Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1895-08-22
NO BLOOD WAS SHED.
Crowds of Curious People Surround
the City Hall All the
Morning.

Omaha, Neb., Aug. 1.-THE situation
| with reference to the Omaha police mud
die has not changed materially yet.
Since an early hour the city hall has
| been surrounded by large crowd. most
| ly curiosity seekers, awaiting develop
ments. No effort has been made to dis
perse them The A. p. A. commission
| convened at 10 o'clock in rooms reserved
| for their use by the city council. The
| quarters were crowded by a gathering
| OF probably 200 sympathiZers A letter
! was sent to the old commission asking
| Il conference, without, however, stating
the object The old commission agreed
and indicated the mayors office, where
the meeting is now in progress Since
| the positions of both are so dlametrlcal-
| ly different there is little chance OF an
amicable agreement.
The two boards are in session behind
| closed doors, all but members OF the
commissions being excluded. The A. +.
| a. board asserts that about one-half the
| tiremen and policemen of the regular
new board ON call. The A. L. A. COM
mission has received this reply from
Chief of Police White to their demand
that he recognize the A. 2. A. commls,
| sionerS:
| Gentlemen: Yours of the 10th inst. re-
|
| reply l would say / feel that your request
is placing me in position hardly fair, be
cause of the fact that you desire rae to de-
eide the legal question which is TIE prop
erly constituted board of fire and ponce
commissioners, and this ana unable to 90.
| l have carefully read the decision rendered
| by Judge Hopewell in the injunction pro-
| ceedings just tried. and in said DECISION
paragraph appears wherein he says that the
plaintiffs have the right to remain III peace
able possession and to exercise the functions
| of said office until otherwise ordered in
proper legal proceeding.
| Now because of this position taken by
Judge Hopewell feel that l am compelled
to recognize and obey the orders OF the
| honorable mayor and board of fire ana po-
session of the control of affairs of the board,
| until such time as the question has Deen re.
gaiy decided by the courts, when Will
| cheerfully recognize the board that is held
| to be the legal board. In the meantime
deem it my duty as chief of police TO see
THAI the law and the ordinances of the city
! Hoping that this answer will meet with
| your favorable approval and consideration,
'eA'' ' MARTIN J; WHITE,
| The old commission defines it's position
now thus:
| We believe we are the only lawful board
of police and fire commissioners of Omaha
| and, in the language of Judge HopeWell,
| have the fright to remain peacefully IN pos.
session and to exercise the functions of said
offices until otherwise ordered in proper
| legal proceeding"
This is not new law. 1t is the application
| of long and well-established principles to the
| facts in the case before him. This declara-
| ton of law has the sanction of the best jul
| dicial tribunals and the approval of the
| ablest legal authority. If we have the right
| to remain in the peaceable possession and
| perform the duties of cir offices until these
| rights are taken from us by an order of the
| court in legal proceeding, it follows as sure
| as day is not night that any other method,
| whether direct or whether by fraud or vio-
| lence. to dispOssess of these rights is lille
gal and fraught with mischief. These rights
| with which we are invested by law we shall
| not only assert but with frmness maintain
| Without violating any law we shall strive to
execute the law in proper and dignited
| manner.
| The crowds on the streets are increas-
| ing, though no effort is being made to en-
| force the mayors riot proclamation issued
when the row first broke out. The crowd
is good natured and while there are SOME
| threatening features, the indications are
rot favorable to concerted violence from
either faction.
| After an animated discussion, the old
fire and police commission refusing any
| compromise except upon the basis of per-
uniting the Supreme court to pass on the
situation, the A. 2. A. commission consent
| ed, and it was agreed, that the old COM
mission should contue to conduct the
| offices of the city until decision was rem
| dered in the case. This was considered
| 4 definite settlement of the case