The Birmingham age-herald. [volume], April 04, 1914, Page 11, Image 11

About The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950

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MANY PARCEL POST
PACKAGES STOLEN
1 allied at $5000—Three Men
Are Arrested in
Buffalo
i *
Buffalo, X. Y.. April 3.—T
cel post packages valued
disclosed after the arrest of three men
lu re tonight. The proprietors of, a mail
order house, which was the principal
loser, claim their loss during the last
year will reach $15,000.
« The men arrested were Paul Miller, em
l loved at a postoffice substation; Bert
Wilson, a street car conductor, and Ed
ward Harrington, a carpenter. Miller, th«
police say, admits the theft of jewelry
Morth $5000.
Roberts Heads Covenanters
y London, April 3.—Lord Roberts tonight
was elected president of the League of
British Covenanters. Resolutions were
adopted at a meeting pledging British
convenanters to do all in their power to
prevent the establishment of home rule
in Ireland without the sanction of the
nation and the support of Ulster. Sir
Edward Carson, a speaker, said the gov
ernment either wo if Id have to exclude
Ulster or make up its mind that it would
have bloodshed and coercion.
JUAREZ CALM AFTER
CELEBRATION OVER
VICTORY OF TORREON
'Continued from Page One)
the federals so complete as to be almost
unbelievable.
Villa’s early estimate of his losses was
300 killed and 1500 wounded.
Streets Deserted
The streets here today were almost de
serted. and while automobilists coming
from the American side were superficially
searched for weapons, the restriction
which compelled all to make a detour
around the home of General Carranza \vu»
removed. The precaution had been taken
by Mayor Padres on the possibility of
some fanatic assaulting the chief.
Saloons and resorts generally were re
opened today.
The news came too late last night for
|| Protection for Savings
The framers of the National
Bank Act wisely provided that
there should be no preference
of payment against savings de
posits. Therefm-e, for fifty
years every depositor in a na- l
tional bank has been on the
same basis, with no priority in
favor of deposits on open ac
.■—». - count.
This bank pays four per cent interest on savings,
compounded quarterly, and solicits your business. p
Traders National Bank I
Resources $2,000,000 Birmingham, Alabama I
(Advertisement)
Why the Sheriffs Office Is
Fighting Heflin for Solicitor
Sheriff McAdory and his chief ijeputy, Metcalf, are doing
all in their power to defeat my re-election as solicitor of this
county.
1 have incurred their undying hatred because I made no
exception of their^ cases, but in the discharge of my sworn duty
as solicitor 1 sought to bring to the bar of justice these two
men for the part 1 believed thev took in the murder of Felix J,
Ellard.
k Ellard had published in the newspapers that the sheriff’s
office was protecting a blind tiger at Lewisburg, and he also
had called on the governor to impeach the sheriff. A few days
thereafter Ellard was shot to death from the roadside as lie was
driving home in his buggy.
These men, who are now my bitter enemies, were once my
friends. They now want to see me out of the solicitor’s office
for no other reason than because I have dared to prosecute them
for a crime, of which, from the evidence, I believed them guilty.
Instead of helping to strengthen the arm of Jaw enforce
ment in Jefferson county, they have tried to weaken and impair
it. Surrounded as 1 have been by men in authority who have,
1 believe, committed crimes themselves and shielded criminals,
I have been handicapped and seriously hindered in bringing the
guilty to trial and securing convictions. But I have the con
sciousness of the fact that I have kept the faith—prosecuted all
alike, the big criminals as well as the small ones—and so help
me God, I shall continue as long as I am solicitor to do my duty
a> I see it, playing no favorites, but hewing to the line of my
official duty as God gives me the power to see it.
Head below the minority report of the grand jury which
investigated the murder of Felix J. Ellard.
‘ H. P. HEFLIN.
t
Minority Report of the January, 1913, Grand
Jury of the Criminal Court of Jefferson
County, Alabama.
“TO THE HONORABLE WILLIAM E. FORT,
“Senior Judge of the Criminal Court of Jefferson County, Ala.
