Omaha daily bee., 1897-08-18
FOR GAMBLERS AND TOUGHS
Gallagher's Appointment to Be Chief
Pleases One Glass.
HoLCoMB'S PART IN HIS SELECTION
Governor Requests Commissions
BuIiard to Vote for Gallagher,
and Denies Sending Tcle-
gram to Omaha.

No matter with how much doubt the ap
pointment OF Constantine " Gallagher as
chief Of police was received by the heavy
property owners and other citizens who were
sincere in their demand for a really efficient
police force, there was no mistaking the un-
bounded satisfaction with which the news OF
Gallagher's success was received by the
gang" The gamblers and thugs and the
proprietors OF the more or less disreputable
resorts were all jubilant and freely boasted OF
the fact that they would at last be permitted
to revel in wide opeo town" They were
all deeply interested in the outcome of the
controversy and almost as soon as the action
of the board Monday night was announced,
the news was telephoned to every resort in
which the lawless classes congregate. Quite
number of the leading gamblers aud their
satellites were waiting at Tom Foley's
notorious Joint on Douglas street and when
the fact that Gallagher had been appointed
was reported. they all took drink and
shook hands with every appearance Of
| jubilant satisfaction. II is generally under
stood among the gamblers that while the
new chief may make bluff at a rigid en-
| forcement of the laws until after election,
| after the first of the year, II not before, the
| bars will be gradually let down and they will
enjoy fun liberty during the exposition.
1t was reported that Commissioner Bull
| lard had received a telegram from Gov
| ernor HOlcomb Monday afternoon asking
him to vote for Gallagher
| Yesterday morning the governor was asked
| by telephone whether any such message had
been sent and he emphatically denied that
| he had made any such request. Last night
| it was learned on authority from the state
| house that Governor Holcomb did send word
| to Bullard on Monday, instructing him tc
vote for Gallagher.
| 1t is generally understood that the ap
pointment of Gallagher at the instance o.
| the governor was only to bridge over for tn,
| time being the political dilemma and after
Gallagher's incompetency has been demon
| strated fully to slip in the gang candidate
Schuyler Donnella, believing that these tao
tics will drive Martin White from the fielt
and leave the combine in full control.
1t is generally understood that during thu
Hast few days the gang had been making a des
perate effort to secure three votes for Gala
gher in order to throw the appointment ant
thai of Mostyn as captain, as a sop to TIL
Irish to secure their assistance to carry tn
coming primaries Whether the Irish will
snap at the bait remains to be seen.
The favor with which Gallagher is re
garded by the gamblers is sufficiently indi
Gated by the character and associations u
the men who have been working in HE in
terest. When James E. Boyd was governo
a tremendous pressure was brought to bea
by Charley Ogden and his chum, Jack Nor
rison, to induce him to appoint Gallaghe
as a member Of the Board of Fire an
Police Commissioners. This was finally sue
, cessful, but the supreme court decided tina
the governor had no right to remove Com
missioner Hartman from office in the mid
die of his term without cause, and Gala
CHER never took his seat as a member of tn
board. Now the same individuals have az
complished the same purpose in anothe
way, and they are confident that Gallaghe
will be able to do more for them as chic
of police than he could as one member of th
board.
! c. V. Gallagher, the newly appointed chic
; of the Omaha police force, was seen at hi
office yesterday. He said: Il have ter
dered my resignation as deputy collectc
! Of customs to DR.. Miller to take effet
! September 1, at which time l will enter upo
r my duties as chief of police. l haven't ha
time to think anything about the polio
l expect to pursue in the police depar
! ! ment, and l will be so busy during tf
! next two weeks getting my work in tn
office in shape to turn over to my successt
e that l will hardly have time to think
anything else"