The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1954-08-06
Is Still
On For Killer
OF Crime Foe
by REX THOMAS

gunman VINO murdered crime
tighter Albert L. Patterson on the
Hateful night Of June Is is still q
wanted fugitive despite seven
weeks of the greatest manhunt in
Alabama history.
But the three shots fired into Pat
body have exploded again
and again in an unrelenting war on
vice and racketeering that has
made this stored city of sin 4
virtual ghost town.
The brightly lighted cafes and
honky-tonks where carefree SOL
diers from nearby TT. Benning,
Ca, spent millions of dollars a
year on gambling, prostitution and
other lurid frolics have been closed
outright or put on short rations.
Their liquor and beer licenses
have been suspended. Many Of the
gaudy night spots have been pad
locked by raiding National Guards
men who found hundreds of slot
lottery tickets, crooked
dice, and telltale hypodermic nee
dies and walls which gave evidence
Of narcotics traffic.
The troops have taken over all
law enforcement functions in Phe-
nix City and most Of Russell
County, stripping the civilian DO.
lice OF even the right to carry
guns. That was done under an un-
precedented limited martial law
proclaimed by Gov. Gordon Per-
sons.
Except for police duties, how.
ever. other civilian offices-includ.
ing the courts-were left untouched
by military rule.
In almost daily arrests, the steel
nelmeted troops and reinforced
squads of state highway patrolmen
have brought more than 50 persons
into custody, including two public
officials, two civilian deputy sher.
ifs and one Of the reputed vice
lords. ...
Other gambling big shots have
been called in for questioning
Phenix City'S Mayor Elmer
Reese was arrested on charges of
wilful neglect of duty because of
the gambling which went on.
Circuit Solicitor Arch Terrell, the
county's ousted criminal prosecu.
Tor, was Jailed for drunkenness,
lined 500 for drunk driving and
MS drivers license suspended.
Terrell, who already had been
relieved of duty, also is under in
dictment along with two others on
charges of vote manipulation in an
effort to defeat the anti-vice cru.
;ading Patterson in the June I
Democratic primary runoff cleo
ion.
Patterson, promising to rid Phe-
nix City Of organized vice and law
essnesS, was nominated for attor-
hey general Of Alabama but was
assassinated before he could take
office. ..
Indicted with Terrell were the
states highest legal officer, Atty.
Cen. 81 Garrett, and Lamar Reid,
chairman of the Jefferson County
Birmingham Democratic Execu-
i've Committee, who resigned fol-
owing the indictment.
Garrett recently was seriously in
iured in a car wreck and now is
IN a Waynesboro, Miss, hospital
with a broken neck.
Gambling car Goodwin Davis ST.,
another of those arrested in the
nushrooming vice cleanup in Phe-
nix City, spent six days in Jail be-
'ore he could raise bond of $22, 900
IN A gambling charges. His son,
Goodwin Jr., picked up on similar
charges, made his bond after "
hours.
Chief Deputy Sheriff Albert Full
er, whose flair for wide-brimmed
hats and ornate pistols made him
almost a legendary figure in Phe-
nix City, was charged with violat-
ng Alabama'S election laws by un-
awfully influencing voters in the
recent primary.
Another deputy, Aaron Smith,
was arrested later on similar
charges.
The grand jury which indicted
Terrell, Garrett and Reid on the
vote tampering charges in Birm-
ngham said in its final report that
he campaign of Patterson's runoff
opponent, Lee Porter of Gadsden,
was financed almost in its en-
arety BY the Phenix City racket
sers."
That conclusion came after the
elder Davis told the jurors he and
his pals gave Porter So, 900.
Patterson had planned to appear
before the grand jury to tell what
ne knew but was slain a few hours
after he made that known.
An emergency grand jury has
been called back into session at
Phenix City Monday to start hear.
ing testimony about the rackets
which flourished before Patterson's
death, and to prosecute the KILLER