The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-09-12
CITY FATHERS HEAR PROTEST
 ON X CHARGES
(Continued From Page onc)


 in question, and commenting on the several paragraphs as he read. In part, MT. Cloe said
 Tn last nights Birmingham News l read an article about Birmingham, and before going further I want to say that I'm proud of Birmingham and believe 1t to be the cleanest and best city In the land. I'm proud of Birmingham's policemen and their record and I do not believe any city in the land has a more faithful com potent and law enforcing group of policemen than Birmingham JUst re- gently one of our policemen has re- signed to study for the ministry. l refuse to sit idly by and allow to pass unchallenged false accusations against our home town.
 "Regarding this man x my depart ment granted him every assistance, because he was the accredited repre- sentative of one of our papers which had assumed responsibility for him, in what we believed was just an in- offensive newspaper stunt. This morning when we wanted to talk to MT. X we learned had skipped out on an early train.
 The Birmingham News quotes MT x as saying vice flourishes in our city. l say he tells a falsehood. l do not believe Birmingham is an un- clean city. It's the cleanest in the country"
 Should Be Investigated.
 Mir Cloe read number of the pub lished accusations.
 Continuing he said: "I do not think it fs decent for & visitor to make such statements or that a newspaper should publish them when made. Such things should be carefully in vestigated before charges of that kind should be made. This Mir. x Is 8 mystery. Who is he? What Is his name, what is he hiding his name for, why does he make such com ments and then run?
 We have crime in Birmingham, too much of it. but I cannot and do not believe Fourth avenue from Six teenth street to the Terminal station Is the place MT. x represents 1t to be. If l lived there I'd make such an accuser prove his charges. There are good, honest people living on Fourth avenue and such unproven accusa- tions are blow at them, a detriment to business there. Such charges damage property values and injure everyone in the city. It is time to stop such untruthful reports from being sent out. Why doesn't the News give the public the mans name so We may know who he is? Printing such things is disgrace. The real estate men of Birmingham should take this matter up and defend thelr business from such attacks. l would not believe Mir. x on a stack or Bibles T,le whole business is an i objectionable siam at BIrnlhs E na liri 1ii and it's policemen, men who are sin cerely trying to do their duty. No one can find out about city in a few days. I'm surprised that a big newspaper would publish such dam- aging accusations that hurt us aH'
 I'm not playing politics, don know that I'll run for office again. simply repeat that the whole story Is false and I'm willing to back up what I say"
 McDuff Relates Whisky Incident.
 Chief McDuff told of the alleged 50 gallons of whisky and added, MT. x said he had driven along Fourth avenue from Twenty sixth street 10 the Birmingham News and counted 52 women sitting out on porches anu 50 out of the lot had beckoned MT. A. I do not believe" Chief McDuft went on. there are that many white women in that area, and most or the people who live there are decent, law l ahiding citizens. In civilian clothes | I passed along that street one eve | ming and was accosted by two Wohl- | en. The statement of MT. x is raise.
 Commissioner Cloe called on Phll- Hips. and Glover, policemen, who are assigned to the beat on Fourth ave- me They said they were not on dIItv there in the morniDg, bur Tn the afternoon and evening, ard the great majority of citizens n that neigh borhood were decent, law abiding people and the statement CT MT. A was untrue.
 HuDt Is Indignant.
 fAr l. cer from the office of the adjutant general, said: "Mr. Cloe and the othef speakers are too conservative in thelr remarks When MT. x made the statements in question he lied. II MT x had any such information as he claimed he could go before the federal or other grand juries and get quick results by telling what he has seen. do not believe MT Hanson or the News kept him off his appoint ment with Chief McDuff. When such people strike at the city the way this MT X has done, they are strlk- ing at me. More than hundred men have been sent to Atlanta this year for violating the prohibition law ana more than 40 cases are pending.
 Ut is hard when you put your heart in your work, lie out on the ground at night seeking lawbreakers as l and the policemen have done, 10
  ments. I consider his accusations personal and will seek to have him prove them to me in person.
 O O O
 Time To Stop It.
 RodericlS Beddow said it was high time for people who were always try ing to get their names put in the pa pers by censuring. honest people, to be stopped. ITS their first thought, he said, when they want to attract attention. to make sweeping detri- mental charges. I have travelled over much of this county by automo- bile, with time to stop and see things for myself. and I believe Birmingham to be the best behaved biz town in America. It Is a cruel injustice to the officers of a community and It's policemen when these policemen have to lie out on the ground at night to catch lawbreakers, while you and I sleep peacefully under their protec- tion, to have a stranger accuse the