The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-04-25
COMMISSION MAY HAVE LIVELY TIMES AT T0DAYS SESSION Ward Seems to Be Only Member Who Is Not in
 Bellicose Humor
 
RECORDERS COURT
 IS IN LIMELIGHT
Recent Imposition of Jail Sentences on Prominent Citizens Charged With Speeding May
 Be Aired
By RICHARD F.. LUssIER

Todays commission meeting may pass off quietly-and again, it may. not
 There is an air of expectancy about the city hall which seems to forbode that trouble is expected either today-or at least, sometime this week. Just which particular commissioner is going to kick up a row it is difficult to ascertain, as practically all of them are up in arms about something or other. with the pos sible exception of Mayor Commissioner George B. Ward who refuses to counte- nance anything that savers of a dispute or possible trouble In other words, Mir. Ward is a peace advocate amid as belli- cose a gang of fighting cocks as has ever been gathered together under one roof
 While Commissioner Ward is known to look askance on the fact that Conimis- sioner Arlie Barber the socialist mem Der of the board, sits on the bench with Recorder Henry l.. Anderton, he does not propose to raise a row about it, or, in deed, on the fact that Recorder Anderton is placing jail sentences on the convicted ''speeders'' And again. MT. Ward feels that the commission rule that all bonds must be signed by two or more property owners is just rule, and that it should stand
 JUDGE GREENES CASE
 AS to speeding, Judge Dan A. Greene, who is alleged to be in contempt of court for having written letter to an after noon newspaper last week satirizing the recorders court, is in the limelight. It Is pointed out at the city hall that the court records show that on March 30 Judge Greene was sentenced to pay $26 and to serve 9 days on the city streets upon conviction of a charge of reckless driving. Recorder Anderton. at. the time, offered to suspend the sentence of Judge Greene but the offer was refused, the we'll known jurist electing to appeal to a higher court. It is contended by friends of Recorder Anderton that the fact that Judge Greene himself was a victim of the strict enforcement of the automobile laws may have been the indirect inspira- tion of his letter.
 Then there was Dr. H. F.. Mitchell who was also convicted of speeding and sentenced to pay fine of $25 and to serve 25 days. Dr. Mitchell requested clemency from Commissioner Barber, who is all legged to have answered that he could not do anything, and to have said further that Dr. George Morrow. who was then on trial for the same Charge would also receive the same sentence. This alleged remark of Mir. Barber is aimed most unfortunate by Commissioner Ward.
 Whether or not Arlfe Barber prejudged the case of Dr. Morrow, it is well-known fact that he was sentenced to pay 8 fine of $25 and to serve 25 days for speeding ? Dr. Morrow has appealed to the higher courts.
 CARRYING OUT THE LAW
 As to these sentences of prominent cit izens the commissioners as whole feel that they are justified, and that Recorder Anderton is but following out the law without prejudice and with equal fairness to all
 It is recalled that Mrs. William Kilgore is still patient in local hospital. suf- fering from the injuries that she received when knocked down by an automobile on Eleventh avenue and Sixteenth street, south. Mrs. Kilgore will possibly never recover. but, worst of all. even if she does recover, she has lost the sight of one eye and is otherwise crippled And there are many other cases of men. wom- en and children who have been maimed and killed by automobiles.
 It is a well-known fact that every time an accident happens, there is hue and cry for few days to enforce all speed laws and place the speeders in jail The