The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-01-08
EXPENSE ACCOUNT
 IS LEGITIMATE FOR THE FIGHT PICTURE
John w. Altman Says Injustice Done Rudolph in the Report of Financial
 Statement

That the expense account In connec- ton with the recent production of the Dempsey Carpenter fight picture in Birmingham was perfectly legiti- mate and above board statement is the claim of John W. Altman in a letter written on the subject yester day.
 Though the gross returns were $4,911.5o, and the city's charity fund share was $40S.47, being one-half of the net profits. MT Altman contends that not only have hundreds of Bir- mingham people been enabled to see q picture which they desired to see. but the city charity fund IS thereby si0S.it greater than it would have been if the picture had not been shown.
 Mr. Altman's letter on the subject is as tcliows
 To the Editor of The Age-Herald:
 In this mornings paper there was a humorist article with reference to the city's share of the proceeds of the fight picture and there was intima- tion at the end that Mir Rudolph had cone something which he should not have done--in other words. that he had cheate4 the city In some way or another-from your article wind ing up with the quotation, Beware of the slick city fellow"
 The fact is that Mir Rudolph Is now in Montgomery and will come back to Birmingham at any time that Com missioner McLendon or4 any f the commissioners want him to for the purpose of taking up any part O. the statement which he rendered them.
 The fact also is that he was kept here for about six weeks on account of Mrs. Wallace, who would not even look at the picture.
 The further fact Is that great many people in Birmingham wanted to see this fight picture, which was not a brutal exhibition by any means, and In order to try to get some of his expenses back Mir. Rudolph offered to the city to give one-half of the proceeds which he received, above his expenses, to the city. so that it should be used for charity purposes.
 The fact further is that the city received s40S.47 and that Is exac actly s40S.47 more than the city would have received had Rudolph never put his foot in Birmingham.
 The further fact Is that all the rest of the money which Is charged up as expenses. with the exception of an infinitesimal amount was spent right here in Birmingham. where The Age Herald and other newspapers and other people had a chance to receive some of it In some way or. other.
 MT. Rudolph had to rent the, Rialto theatre from Messrs. Mudd & Colley, paying. I have forgotten exactly what. but 1t shows on his statement per week for 1t. and above certain amount received paying them 40 per cent of that amount.
 With his check to the city he en- closed an itemized statement and en- closed daily reports that had been used by himself and the theatre peo- pie, and enclosed the original con tract which he had with the theatre people, and furnished the receipte1 bills for all other statements on. the itemization.
 He is notta slick city fellow" but I have found him to De a gentleman who could be trusted In every re- speot and who did exactly what he said he would do, and wao allowed a great many people in the city of Bir- mirgham to see the figh. and to see the preliminary training If these ath- letes, which otherwise they never would have and never could have seen.
 I have written Commissioner Me Lendon letter under the instruc- tions of NIT. Rudolph that Mir. Rudolph will come back to the city of Bir- mingharn at any time on his own ex- pense. which in my judgment he should not be required to do, and will take up with any of the commission or any fair board that the matter might be referred to, any item of his expense account and make 1t entirely and perfectly satisfactory to the city.
 You have done him a great injus- tice In this article. In fact. one of the items of $25 was for press agent. which all theatre people have, and that means paying reporter who works for a newspaper, and who Is supposed to be paid by the newspa- per.
 Please do Mir. Rudolph the justice of publishing this letter in as prom inent a place as you gave the article. which was. in my judgment, and the judgment of all other people. most severe and unwarranted criticism of him. Yours very truly.
 JOHN w ALTMAN