Omaha daily bee., 1897-07-15
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1t takes nine days for kittens to have
their eyes opened after they are born.
1t looks as if it might take nine months
before the reform police commission will
be able to open its eyes to the demon
allied condition of the police department
and the utter inetiiciency and worthless
ness of its chief.
What ought to be an cyc-opcnrr to the
commission is the suit just brought i'll
the county court for the recovery OF
money lost at the gambling table in Il
well known resort in the middle of the
business district in this city. This re-
sort has been repeatedly exposed by Inc
Bee and could not have been in operation
without the knowledge. if not the collu-
sion. of the police. The same is true OF
other resorts in the same vicinity. NO
wonder that the keepers and cappers OF
these lawlpss concerns are eNerting all
their influence to prevent any chahGe III
the head of the police force or in the
officers Immediately under him.
1t may perhaps be necessary to refresh
the memories of members of our reform
police commission with a few of the
salient features in the career OF the man
who two years ago was made chief of
police as reward for dtSgraccful ana
diSreputnbr conduct
1t is matter of record that Sergeant
Sigwart was the most conspicuous
leader of the orgies that disgnced the
city Of Omaha at the Blair police picnic
of June 13 1894
It is IL matter of record that Captain
Sigwart was the officer who placed
James c. Ish and his wife in the same
cell. both arrested for the killing of
Chapplc in June, 1898. ana allowed Incsc
prisoners to remain tOg ,,..Gr for hours,
giving them every opportunity to agree
upon story of the murder.
1t is Il matter of record that Captain
Sigwart in 1895, in response to the
mayors inquiry, made an Omcial report
that there were only two diSorderly
women outside of the prescribed district
thus convicting himself either of delib-
crate Justification to his superior or of
incXcusabc ignorance and inctiicicncy.
1t is Il matter of common notOriciy
that Chief Sigwart has on various occa-
sions since his last promotion INDUCED
in disgraceful debaucheS that have scan
dalizcd the service and destroyed the
respect in which his SubordnateS should
hold their commander.
1t is Il matter of common nOtoricty
that the city has been infested by crimi-
nails of every description and that vice
and crime have never been 50 tlagrantly
rampant rs within the past year. he
recent killing OF Police Officer Tiede
man is one of the deplorabie results of
the gross negligence and ineiiciency of
the head of the police.
The chiefs utter lack of capacity and
moral stamina could not have been moro
forcbly illustrated than by the case of
Detective Bloom, recently dismissed for
appropriating stolen money which he
had recovered from thieves. This omensp
was committed nearly year ago. 1t
had been brought to the knowledge of
the chief by The Bee months ago and
yet no charges We're filed against Bloom
by the chief until he was ordered to do
so by the present police board.
How much longer then do the reform
police commissioners propose to retain
Sigwart rs chief of police, and how
much longer are the lives and property
of our citizens to be jeopardiZCd and
strangers visiting the city left prey
for gamblers, crooks and thieves?