Omaha daily bee., 1898-01-08
HITCHCOCK TAKES IT BACK
Editor Hastens to Square Himself with
the Court.
PUBLICLY APOLOGIES FOR HIS PAPER
Appears Before Judge Scott to Dis
avOyy Responsibility for One of
the Fnkery's --latest
Examinations.

G. NJ. Hitchcock was before Judge Scott
when court opened yesterday morning to take
few reefs in his hitherto Haunting rigging,
in anticipation of storm of judicial dispeas-
ure which he evidently believed to be i'm
pending. The morning Issue Of publication,
in which Hitchcock claims proprietary in
terest, contained lengthy effuson the gist
of which was to the effect that the man
damus proceedings brought Tuesday after
noon by Mccoy & Olmstead to test the con-
stitutionality of the law under which the
present Board OF Fire and Police Commits
soners was appointed were part of scheme
that had been ncubated by the editor OF
The Bee to get rid of the present board.
The publication also assumed pretty definite
Knowledge of what the court was going to
do ard broadly hinted that the only reason
that Mr.. RCsewater had not appeared per-
sonally in the proceedings was because he
was afraid that his application would not
be considered with the same favor as one
which was filed by someone VINO was on
better terms with the court.
More mature reflection evidently convinced
Hitchcock that he was treading on danger
Gus ground for he was on hand with his
attorney bright and early this morning to
tender his apologies. He took occasion to
drop into Judge Scott's private room, and
a
came out into the court room. AS soon as
he had assumed the bench Judge Scott sug-
gested: "Dd you have something to say to
the court, Mr.. Hitchcock" and Mr.. Hitch.
cock decided that he had. He called the at
tention of the court to the 1rticle In ques-
tion and stated that he wished to disclaim
all responsibility for 1t so far as it assumed
to comment on a case now peGding before
the court. He declared tho article was writ
ten Inadvertently by some employe who was
not aware that he was committing an I'M
propriety and entirely without his own
knowledge.
In acceptance of the apology Judge Scott
slil that in this age OF the world and on
account Of the sharp competition between
metropolitan journals reporters were often
led to strain a point in order to scoop an
opposition paper. In some cases they car
ried this so far as to scoop" the cour'. lie
declared that the article in question was far
fetched in that it mad attempted to make 1t
appear that RCsewater was back Of q case
that wis now pending,
81 know perfectly well what this was done
for" declared the court. 1T was on the
theory that IL Rosewater wants something
that is The very thing that this court wont
do There was never a greater mistake
My feeling against Rcsewater Is lifelong, in-
tense and the grave won't cover 1t, / dCn't
get over personal injury by sleeping over
it. If should meet him over on the other
eide in front OF 81. Peter | would not recog-
uize him. But | can cay, and truthIuly,
that If Rosewater hud a case pending before
me he would receive the slme justice as
though ho was my friend, If ! eouldn't do
that | ought TO get right eft this bench.
When / make this decision will not think
Of Rosewater or Slmerll or the Bee or the
World-Herald but Of Justice"
Then after saying 1t was very commend
able in Mr.. Hitchcock 10 shove responsibility
upon his subordiuates. he passed TO other
matters and Hitchcock escaped.