We, the undersigned members of the January, 1913, term of
the grand jury of Jefferson county, desire to make the following
minority report:
“We feel it to be our duty to call the court’s attention to the
fact that Teck Duncan has made startling disclosures before
this grand jury, implicating Sheriff Walter K. McAdory as be
ing an accessory after the fact to the murder of Felix J. Ellard,
. and Chief Deputy Sheriff Walter L. Metcalfe, and Henry Cole,
another deputy sheriff, as being principals with Duncan in the
commission of that crime.
“From other evidence outside of Duncan's testimony,
whfch strongly corroborates Duncan’s statement, we believe
that not only Walter- L. Metcalfe and Henry Cole were in the
conspiracy to kill Felix J. Ellard, but it shows also Sheriff Mc
Adory as being a party to aiding, shielding and protecting his
two deputies, Metcalfe and Cole, from arrest and prosecution,
after know-ing of their guilty participation with Duncan in kill
ing Felix J. Ellard.
“Under the strong evidence produced before this grand
jury the details of which we do not Jnention, in our opinion Wal
ter L. Metcalfe should have Jreen indicted as a principal or ac
cessory before the fact to the murder of Felix J. Ellard, and
Sheriff Walter K. McAdory should have been indicted for aid
ing, shielding and protecting from arrest and punishment
> Henry Cole and Walter L. Metcalfe, after knowing that they
( were co-conspirators with Teck Duncan in the murder of Ellard.
“Tn justice to ourselves we respectfully submit this report.
“(Signed) JOHN T. CROWLEY.
\( Signed) J. B. VANDEGRIFT.
)) v (Signed) C. W. NORRELL,
j (Signed) SAMUEL J. CROCKER, v
J (Signed) ROBERT J. RUSSELL.”
'a fitting demonstration, although for a
• while the streets were thronged, whistles
j blew, bells rang, guns fired and every
j leader of the rebel cause received his share
I °f ‘‘vivas.’’ The silent gentleman with
I the dyed moustache who spins the marbh*
at the roulette wheel in the Juarez Monte
Carlo seemed to be the only person not
excited.
W hen the crowd of players suddenly
deserted him on the sound of the bugle
call of victory, he gave the marble an
I other whirl from sheer force of habit,
i but none returned, and he alone of the
j habitues remained. He bought himself a
hamburger sandwich in the rear of the'
hall and when he went to pay for it found
■ that both cashier and cook had deserted
j with the rest.
I In an hour, however, play was more
j f«st and furious than ever, for holders
of constitutionalist money early realized
that their currency suddenly had in
creased in value and they were somewhat
richer than before.
j While ordinary saloons and resorts were
j closed, the Gato Negro restaurant, with
jits cabaret, remained opened and this was
• tiie center of Bacchanalian demonstration.
I but without^disorder, it may lie explained
j that Gato Negro means * BlrfT*k Cat."
I alk Matters Over
More sober citizens gathered in knots
in the streets both here and in the Mex
ican strip of E! Paso, on the north bank
of the Rio Grande, and talked the matter
over. They were to be seen in front# of
the saloon known as the “Friend of the
Poor,” the “Grocery of Good Faith” and
other lowly gathering places with elabo
rate Spanish names.
A demonstration of soldiers of the gar
rison last nig>it. who used their rifles,
aroused El Paso citizens who thought an
other attack was being made on Juarez.
A number of bullets fell on the American
side.
Talking with reporters today Gen
eral Carranza, chief of the revolution,
said the Renton investigating commis
sion had not finished its inquiry.
“The inquiry was postponed because
it was necessary that Dr. Eara. one
of the commission's surgeons, should be
at Chihuahua to assist in caring for
the wounded,” he said.
“Some Work has been going forward,
however, for we are going into every
detail of Benton s life."
Effect of Battle Felt
El Paso, Tex.. April 3.—The effect of
the rebel victory at Torreo'n was felt
here in a stiffening of the market of
the constitutionalist money and in the
beginning of a movement to organize
foreigners owning property in Mexico
to appeal to Washington to recognize
the Carranza government.
