Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-04-14
PROBE BY COUNCIL
Of BUNCO SYSTEM
GETS UNDER WAY


has yet resulted from the probe by
plicity or inefficiency on the part of
the police and detective departments
in connection with the operation of
the alleged bunco syndicate against
which Solicitor John A. Boykin has
been leading a crusade.
Wade Lamar, South Carolina farm
er who was on the stand when adj
journment came Tuesday evening".
will be questioned by attorneys for
the defense, and the prosecution will
Holley, two victims whose stories
were not heard Tuesday night
The investigation is taking this
course-Eugene Black, attorney en-
ployed by a citizens committee to as
sist and represent Mr.; IL Bo ySi6snd IS
charging the police with neglect of
duty, incompetence or connivance
with the bunco ring; later, attorneys
for Chief Poole, Lieutenant of Detec-
tives Shaw and Lieutenant Of Detec-
tives Waggoner will bring evidence
in rebuttal.
Attorney Black devoted the first
evening, Monday, to evidence by
which he sought to show the police
Gid not do their duty in prosecuting
Floyd Woodward for killing Ed Mills.
Attorneys for the police countered by
attempting to show the solicitor did
not indict Woodward until two years
after the killing.
Tuesday evening Attorney Black
turned his spotlight in another direc-
ton. He sought to show, by the
tales of the bunco victims, that the
ring operated for two or three years
in Atlanta unmolested by the police,
when the police were aware of what
was going on.
Summary of Testimony
Tie testimony of victims bearing
on this contention might be summed
up as follows:
J. A. Tuition, Alabama farmer, who
was fleeced of $4,000, said he asked
the detectives to help him and they
told him they could do, nothing, that
"go home and make some more
money" Combating this statement,
attorneys for the defense brought
from him the admission that he could
give the detectives no more help than
the alleged name of the man who
W. D. Hill, a Confederate veteran
of Gainesville, Ga, who lost $4,000
to the ring, said he sent a lawyer to
Atlanta who sought Chief Poole's
help. The lawyer spent the day with
Detective starnes. touring hotels hot SIN in
could not be found. The lawyer adj
mitted the detective gave him all
the help that seemed possible at the
time.
who was fleeced of $1,000, did not
report his loss to the police until
he was notified to come to Atlanta
and identity Abe Powers, which he
did. His evidence contained prac-
tically nothing against the police
department.
wade Lamar, South Carolina farm
err, whose friend, NJ. e Holley, was
swindled by the ring, told Iol how A APE
er detectives had told them what
to do in the case. Attorney Black
sought to show that detectives sum-
moned by Lamar and HoIley to the
Piedmont hotel failed to follow them,
as planned, to an arranged meeting
further sought to show that, after
Powers arrest, Lamar and Holley
went with detectives to the West
Peachtree street racing exchange"
but could not find it because, &C
cording to Lamar, the detectives CON
fined their search to the second floor
when the exchange was on the third
Jones and Sims Clash
Judge J. K. Hines, attorney for
Chief Poole, and r. 2. Jones, attor-
ney for Lieutenant Shaw, tried to
make Lamar admit that the third
floor was searched. but he re,
fused to do SO. Attorney Jones did
make him admit that, at the Pied
mont hotel, Lamar and Holley left
by the Peachtree street entrance
when they had told the detectives
they would go to Luckie street. At
torney Jones further got Lamar. to
admit that, in view of the fact that
the bunco men were suspicious, the
advice of the detectives to let Lamar
and Holley lead the way was more
sensible than funny"
The defense sprung something OF
surprise during the testimony OF
Mr.. Davis. He said that the man who
fleeced him was named Douglas, that
Douglas had been indicted, but that
he had never heard of his being ar
rested. Thereupon Attorney Jones
exhibited a demand for trial made
out by Douglas while in the Fulton
county Jail few months ago. Mr..
Davis exhibited some establishment,
admitting that he was in Atlanta at
the time, that he called frequently
at the office Of the solicitor, but
that he didn't know Of Douglass ar
rest and had never been called upon
to identify Douglas.