHrouSHout the REMAINDER OIL tne Weeh
and numerous indictments are expected.
However. according to Solicitor Black
nothing of sensa tional nature is antici-
pated, as the majority of the4cases to be
investigated are of the routine violations
of the various state statutes
! One Of the first cases to be taken up
by the grand jury will be that of James
\ B. Houston, formerly treasurer and city
clerk of Bessemer, who confessed last
week to diverting the funds of that mu-
nicipality to the extent of about $4,000.
Mr.. Houston, who is now a prisoner in
| the county jail, is anxious to be indicted
| and to appear before the bar of justice in
order to begin to expiate the penalty OF
| his offense. He stated last week that
he would plead guilty. .
| With the opening of the criminal
| courts the courthouse assumed an air OF
| unprecedented activity, as there was an
especially large venire of jurymen to be
| organized for the week.