The latter idea originated with for
mer Gov. George Curry of New Mex
ico. but having placed the matter in
the hands of leading democrats to
work out. as they promised to do, he
expressed a desire to serve only in
the ranks for Jhe success of the move
ment. (ieneral Carranza declined to
comment on the movement, but there
was much favorable comment in Juarez.
The news is said to be significant of
a local sentiment that if the revolu
tion is carried to a complete success the
counter revolution was it has gen
erally been predicted would follow
really would not materialize.
In this connection one of the most
prominent Americans doing business
in Mexico today said that the greatest
guarantee of peace, which he proph
esied would follow rebel success, lies
in the fact that the incomes of the
rich men formerly able to finance revo
lutions to restore the old regime of
special privilege, have been depleted in
the last four years to an extent which
would make it exceedingly difficult for
any new* insurrection of any propor
tions to be financed.
Upheld in Belief
Mr. Cury said he was convinced that
foreign sentiment upheld the belief
that recognition of Huerta being out
of the question the time has come for
foreigners to lend such aid to the Car
ranza revolution as will help it to a
speedy conclusion. Telegrams sounding
senators and representatives in Wash
ington on the proposed propaganda
were sent tonight. The fall of Tor
reon puts the dollar mark on Villa
and Monclova money.” said J. C. Cur
tis of El Paso, Tex., who is consid
ered the most expert specialist in
Mexican constitutionalist money in the
United States. “The value of paper
money lies In the promise to pay and
the fall of Torreon has marked the cul
mination of a long series of events
which promise to establish and make
good Villa and Carranza’s written
guarantee, which is signed at the bot
tom of all paper money they have is
sued.
“To date the Mexican constitution
alist government for their joint ac
count have issued $60,000,000 orf paper
flat currency and for eight months
merchants along the United States*bor
der and northern Mexico have gambled
on the promises of Villa and Carranza
to pay, as it appears written on their
paper money.
Big Currency Issue
“Carranza has Issued $30,000,000 of
this currency to date and Villa has
issued from Chihuahua $30,000,000 more
of his own currency.
“The Carranza issue is what is known
as the Monclova money, and takes its
name from the fact that it was issued
under a decree signed at Monclova.
Coahuila. in May, 1913. This money
j has now been in circulation a year,
and for that reason has always had a
firmer and better established market
than the fiat currency of the military
genius. Francisco Villa, of northern
Mexico.
“The Villa money, on its first ap
pearance in Juarez in December, 1913.
had no market whatever except in
Juarez, where its face value was es
tablished on a modern rifle basis."
Mr. Curtis says it is estimated that
during the past 60 days border towns
from Brownsville, Tex., to the Cali
fornia coast have been flooded with
about $250,000,000 of the Monclova and
|Villa counterfeit money.
During the next 60 days northern
Mexico probably will have relief from
counterfeiters and will be using its
own silver coins, minted and issued hr
the constitutionalist government.
Deny Torreon Taken
Mexico City. April 3.—The govern
ment tonight persisted in its denial
that Toraeon had fallen, characterizing
the new’s as a fabrication. Both Min
ister of War Blanquet and Minister of
the Interior Ignacio Alcocer main
tained that the government was giving
itself no concern about the immediate
safety of Torreon, although admitting
they had had no direct communication
with that city.
Senar Alcocer offered as proof of
his statements a telegram from Luis
Comaduran, emigration chief at El
Paso dated April 1, authorizing a de
nial of all stories that Torreon had
fallen. Senor Alcocer said he had had no
news since Senor Comaduran's dis
patch hut expected shortly to have new
dispatches.
No word of the defeat of the gov
ernment forces had reached the peo
ple of the capital tonight through tho
newspapers and it is doubtful whether
the morning journals will confirm the
fact Jn face of the government’s atti
tude. Among foreigners the news
spread rapidly, arousing much specu
lation as to what would be the ultl- ,
mate result of the government's de
feat.
