The herald., 1895-08-15
But the Omaha Police Mudd!e Is
Not Settled
RIVAL COMMISSIONERS MEET
And Agree to Refer the Matter to the
Courts
Special Term Called In Which the Status q
Contestants Will Be Defined
by Law
Associated Press Special Wire

Associated Press Special Wire.
OMOHA, August 14.-All proba bility of
resort to arms to settle the municipal
muddle over the police commissioners is
now very remote, but for two hours this
morning it looked very much as though
serious collision was inevitable. Tho
sidewalks and streets surrounding the
city hall were crowded and the interior OF
the building was filled with citizens
and officers. The A.P.A. commission
convened at 10 am. In this city amid
considerable excitement. The members
were encoure ged with cheers from 700
A.P.A.'s present. They were expected
to at once place rival force on the
streets of the city and attempt to oust
Chief of Police White and storm the city
jail. This was the schedule as given
out by tie A. P. AS, who were SAID to
be Oh the inside. The situation was in
tensi:ied by the report from Kansas City
that A.P.A. councils had 5000 armed
men ready to send to Omaha to maintain
the Az A. com mission.
The old comm mission was in the
| mayors office ready to issue orders and
repel any force necessary to maintain
its position. After brief conference
| the A. P. A. committee concluded to con-
| fer with the old board before resorting to
arms. The conference was the result OF
| a letter which Mayor Bemis sent to tie
A.P.A. board last night, asking the MEM
| bers to meet the old board and endeasor
to reach settlement of the controversy.
The members uf the new board answered
that they had decided to meet Mayor
Bemis and his colleagues and indicated
| that they we're ready. The two boards
! remained closeted for an hour or more.
| When the door was opened it was an.
| nounced that an agreement had been
| reached.
Mayor Bemis then sent a telegram
| signed by himself, as chairman vf the old
board, and by A. J. Broach, as chairman
| of the new board, to Governor Holcomb,
and A. S. Churchall, attorney-gensral:
| If the supreme court will meet at an
early date all the members of the two
boards OF fire and police commissioners
will unite in a request for an early hear
ing. Can you get the court to fix short
date? Answer quick
Another telegram was sent TO each Of
the justices OF the supreme court, saying
that all parties had argeed to submit the
police matter to the supreme court if an
early hearing could be had. This was
also signed by the chairman of each
board. They wanted it understood that
neither board had made any concessions.
Each side stood as it had before and in
| that respect there was no change in the
situation. They had simply agreed that
/ the best interests of all concerned would
be serve by an immediate submission OF
4 the controversy to the court. and they
had united to that end.
Members of the new board were reticent
in regard to what their next movement
-! would be. When Mr.. Vandervoort was
asked whether mem bers would proceed
o organize police force in opposition
to that controlled by the old board, he
would not answer directly. but stated
that neither board was going to be very
strict on each other while the matter
was In the court.
Chief Justice Novel of the supreme
court has just announced that special
term of court will be held tomorrow 10
settle the Omaha police matter.
Chief of Police Whites reply to the
demand of the a. p. A. commissioners
tnat their authority be recognized was
made public today. He states that be-
cause of Judge Hopewell's decision hold
ing the plaintiffs legally possessed of
their office he feels compelled to recog-
nize anj obey the order of the mayor and
the board of comm ssioners now actclg
| and until such time as the question has
been legally decided by the courts, when
he will cheerfully recognize the board
held to be legal.