Omaha daily bee., 1896-04-05
BUYING some EVIDENCE
Commissioners Pay $50 for Certain In
formation Against Bolln.
AMOUNT BEGRUDGeD BY STeNBtRG
snyder's Bondsmen Ask to Look Over
His Boolss-Chnrgcs Against JUS
tice of the Peace Fos-
ter Dismissed.

! At the regular meeting Of the Board Of
| County Commissioners yesterday Afternoon
| County Attorney Baldrge presented a re-
quest for permission to employ a detective
| in the Bolln case He represented that there
was some valuable evidence in existence
which could not be reached through the or
| binary channels The request was granted
after the amount to be expended was linn
tied to $50.
In this connection Stenberg explained that
the subject had already been discussed by
the finance committee. He stated that he
violated no confidence in saying that the
board was simply being held up. There was
a certain individual who claimed to have
certain important information and he de-
manded $50 as the price. He thought 1t
was more than the information was worth,
but in order that 1t might not appear that
the board had left anything undone that
might insure a successful prosecution of
the case he favored spending the money.
Among the bills allowed were those of
John w. Croft and Fred Hoye for acting
the death watch for George Morgan. They
aggregated S157.
Charles F. Gilbert wanted admission to
the Soldiers and Sailors home. The chair
man was authorized to sign his applica-
tion.
Kierstead submitted verbal report on
the Stryker incident. He said that the jew
elry had all been turned over by Stryker
and properly accounted for. Several members
objected to a verbal report and the COM
mittee will make written report at the
next meeting.
The bondsmen Of Adam Snyder asked per-
mission to have an expert examine Snyder's
books and for three months time in which
to make the examination. The matter was
referred to the finance committee.
A resolution by Stenberg provided that
the services of T. w. Hotchkiss as clerk
at the county coal yard should be dispensed
with. Jenkins objected and the resolution
was referred.
Notice was served on the board that at
a recent meeting of the eastern committee
Of the Western Passenger association it had
been decided that no more reduced rates
should be given for charity purposes. This
took effect April 1, and applies to all trans
portation from Omaha to points on and east
of the Missouri river.
w. A. Foster, justice of the peace in thin
city, was tried on complaint preferred by
David Van Etten, an attorney, embracing
charges Of mafeasance, misfeasance, gross
partiality and other offenses. The case was
taken up at the morning session Of the
Board of County Commissioners, but moth
ing was done except to spar for wind, both
sides consuming the time by arguments,
noon session the matter was taken up and
the evidence heard. This showed that Van
Etten had had case before Justice Foster
in which Charles Luce, the owner of
house at Pip Farnam street, had COM
menced ejectment proceedings against Eliza
beth Martin, who, 1t was alleged, had oc-
cupied the house for over two years with
out paying rent or without having any right
or title to the property. Foster was charged
with having refused to allow jury to be
called in the case without good reasons, and
with having gross partiality in his.-rulings
in the case. f as ~. s-.~-,
Van Etten and Miss Rebecca Martin were
the only witnesses on the part of the prose
cution and Justice Foster was called to the
stand to give evidence on the part of the
defense. Van Etten persisted in Offering OBJ,
jections to all questions put to Foster unit
tho commissioners became disgusted. He
was warned to desist, but continued, until
jenkins moved that the case be dismissed,
urging as a reason that Van Etten had
failed to substantiate single charge. Kier-
stead and Hoctor supported Jenkins, while
Williams insisted that both sides should be
given all the chance they wanted in order
to get at all the facts. vote was taken