The opinion was expressed that the j
|1o3s of Torreon was a blow from which j
I Huerta w ould never recover, since it i
meant the annihiliation of the best!
[army he had been able to muster.
Tf the rebels captured the federal
artillery, as seems likely, It was con
ceded that they had gained an enor
mous advantage, since the best of ev
erything at the command of President
Huerta had been utilized in this cam
paign.
Maas to Take Fart
Laredo. Tex.. April 3.—Gen. Joaquin
Mass, with federal reinforcements pro
ceeding to the aid of General Velasco
at Torreon. was at Hipollto, about 200
miles east of Torreon. late last night
according fo a dispatch made public by
Mexican Consul Bravo here tonight.
The dispatch Informed the consul that
t
I Maas would proceed Immediately to
Torreon from which city he promised
| to report today. At a late hour tu
| night it stated nothing iiij lm 1 li.-oi
j I** ' u hoard from him
Mexican federal officials at Nuevo
j do and the consul here «oth ue
|ciitro that they have not been Infromed
officially of the fall of Totr?on an 1
, profess to bo incredulous of reports
that tiie city has been taken.
Carranza Congratulated
Juarez, April 3.—General • Carran/.a
j today received congratulations from all
l part.- of the United States and Europe
on the fall of Torreon. He wired this
I message to General Villa:
*'l have received the message in
which you communicate to me the cap
i tur« of Tyrrcon. from where the rem
nant of the defeated federal garrison
j left un<er cover of darkness,
j “1 heartily congratulate you and
I your officers and soldiers for your
propistent courage in the 11 days of
j battle which brought, as the result, tin*
'capture of this great federal strong
I hold. 1 lament deeply the loss of so
J many of our valiant comrades. This
brilliant triumph brings nearer the def
inite accomplishment of our cause with
I which we shall erase the stain that
any army of tVaitora and assassins has
cist upon the honor of our country.
Believe Detectives Mistaken
Altoona, Pa . April 3. The police here
are of the opinion that detectivea made
a mistake in bringing W H. Wilson from
Wheeling. W. Va.. ori the supposition that
be is the man who robbed the l'nion
i*ank her** March 23 and shot the cashier
anc a patron. Two bank clerks think
the man under arrest is the same person
who pointed a gun at them, hut n Wheel
ing newspaper has wue.' that the police
of that city have found that Wilson has
m.t been away from Wheeling since the
latter part of February.
Jury Disagrees
Houghton, Mich., April 3.—The jury in
the case of John Toth, a copper mine
striker, being tried at L’Anse on a charge
of having attempted to murder Guy Wil
kins, a mine clerk. October 1913. re
ported a disagreement late today. Wilkins
identified Toth as his assailant, but wit
nesses swore that Toth was at a meeting
in Calumet at the time the shooting is
alleged to have taken place.
Prince Inspects Army
Santiago. Chile, April s — Prince Henry
of Prussia, accompanied t)y Ramon Bar
ros Luco, President of Chile, today in
spected 12 corps of the Chilean army in
th■» presence of 50,000 spectators. Prince
Henry was the recipient of a popular
ovation by the masses. Prince and Prin
cess Henry will go to Valparaiso tomor
row.
Summer Home Burned
New York, April 3.—Ttye summer homo
of Mrs. Jessica Taylor, daughter of the
late James R. Keene, at Cedarhurst. Long
island, was destroyed by tire tonight at
a loss estimated at $£50,000. The resi
dence was under lease by Jason Waters,
a Wall street broker. Mrs. Waters and
the servants in the bouse when the tire
broke out. escaped unhurt.
Missionaries Threatened
Peking. April 3.—All the missionaries in.
the vicinity of Sian-Fu province of Shensi
have been ordered to take refuge in Stan
Fu, as brigands have invaded the nearby
plains and now are within 20 miles of the
city. A government force from the prov
ince of Shansi is proceeding to the af
fected district to relieve the situation.
A Triumph of Peace
From the Lou’svlfle Courier-Journal.
“Peace 4tiath her victories.”
“How now?”
“Instead of wanting h cannon for the
public square, one town has asked fora
discarded mudscov from the Panama
canal.”
