Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1920-12-16
BOARD BLAMED FOR
LOWERING MORALE
\ OF ATLANTA FORCE
J. c, Little Tells Investigate
ing Committee That Beav-
ers and Poole Should Have
Free Hand

Blame for lowering the morale OF
the police department was laid di-
rectly at the door of the board of
police commissioners by J. c. Lit
tie, who for two years was mem
Der of the board, in sensational tes-
timony Wednesday morning before
the special committee of council in
Testigating the police and crime in
Atlanta
Besides scoring the policy Of the
police board Mr.. Little charged that
the fee system in vogue in Fulton
county is a curse and causes crime
: TO flourish.
Mr.. Little declared that members
hof the police board ought so have
been impeached for allowing gam
bling games to run at Lakewood
last year. He denounced as pretty
bad the policy of the board of re-
Installing in twenty-nine days men
discharged for drinking. He said
other members Of the force were
! hurt about this. He said the
board used to disgust him by it's ac-
lions. He declared that the morale
of the police would be greatly i'm
proved il Chief Beavers and Chief
Poole had an absolutely free hand
IN running their departments.
City Punished Enough
Referring to the zee system Mr..
Little said that while chairman of
the police committee Of the city
council. and as such an ex-officio
member of the police board, he en-
couraged the practice Of allowing
men caught in gambling raids, where
the evidence was doubtful, to put up
collateral
Frankly, I wanted to get all the
money I could for the city," he said,
s'binding such cases over didn't stop
gambling, the solicitor and other Of
ficials merely got the fees, the coun-
ty didn't punish them any more than
s We did. The officers couldn't get
the cases tried. They would spend
days getting up the evidence, only
to be notified that the cases had been
settled in the state courts. Some
times they would get men sentenced
to the changing and later meet them
on the street. 1 just decided that it
was better for the city to get the
money in forfeited collalerals than
sor county officers to get it in fees"
- Mr.. Little told of one raid on which
he accompanied Lieutenant Shaw.
The officer, he said, risked his life
in catching notorious gambler Mr..
Little said he wanted to send this
man to the Changing, but the case
was settled by the court for a fine.
Mr.. Little said he raised cain" and
that Judge Calhoun reopened the
case and when 1t was tried the man
was sent to the gang.
Favors impeachment
Mr.. Little formerly was a member
Of the city council and was chairman
of the police committee of council.
In that capacity he was an ex-officio
member of the board of police COM
missioners. Besides attending all the
board meetings. he was much inter
ested in the police, and visited the
etationhouse often and frequently
went on raids with the detectives
He began his testimony by stating
ing's statement to the committee
Tuesday that the board of police
commissioners allowed games of
chance to run at the fair grounds
in 1919.
There never was an official meet
1ng of the board of police commits
sioners on that matter" he said.
"Lieutenant Shaw had gone to Lake
wood under orders from Chief Poole.
and had put the lid on gambling. The
next day the fair association had in
\ dividual members of the police COM
mission at Lakewood to a dinner.
Members of council were there. too.
They held an impromptu meeting on
the midway and gave permission for
the games to run. think they Ought
to have been impeached, and I still
think so.
"Chief Poole was thoroughly dis
gusted. I was mad. but there were
no minutes of the meeting and ]
couldn't get them on record or else
yku would have heard about this long
ago."
Got Slid Off"
1--WE studiously avoided having you
present at that meeting, didn't we?'
inquired Attorney Aldine Chambers
smillng.
you did," said Mr.. Little, also
smiling.
"Was the dinner given to get the
lid Off" asked member Of the com.
mittee. y
az think it was; l couldn't swear
to it," said Mr.. Little.
cit was" laughed Mr.. Chambers
"and it got the lid off,
Comparing the Lakewood games t.
crap games, Mr.. Little said tina
neither ought to run, but if either
could it should be the crap games
because they were fairer. Telling
about his experience at police board
meetings Mr.. Little said that h
Mad always voted to fire" Off
GERS for misconduct and drunkenness
Disclaiming any intention to reflec
on the board or it's members h
said the policy of the board in sucl
cases was pretty bad.
Under the law said Mr.. Little
"a man discharged from the fore
can't even apply for reinstatement
for twelve months, but the boar
doesn't pay any attention to thai
They give man only twenty-nin
days suspension. For instance, the
discharge a man for deing drunk
in a short while he applies for re
instatement. Under the law he can
even apply. but the board gets aroun
that by passing a motion to rescin
it's action in discharging man. l.
my opinion that's wrong"
Policy Encouraged Drinking
Mr. Little explained throughout hi
tehtimony that his criticism of tn
board was only his personal opinion
as an individual, and he would g