The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-06-22
FORCE SUPPORTS TRAFFIC OFFICER
 AFTER SHOOTING
McDuff Brands Dozier Charges Hearsay-One
 Woman May Die

Fred H. McDuff, chief of police, and virtually all his men Saturday after. noon rallied to the support of Traffic Officer J. H. Phillips, while off duty Friday afternoon and without justified tion, according to Humboldt avenue residents, shot two negro women, prob ably fatally wounding one.
 Chief McDuff and various members of the detective department made per- sonal and joint investigations of the shooting, they declare. During the course of their investigations, they said they found that some of the residents in the vicinity who are particularly strong in their resentment at Phillips deed, were snot even eye witnesses.
 Police claim to have located one woman, Mrs. Ida Moore, who says she witnessed the beginning of the contro- versy. Mrs. Moore, they say, told them that she was Joking out of her back window and saw Phillips approach the two women. Chief McDuff reports that Mrs. Moore also, told them that both women assailed Phillips, dragging him bodily into the house. = sF
 The police also assert that Beatrice Bell, 14-year-old negro girl, is said to have been ironing clothes on the rear of the porch when Phillips approached the women. but who ran when the shooting started, gave them detailed in- formation that bore out Phillips report of the affair. Both her Information and that Mrs. Moore, Chief Me Duff says, carries out the officers be- lief that Phillips was justified in shoot ing the women.
 Dozier Condemned
 The police strongly condemned Df. O. T. Dozier, who has taken a bitter stand against Phillips. His statement that the shooting was 'one of the most atrOcious acts committed by a white man in years," and others, were se- verely criticised by the officers. His views, they said, are merely hearsay from interested parties.
 Solicitor Jim Davis also made an in- vestigation Saturday of the shooting. He will present his evidence to the grand jury Monday, he announced.
 John w.. Altman, chairman of the police civil service board. said Satur- day that testimony regarding the affair will be taken at the next meeting of the board. He recalled an instance some time ago when Phillips was sus- pended from the force because of a shooting scrape with another negro woman near the Hillman hospital
 Was On Vacation
 Phillips. is said to have been on his vacation at the time of the shooting. There was considerable doubt whether he would be allowed to work when he reported for duty Monday, but Chief McDuff's statement Saturday afternoon was to the effect that, as far as he was concerned, Phillips still is on the force.
 The condition of the two negro wO- men remains about the same. Bessie Tate, who was wounded in the left breast and lung, probably will recover, although she is still at the Hillman hospital Annie Lee Pitts, who was shot directly through the head, is not expected to live.
 Indignation at the affair continued to grow in the 2100 block on Humboldt avenue Saturday. Several residents declared they were so desirous of hay ing justice done that they willingly would leave their work and aid the of- ficers in their Investigations.