< Advertisement)
THE MAN
FOR COMMISSIONER
OF AGRICULTURE.
WILLIAM H SEYMOUR
(Montgomery County)
The man who has given
YEARS OF SERVICE AND
THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS
to the agricultural advancement
of the State'.
Who served FOUR YEARS,
without remuneration, as State
President of the Cotton Associa
tion ;
Who, at his own expense, intro
duced into the State the WIL
LIAMSON CORN METHOD,
inaugurated and conducted a
campaign in its interest, and who
BROUGHT MR. WILLIAM
SON, its author, to Alabama, and
with him TOURED • THE
STATE;
Who has introduced into Ala
bama delightful vegetables and
WINTER CANTALOUPES,
products adapted to our soil and |
climate, but which HAD ES
CAPED the attention of depart
ments of agriculture.
The proper development of the
agricultural resources of Alaba
ma is of PARAMOUNT import
ance, NECESSARY to the pros
perity and welfare of the State
and its upbuilding. The .State
NEEDS as its Commissioner of
Agriculture one who has shown a
DESIRE for that development
and the ABILITY to accomplish
it.
His candidacy is based on his
own FITNESS,' NOT on the UN
FITNESS of his opponents.
Mr. Se.vmoar’a candidacy la commend
ed by leading farmer*, merchants and
bankers throughout the state aa that ;
of the man who, aa eommlaaloner of I
agriculture, can beat aubaerva the beat |
latcreyta «f the state.
SHRINERS ATTEND
BIG MEETING
Knoxville. Tenn., April 3.—More than
100 east Tennessee Nobles of the Mys
tic Shrine wont to Chattanooga to
night by special train to attend a meet
ing of Alhambra temple, the jurisdic
tion of which covers all of east Ten
nessee. An injunction which has been
secured early in the day by Chatta
nooga Shrlners to prevent the holding
of the night meeting was withdrawn
and the business of the meeting pro
ceeded with a full list of officers,
headed by Dr. W. s Nash of Knoxville I
as illustrious potentate was elected and |
installed by Past Imperial Potentate :
Mellish of Cincinnati. The first act of
the new potentate of Alhambra was to
reinstate Alhambra patrol of Knoxville
and take steps toward its visit to At
lanta for the annual gathering of the
| Shrlners. It was also voted to present
to the imperial counsel a request that
Knoxville lie made the official head
quarters of Alhambra temple. A large
majority of Alhambra’s members re
side in upper east Tennessee, hence the
movement to change the headquarters
and the- opposition of Chattanooga
Shrlners to such a step.
idea, which prompted Horace to flee the
populous Rome to the simplicity of his
Sabine farm, seems especially strong to
day. when numbers are being used up
physically and mentally by the stress of
City life, there Is noticeable, too. a ;no*c
modern idea. Prevention, which nas be
come the watchword in medicine and so
cial welfare work, is also in the minds
of many who, to keep themselves ?tt,
have turned to country life pursuits. And
a> preventive treatment, what s here
myant as the humbler forms of ouniry
life activities, available particularly u
those of modest means who ^yil! intrust
to no gardener or horticulturist or land
scape artist the tasks which they them
selves can do. with the assurance of
gaining thereby health and peace of
mind.
The preventive idea is the modern,
helpful view. Let the city dweller or
worker bear that In mind, and go to the
soil before he has to. Bven a temporary
return to nature gives comfort and re
lief to a broken man.
when 1 reached my friend’s hous*
to find that the lady's statements were
hsolutelfc true and that the marriage
had Just boon settled.
"Since then 1 have become a con
vlnced hypnotist and have arrived at
seme eminence in the art. Few can re
Mst the spell I try to put upon them,
and I can make them disclose their
most secret thoughts. 1 cun ever work
at n distance and h\ the force of soft
gestlon can compel a friend of mine
living in England to think of me at any
time I choose to select. 1 write down
the date in my diary and have never
failed to r-ceive a letter from him
written at the time when I exercised
my will power over him.”
