Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1920-12-14
ALLEGED LAKEWOOD
BLACKMA|L CASES
PROBED At HEARING
Rev. J. W, Ham Defends
Police Department - L.
quor Seizures Again Are
Aired

Testimony in regard to alleged
Matchmaking of couples by the po-
lice at Lakewood: statements by DR.
John w. Ham. pastor of the Bap-
fist Tabernacle in regard, to his
ideas of the police probe: and addi-
tional charges of illegal liquor con-
fiscations against Detectives Lon
Terry and o. M. Howell. were fea-
lures of city councils investigation
of the police and detective depart
ments when the special investigating
committee resumed it's sessions al
the city hall Monday morning.
Among the witnesses at the morn
ing session were Policemen c. E.
Ford and T. r. Sewell, who made a
complete denial of the charge that
they had blackmailed people at
Lakewood and declared that. the
charges were inspired by Ill feeling
and jealousy on the part Of w. C.
.Pucqett, the park manager last
spring. Several months ago, the Of
ficers said, Mr.. Pickett threatened to
get" their jobs.
A dozen or more witnesses were
on hand to testify when the session
opened and the room was crowded
with interested spectators Several
times the atmosphere became
charged with tension, as when Chair
man Harvey Hatcher cautioned At
torney Aldine Chambers against
'ragging" certain witnesses. and
again, when Attorney Thomas H.
Goodwin. who represents Clarence
Hart, a bootlegger. accused Mr..
Chambers of threatening the wit
nesses. ..
The latter alteration occurred
when the committee was discussing
summoning Jail prisoners to testify.
WED better get an order from the
court" said Mr.. Chambers, 1--WE may
need some men who are in Jail now
and some who will be in jail"
Mr.. Chambers explained, after Mr..
Goodwin had called this remark a
threat" that he merely meant he
did not know what outcome the in
vestigation might have and that 1t
might result in some arrests and in
dictments.
Testimony Conflicts
The first evidence at the Monday
morning session was in regard to
alleged Matchmaking Of couples at
Lakewood park. At. the session last
week w. C. Pickett. manager of the
park last spring, said he had two of
his employees watch Policemen Ford
and Sewell and that one of these en-
ployes had made an affidavit accus-
ing the officers of blackmail and that
the other employee would testify to
the same thing.
Mr.. Puckett's testimony was de-
MED vigorously by c. H. Camp, for
mer electrician at Lakewood, and the
first witness Monday morning. He
denied that he ever watched Ford
and Sewell. He said Mr.. Pickett
tried to get him to sign an affidavit.
but that he refused to sign and that
if such an affidavit exists, it is a
forgery. Mr.. Camp was required by
the committee to sign his name on
a piece of paper before he was ex-
cused.
His testimony conf1icted with that
of Maurice Lynch, night Waterman
az Lakewood, who testified in regard
tc the same incident. Mr.. Lynch
said that under instructions from Mr..
Pickett, y he watched Officers Ford
and Sewe11. when they accosted cou-
pies in remote. dark corners of the
park. He said he saw the officers
let these couples go, but never saw
any money pass.
"It was too dark to have seen it,
if it happened" he declared. y
Lynch said that he and Camp told
Mr.. Pickett about this occurrence
and Camp read Mr.. Pickett an aft
Gavit. In his testimony Camp Ge-
MED this. Lynch did not know wheth-
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