The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-04-13
DE BARDELEBEN's STATEMENT

After reclt1ng the language used by MT. Denson the statement over the signature of Mir. DeBardeleben pro- ceeds:
 We have no desire to discuss Mir. Denson in the newspapers. We are in no way connected with and do not intend to be brought into the crim- inal charges against him.
 "We do not propose, however, to let his false statements printed in the | papers pass unchallehged. The state- ment that the Alabama Fuel and Iron company, or any member of the firm | of Percy, Benners & Burr, or any em- ploye of said company or firm, had anything to do with the warrant or arrest of Mir. Denson is absolutely false The first information we had | of this matter came from rumor l on the street that he was in jail and | the first details that we knew of the | charges against him we learned from 1 the newspapers.
 i .sThe statement made by Mir Dem 1 son that the Alabama Fuel and Iron | company received $40,000 insurance growing out of the explosion referred | to and that they settled the claims for | s20. .000 and made a profit of $20,0o0 1 off of the widows and orphans in this | transaction is deliberate and ma I licious falsehood In 1913 an explosion | occurred at the Acton mine of the l Alabama Fuel and Iron company. which was caused, as reported both 1 by the state and federal investigators i who investigated the explosion, by a windy shot.
 "The company was under no legal i liability, but desired. as far as it could to assist the families of those I who were killed at that time. The l cor,papv at this time had fp-
 demnity policy, the maximum of which was $10.000. The insurance company | turned over to the company the $l0,- 1 GOO under this policy and this repre- l sented the total amount of insurance
 received by it. To this $10,000 the
 company added sS6, ,2ss.27 and with this amount settled all of the cases. mak- l ing the settlements. not with attorneys 1 on basis of 50 per cent to the at l torney, but direct with the families l of the deceased employees.
 CONNECTION WITH CASE
 Tn the case referred to as pending I in the circuit court of Shelby county < settlement was made directly with the 1 father and mother of one of the min-
 CTS who was killed at s2000, and the present proceeding is being prosecut- ed by Mir Denson for the purpose of attempting to enforce . lien against
 
 the company for a fee for himself on a contract which he claims to have had with the father as administrator of the boy under the terms of which Denson was to receive 50 per cent of the recov- 1 cry or settlement. We have no desire to discuss in a newspaper the facts 1 in reference to the explosion as we are not Tn the habit of trying our :, cases that way. The facts will be dis closed by the evidence on the trial The statement. however, that we have endeavored to prevent Dcnson's appearance in the trial of this case by having him interned is deliberate and i malicious falsehood. This case was I tried once and resulted in a verdict for the defendant It was reversed and re- manded for new trial by the supreme l court It was set for trial at the last I term of court and the defendant wa. present with it's witnesses and attor- neys The plair tiff secured con I tinuance on account of his sickness. Wt have no desire to prevent Mfr. Denson',
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