——— ■«. . —
(iood Reason, Too
From Tit-Bits,
At Christmas th * children of a certain
provincial school tried to collect money
by going from h mse to house singing
carols an * snatches of hymns. Many
complaints reach -1 the rector’s ears
of hands of oungsters scampering
through the fit's’ verse of While
Shepherd?. Watched and then violently
ringing the doorbell. So ho Instituted
inquiries on the next occasion he vis
ited *he reboot.
"Why is it," he asked, "that, in
stead of ringing tin hvmn in a rever
ent way you stamper through one
verse an 1 then ring the bell?”
Science reigned for a short time.
Then a shrill voice from a small hoy
at the bad* of ihe room was beard
in explanation:
"Please sir" it's cause they alwaya
lets the d«.g loose the second verse.**
-. .«.
Certainly Not Napoleon
From Pearson's Weekly.
A cabinet minister was talking re
cently about a certain measure he In
tends to force through Parliament in
spite of the strohg opposition that is
arrayed against 'him. ,
"You really eight to drop it," a
friend urged him "if you persist you'll
only rnife a lot of trouble and you
will almost stirelv b< defeated. You'll
meet youi Waterloo over this bill.”
"My dear fellow replied the min
is! ir. "w< • n 1 meet my Waterloo my
name's going to he Wellington!”
Some Rider
Recruiting Officer I'm afraid you are
not heavy enough for a cavalryman. Wo
want men who can ride over everything
whenever necessary.
Applicant-That's nil right Pap. 1'vt
been a New York chauffeur for even
\ ears.
HOW BALZAC BECAME
BELIEVER IN HYPNOTISM
Some interesting * marks of Balzac
on hypnotism are quoted in the Revue
acs Deux Monties. He said:
“1 was staying at a country house
and had expressed some skepticism is
to the achievements of hypnotists, win u
a doctor offered to give me a demon
stration of his powers. He put a lady
io sleep who happened to ho staying
in the house, and she then answered all
the questions as if she had heeti awake.
She recognized us without opening her
eyes, told me what cards th \\ were l
held before her and oxen named those
I had in my pocket. I asked her to tell
me what was happening at that par
ticular moment in the house of one if
my friends at Paris. She replied that
there were an unusual number of
liersons collected there and gave all
their names.
“Among the names she gave xvns one
of a person llttlo known to my friend
end 1 thought she had made a mistake.
I told her so, and she seemed annoyed,
hut went on to say that the cotupai:
present in the house had assembled t i
ask the hand of my friend's daughtt r
in marriage, and that the stranger, as
I felt inclined to term him, was the
suitor for the girl's hand, and with
him had come his relations. Being
xx'holly ignorant that such an affa.r
'.van on the tapis. I congratulated mv
self on havln exposed the claims of
hypnotism. However. 1 took my way to
Paris and was astonished beyond mens
CURE FROM THE SOIL
Healing Influence Over Body and Mind
Known From Earliest Tidies
From time immemorial men have known
the virtues of the soil In healing those
whose minds or bod> has suffered from
ills whic h are inevitable in crowded cities.
In mythology the idea was firmly crys
tallized In the old legend of him who was
rendered all hut invulnerable by the re
viving power of mother earth, says the
New York Post. Thrown to the ground
in any contest, he arose each time
stronger than before. Which means that
a return. If only temporary, to the nat
ural life from which civilization tends
to mean man is like a return to the well
with an empty pitcher. That this is
I realised now as rarely before is amply
proved by the present anxiety on every
band to get the most possible of coun
try life. Who does not know people who
openly boast that they have thrown
physic to the dogs since they began to
work in some fashion on a little plot of
ground, however, small, somewhere in
the country?
And if the recrudescene of thts old
(Advertisement)
Heflin’s Inefficiency
Shown Up.
