The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-05-05
SHERIFF BATSON|S GIVEN OVATION ON
 HIS RETURN HOME Crowds Meet Him at Station and Have Rally at Court house-Claim Charges
 Result of Politics

When Thomas J. Batson, sheriff or
 yesterday by the supreme court at
 Montgomery of the charges brought
 against him arising from the recent
 escapes from the county jail, stepped
 from the train last night at the Louis
 vile and Nashville station, he was met
 by large and enthusiastic crowd or
 citizens of Jefferson county With
 cheers and hurrahs.
 As the train rolled into the station the band of Birmingham Council No. 21, Order of United American Mechan- ics, struck up Dixie" and as MT. Bat son alighted from the train, he was seized and placed upon the shoulders of the cheering crowd and carried to a waiting automo bile in which he was placed The crowd, preceded by the band and two large United States flags, then proceeded to the courthouse where there were cries of speech, speech, tell us about it. Tom"
 MT. Batson was placed upon the steps of the courthouse and in re- sponse to the urging of those assem bled, said, with great feeling Ladies and gentlemen and fellow citizens or Jefferson county, l hardly know what to say to express my appreciation or this demonstration. It was entirely unexpected as my whole thought was to get home and tell my wife and children that I had been vindicated and purged of the charges against me; no one knows what I have been through during the past 46 days, not from any feeling of guilt on my part, for l have been strengthened by the knowledge that there was no culpability in my heart but because of the unJustness of the whole thing.
 WILL NOT VIOLATE TRUST q am not speech maker, but my heart is full of love and affection for Jefferson county and her citizens. We have the banner county of Alabama and 1 love her industries. her hills and her people. l have lived here for 57 years and by the grace of God. expect to live here 57 years more. am glad of this opportunity to express my appreciation to my friends and tho citizens of this county for the faith they have had IF me and to assure them that it will not be misplaced in the future as it has not in the past. q have come back with the determi- = nation to be a better man, a better cit izen and a better sheriff. My heart is too full for me to say more, but l desire to say in conclusion again, that I am deeply touched by this demon- stration of faith and loyalty on your part"
 Cries of three cheers for Tom Bat son." were followed by wave of cheering.
 Borden Burr. counsel for MT. Batson in the impeachment proceedings was called for and said: "Mr friends. I am too tired to speak much tonight. We have been under a great strain dowp in Montgomery this week. have defended men or trial for their lives and I have defended mems property. in lesser degree. but never did I feel the responsibility of my position as much as when l was defending this honest mans character from assassi- nation at the hands of disappointed politicians.
 Thomas J. Batson was exon erated by the highest court in the stat when a band of political enemies at- tempted to take advantage of circum- stances over which Batson had no more control than you had It would almost seem as if the circumstances were manufactured but they could not stand before an honest court and honest facts Thomas J. Batson's vic tory was not halfway or partial. he was acquitted, not by divided court, but by a unanimous verdict and :n less than 20 minutes. and he ought Co be proud of the fact that 57 years of clean. upright honest living in this county contributed so largely to his acquittal.
 DID NOT FILL JAIL
 He has been one of the best sher- ifs Jefferson county has ever had Ha
 has fulfilled the higher functions of
 his office and has endeavored to en- force the law in it's larger sense, not
 by filling the jail with prisoners to make money. but by means of vigor- ous solicitors office and a widely aroused public sense of law and order to prevent crime. They endeavored to impeach him by the testimony of male factors who have been pardoned or to whom pardons have been promised but it fell like the chaff before the wind"
 Ellis Brown. well known attorney said that MT. Batson's vindication> wa a, great victory for law enforcement in this county and that in a converse tion with Chief Justice John c. Andcr- son of the supreme court yesterday afternoon. the latter said that h. wished all the citizens of Jefferson county were as good as Thomas J. Batson.
 Mir. Brown was followed hv RodericiS Beddow. who said that the supreme court of Alamaba had yesterday x consti- tuted themselves grave diggers and | had 1ng a lonE deem trench for fh+