The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1919-03-18
OFFICIALS INTERVIEWED

mako no statement on the action of
the commission yesterday. Chief Shlr-
lev could not be seen for an inter-
view Commissioners Hornady ana
Burruss stated the case as they saw II.
Chief of Detectives George Lyons made
a statement Dr. N A. Barrett and
Commissioner of Police J. H. Taylor
are both out of the city.
Officers E. p. Jones and w. F. Lee
were yesterday morning reinstated by
the city commission. following an in
yestigation by that body into their con-
duct in arresting John Bradley. young
attorney, Thursday night, last
Commissioners Hornady, president
pro tenn of the commission; Burruss and
Brown composed the jury. and their
finding was that the officers had acted
under instructions from their superior
officers had followed a custom which
had been in vogue for a NUMBER OF
years. and that though they had made
the arrest without a search warrant.
they did as they had been instructed
to do and that they should not bear
the blame for it, in view of the order
coming from the head of their depart
ment.
Mr.. Bradley was represented by At
torney Simpson and himself, While VI
ficers Jones and Lee were represented
by Attorneys Altman and Roderick BED l.
dow. Mr.. Bradley told his story OF the
arrest on Thursday night, last and
il tailed with the statement he issued,
which was printed in The Age-Herald
Sunday morning.
OFFICERS TESTIMONY
Officers ]. F. McGill. e. NJ Malone,
Richardson, Lee and Jones all were
placed on the stand. Chief L. j. shir .
lev of the police department and Chlet
of Detectives George Lyons also testi-
fed They all stated that it had been
the custom to go out and get the liquor,
| raiding or searching anywhere that
| they believed there was any liquor, ana
| that they had made these searches al
! most invariably without warrant.
| They stated that it was a custom with
| the department to practice such pro-
| cedure in enforcing the prohipilioii
| law.
| The only new phase of the testimony
| brought out was the statement OF Or
\ fcers Jones and Lee that Mr.. Bradley
said: mo damned thieves can search
! this car without a search warrant 10
| this statement Officer Lee testlhed that
he had replied, Don't get hard, young
man, we can go down to the station and
get search warrant" Mr.. Bradley
| then told the officers who he was, ac-
fcording to their testimony, where he
| was going, what the contents OF his
car was, but they stated they did not
! believe his statement and took him to
| the station, one riding on each side OF
| the truck on the running board, as
Mr. Bradley. had testified.
Chief of Detectives Lyons stated thas
| the men were following out instructions
which had been given to enforce the
law to the limit, and that he had given
them such instructions. and that they
were not guilty Of any misconduct In his
opinion He also stated that both of the
officers had splendid records.
officer McGill stated that since the
purity squad had been operating, for
nine years, he had stopped the cars OF
many prominent people, and that where
he found no liquor the people invariably
] submitted to the search without an;
| trouble, and that when he had found IL
| quor which he had done in many cases
the people always became angry.