“Solicitor Heflin in attempting to play on tlu* prejudice of the people and make up for
• us deficiencies is'trying to besmirch the character of Sheriff MeAdory and his Chief Dep
uty, Wallet L Metcalfe, in flaring advertisements in the daily papers. In publishing his
articles on “Why the Sheriff’s office is Fighting Heflin for Solicitor,’’ and rehashing the
charges that were brought, against Chief Deputy Metcalfe in connection with the Ellard as
sassination in Lewisburg, better known as “Bloody 22,’ be fails to tell the outcome of the
prosecution and the complete exoneration by two of the host Criminal Judges in Alabama,
men wiio hold high judicial positions and wl^* are looked up to by all classes in this Coun
tv. Judges Forfr and Greene. Mr. Heflin bad better judgment, and knew Mr. Metcalfe was
innocent of the charges brought in through a minority report of the Grand Jury of the
January term, 1913, of the Criminal Court, lint wanting to make up for his own defioien-v
cies lie attempted prosecution. With all of the evidence in hand aud witnesses present, he
failed to make out a case strong enough to require any lengthy consideration on the part of
the Court. Judges Fort and Greene rendered the following decision in the case of Thy
Htate of AlabaiU vs. Walter L. Metcalfe, charged with accessory after the fact to the mur
der of ^elix Ellard at Lewisburg:
“In our opinion, all the evidence introduced iiftln.s case, except the testimony of Took
Duncan, is consistent with the innocence of t lie defendant: t Hereto re, to convict the defend
ant must- believe that part of Duncan’s testimony fending to connect the defendant with
the commission of the offense charged.
“In addition to evidence tending to show threats on the pari of this witness to get
even with ihe defendant, on account of defendant’s testimony against him in his trial for
muitder. he lias been impeached in every way known to, the law:
First, iiy conviction of a crime involving moral turpitude.
Second. by statements made by him materially different from parts ot' his testimony
in his trial, and-, ✓
Third, by proof of a notoriously bad character for truth and veracity.
“\\*e cannot believe the testimony of Duncan, and there!ore, after a due consideration
of all Ihe evidence, we find the defendant not guilty'-.”
“Born in Tennessee, I came to Birmingham when 1, was 1J years of age, and was in
the employ of R. G. Hewitt, for four years; afterwards with Wimberly &. Thomas thren
veins, anti then for thirteen years with Moore & Handley Hardware Company. After that
I went into business for myself, and became attached to the Sheriff’s office under Walter K.
McAdory. I have been before the people for office several times, and have been honored.
My association has been with good citizenship; I havt never spent more time in bucket
shops and other questionable places than in my own office, 1 am a member of fraternal or
ganization? oi’ the highest order, an 1 have been honored by them. 1 am willing to compare
my character from birth to the present time with that of Solicitor lleflin.
“When the eharge of accessory after the fact to the murder of FI lard was made
against me, I made no request for a jury, being willing to have the case passed upon by
the Judges of the Criminal Court. Assistance was sent lo Solicitor Heflin to prosecute
the case, and, after a three days’ trial, and arguments lasting two hours to the side, 1 was
acquitted, as shown above. I made no overtures to Solicitor lleflin or any one else for
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leniency in this prosecution and was willing at ill times to stand before the bar for judgment.
“As to my conduct in office, it will show tip more favorably than that of Solicitor
Heflin in his office. His conduct in prosecuting the murder charge against Mr. Cade, of
Pratt City, is to be remembered by the Court and jury and those spectators who were
presen* the day he argued the case. His personal conduct was far from being becoming
to that of a Solicitor of a County as large as Jefferson. His statement to the jury was N
rerprehensible, and his presentation of the case clearly demonstrated that for some reason
he was not himself. The Court adjourned, for the time, for Ids recovery.
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“Associations and conduct often under mind men who have certain labors to perform. 1
the next day Perhaps, this accounts for the small number of cases in which Solicitor Hef- t
lin has personally appeared in Court. Perhaps, inefficiency has much to do with it , and
also apprehension that this inefficiency would become notoriously- public,
“I reiterate that I am willing that my character shall be compared to that of 8olio>
itor lleflin, and I defy him to use me or my reputation to prejudice the mind of a fair and
loyal public.
“WALTER L. MEICAU&H ,
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