The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1919-03-18
Commission Shoulders Blame For Mistake
In Bradley Arrest, Asserting Officers
Acted Upon Instructions From Superiors
CITIZENS INDIGNANT AT
OF SEARCHING
WITHOUTDUE WARRANT

IT'S a d shame" was the caustic
and expressive but almost unanimous
comment of more than 80 well known
local citizens and business men inter-
viewed a random yesterday afternoon by
an Age-Herald representative on the ac-
ton of the city commission in re-instat-
ing the two detectives who were recent
ly suspended for searching John NJ
Bradley's trunk and the personal effects
of his dead father without warrant.
Severe arrangements of the city commits
sion and of the purity squad were voiced
by many and practically all were agreed
that the present system of placing pre-
MUM on arrests for violations of the
liquor laws would rebound to the dis
credit of the administration and of pro-
hbition.
Some predicted that IL the police per-
sisted in their determination to stop and
search the automobiles, valises and bun
dies of law-abiding citizens without legal
process, violence would surely follow. "A
few of those interviewed exonerated the
detectives but laid the blame at the
door of those higher up. 1t might be
stated that a large majority supple
mented their remarks with the declara-
ton that they favored prohibition.
Its very sad state of affairs when the
people of our community are subjected
to the iniquities and embarrassments
such as John Bradley was forced to I'M
dergo,' said Ed Smith, prominent local
attorney commenting on the dismissal OF
the case against Detectives E. p. Jones
and w. F. Lee.
1T doesn't matter whether a person
is the humblest negro in town or the
biggest business man, the detectives have
no right to search him without a swar-
rant.
1.-THE police, above all others, should set
an example by being the most law abd-
ing of people"
TRAVESTY ON JUSTICE
This Bradley affair strikes me as
being an unheard of travesty on JUS
tice," said Henry Jones, the well known
merchant Il never was a radical but l
would certainly ask for an investigation
of police conditions here were L on the
grand jury
Il don't know what we are coming 70
in this town." said Gen. Rivers Carter
I'm in favor of getting at the bottom OF
this thing and finding cut where the
trouble lies"
II believe in law enforcement and pro
hibition," said Pelham Anderson, but If
l had been in John Bradley's place when
they searched his trunk and the effects
of his dead father, l am afraid some vlo-
1euce would have occurred. It's terri
BILE thing when such atrocities as TINS
so unpublished.
This is not the first instance of Its
| kind that has occurred here, SAID " w
| Long "A friend of mine was coming
from over Red Mountain the other day
with his auto full of children and the de-
tectives stopped him, made his wife ana
| children get out of the car and searched
it for whiskey, which of course, they
didn't find Something ought to DE-
| done"
THINKS CHANGE NEEDED
II thought the city commission hac
backbone enough to fire these detectives.
| said Hunter Smith, "and / think IL
! about time we were making change
down at the city hall. OF all the spine