An appeal before the city commissioners Saturday for the withdrawal of their decision revoking the automobile driver’s license of J. B. Craver proved unavailing. The license was revoked by the board upon recommendation of City Judge Laurence Jones, after Mr. Craver had been convicted in his court of speeding and driving a car while under the influence of whiskey. The total of fines and costs imposed by the court amounted to $88.95.
J. Clyde Stancill, attorney, appeared before the board to represent Mr. Craver. The convicted man and his brother, R.D. Craver, also were present, R.D. Craver joining with Attorney Stancill in an appeal for the board to allow the defendant to continue driving a machine.
Mayor J.O. Walker expressed himself as positively opposed to showing any leniency at all, pointing out that the board had acted upon recommendation from the judge and that Mr. Craver had been convicted. Mayor Walker said that when the present city ordinance was framed, he wanted to insert a provision sentencing a man to 30 days on the road for driving a car when under the influence of whiskey, but a state law made it impossible to insert this provision. the mayor said he believed a man who drives after taking whiskey, or who goes at an unreasonable rate of speed, ought not to be allowed to drive a car in Charlotte. Consequently, he stood by the court’s office.
Case Up On Appeal
Commissioner Huneycutt considered it a serious matter for a board of commissioners to revoke a man’s license, but he entered no strenuous protest against the decision of the mayor. Commissioner Stancill was not present.
The new city traffic ordinance makes it mandatory for the city commissioners to revoke the license upon a certificate from the recorder’s court judge stating that the licensee has been convicted of a traffic violation thrice or when caught driving while under the influence of liquor. The law empowers the commissioners, however, to reissue the license at their discretion. It was upon this point that Mr. Stancill argued. He announced that the case has been appealed to superior court and he wanted to revoke ordered until after trial there. This request was refused, the commissioners agreeing to re-issue the license if Mr. Craver is acquitted in that court.
After the decision of the commissioners, R.D. Craver entered into quite an extended argument against the police department and its management. He claimed Recorder Jones had admitted he dealt firmly with J. B. Craver because he thought he was the son of R.D. Craver. The claim also was made that Police Chief Orr ordered J.B. Craver locked up after he told his name. R.D. Craver declared that it looked as if the police were prejudiced against the Cravers. Mayor Walker said Judge Jones informed him he had rendered judgment upon the evidence presented in court.
Charges Against Police
He made several contentions against the Charlotte police department and its enforcement of traffic regulations, and in many of these Commissioner Honeycutt agreed. Mr. Craver said that his brother was not charged with being drunk until he argued with officers, and made the claim that a man can hardly say a word to a policeman without being locked up. Commissioner Huneycutt took the attitude of being in agreement and said that an officer who acts in such a manner should be fired.
J.B. Craver was arrested Thursday night as he was going down West Trade street beyond the Southern Railway tracks. Policemen testified he was running 53 miles an hour. Mr. Craver claimed he was not running that fast and offered to give his car to the man who could run it at that rate, according to testimony before the commissioners. He admitted he might have been going 30 miles an hour, while coasting down hill with the clutch out.
From the Charlotte News, July 30, 1921
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