Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-01-04
3 defective HEADS
!: SHOULD Be FIRED
+. GRAND JURY SAYS
Incompetence or Guilt of
Connivance With Criminals
+: Is Charged to Trio by
] Jurors

Recommending the removal Of
the "three officers at the head Of
the Atlanta detective department"
and possible reorganization of the
entire police department with
view to obtaining greater eff
cheney, the Fulton county grand
: Jury, serving during the Novem-
Der term of the superior court,
On Monday returned presentments
of the most sensational character.
"They are either incompetent
or guilty of connivance with the
criminals declares the grand
jury in referring to the three Of
'ficers.
Chief of Police James L. Beav-
u ers is specifically exonerated of
all connection with any alleged
syndicate of criminals and the
grand jury takes occasion to de-
clare that nothing has been devel-
oped to reflect on his character or
faithfulness. The police depart
ment as a whole is not attacked
in the presentments, although the
detective department is the target
for the severest kind of criticism.
The recommendation is made,
however, that Chief Beavers be
made chief. of police in fact as
well as in name, and that the de-
partment should be so altered as
to give him absolute authority
and be held strictly accountable
for the work of each unit.
The entire presentments are
taken up with a recital of evil
dence brought before the grand
jury during the probe of gam
i, bling, wire-taping, fake horse
race operations and similar forms
of crime. The alleged history of
the growth of this class of crime
in Atlanta is divulged in consid-
cradle detail, with descriptions of
various alleged gambling houses,
a headquarters" of the gamblers,
and the methods of their opera
tions.
Going back to the alleged in
ception of the so-called gambling
syndicate" in Atlanta, the pre-
sentiments say:
Text of Fresentments
During the past three of four
years, there has been within the~eity
Oh Atlanta an organized body of
criminals who have systematically,
and apparently without interference
on the part. of the detective depart
ment of Atlanta, exploited all kinds
of schemes and devices for robbing
men. (This has been shown to this
grand jury to be fact by the tes-
+;mony of many witnesses). Begin
ming with a syndicate which controll-
ed local gambling and gamblers.
cate, which has made it possible D
control not only local gamblers and
their haunts but has brought - our
city many of the worst criminals +
America to ply their nefarious prac-
tices. One victim of these imported
criminals isappeared-rcver 20 be
heard of again; one victim has COM
nlitted suicide, or met with foul
play, and one has been killed D!
fellow criminal in our city; and yet
the detective department of Atlanta
has apparently never discovered the
desperate character of this -Arge
body of crooks, nor their presence in
our community.
1--WE have the names of some of
these criminals who have been oOe~
ating in Atlanta at different times
whose records and photographs are
obtainable from well organized police
or detective departments in this
country. Some of these crooks I; We
records as murderers-one of them is
reported to have killed twelve men
and himself recently been killed by
one of his pals.
"a brief sketch of the organiza ton
and leadership of this gang of
crooks may prove illuminating.
at will be recalled that about four
years ago there was a so-called car
nival held in Atlanta, on Marietta
street. The carnival, it seems, was
the cloak under which a large body
of well organized crooks engaged in
what is known as sure thing gam
bling. How this body of crooks Sc
cured permission from the city of
Atlanta we 90 not know, but the ap-
parent ease with which they secured
their concessions evidently created
in their minds the impression that
make Atlanta the future headqu&r-
tiers of this class of crooks and heir
business.
"Soon there appeared one Mark
Tillery, who looked the ground over
and came to the conclusion that he
saw, a fine opening for his vario-'s
2 gambling enterprises. One Of the
first things he inaugurated in connec-
ton with other crooked devices was
the 'pa1-off' game. Accompany
Mark Tillery were other crooks, all
wide rangers in this field of ~nd2"N-
or. This combination, with some 10
cal help, was successful in robbiHg
q number of victims.
= I,;, 4
son, it seems that Mark Tillery lost
lis connection, and the store was
"sure Thing Gambler"
"About this time there was
young man in Atlanta by the name OF
Floyd woodward, who was known as
q sure thing gambler, using a Varle-
ty of schemes and devices in his bus
mess, with the result that his victims
never had chance to win. THIS
the idea that he could conduct the
spay-off'' game without the aid Of
outsiders and Immediately began to
lay plans to this end, with the re-
endangered and he withdrew.
'Floyd Woodward then took charge
of the gambling interests of the city,
including the ,pay-off' game. Wit. With
crooked spirits aiding him. In the
meantime, Mark Tillery beat a hasty
retreat from his Atlanta haunts,
nnder threats that were significant
of Woodward's rise to power and po-
tential Influence.
s'With the pay-off' game Mn his
hands, Woodwards ambition reached
out for a monopoly of all the gam
bling enterprises in Atlanta, includ-
ing dice games, poker games, crap
games and handbooks on the races,
together with an interest in the illicit
liauor and narcotic business Of the
city. Having pursued this crooked
career for some time with apparent
Immunity, Floyd Woodward reached
the conclusion that it was safe for
q E;s nr:AnISal hIIs q asS