Omaha daily bee., 1899-07-27
[ SOUTH OMAHA NEWS.

Councilman Kelly's resolution, introduced
at the last meeting OF the council, provid-
ing for an investigation into the cause OF
opening the saloons last Sunday, Is causing
a great deal of talk and in some circles 1t
is hnted that IL an investigation is held
it will be decidedly interesting for some
people. The sentiment expressed on the
street is to the effect that an investiga-
tion should be held and the facts ELECTED
made public, no matter who may be impli-
Gated in the reported holdup.
In speaking about this Kelly resolution
yesterday Mayor Ensor said: shortly
after l issued the order to the saloon keep
ers to close their places of business at
midnight every night in the week and re-
main closed tight all day Sunday l sent
communication to the city council asking
for additional policemen and explaining that
with eighty-nine saloons the present force
of thirteen men, this number including the
chief, could not cover the territory required
and properly enforce the order. My object
in doing this was to shift some of the re-
sponsibilty cnto the council and In case l
failed would not be entirely to blame"
Mayor Ensor then referred to the section
of the charter in regard to the police force.
This section reads follows:
THE city marshal and such number of
police as the council may authorize shall
be appointed and may be removed by the
mayor at pleasure and in case OF emergency
the mayor may appoint necessary number
of special police who shall be removable at
the pleasure of the mayor and council"
1t has always been conceded that this
section gives the mayor absolute control
over the police force and Mayor Ensor go
construes it.
When asked what he proposed to do about
doubling the police force as authorized by
Johnston's amended resolution his hcuor re-
piled that he would do as he pleased as the
control OF the police force was solely in
the hands of the executive and the council
as a legislative body had no right to in
struct the executive in the discharge of his
duties.
Upon the subject of an investigation into
the reasons why the saloons were allowed to
sell liquor on Sunday the mayor said: "If
the members of the council want an in
vestigation ] am willing that one should be
held at any time. will also say in con-
nection with this proposed investigation
that there are other matters in which the
taxpayers are directly interested which
should also be investigated"
While talking privately to a friend day
or two ago about the investigation the
mayor is reported to have said that in his
opinion the councilmen were trying to
shake him down"
No occurrence in municipal affairs for
years has caused so much talk as the recent
Sunday closing order. 1t is a well known
fact that not long ago purse of 81, 600 was
raised by liquor dealers to raise the en-
barge. 1t is understood that all of the
breweries doing business here with the ex-
ception of the Anheuser-Bu and the
Schlitz people, we're willing to submit to n
holdup. The plan was to have each saloon
keeper contribute $40 and the breweries the
same amount for each saloon they operated.
Some little difficulty was experienced in
the raising of this fund. When the raising
OF this money was going on it was rumored
on the streets that the city council was to
be reorganized by electing Ed Johnston
president. After this had been done rumor
had 1t that Ensor was to get the entire roll
and then resign The resignation OF the
mayor would promote Ed Johnston to bs
acting mayor. w A. Bennett the repub-
lican member from the First ward was TO
be cajoled out OF his position as president
Of the council in order to let Johnston in.
Bennett refused to resign and also refused
to be ousted, even though powerful infu-
ence was brought to bear Later on, when
the $4,000 was in the bank, another attempt
TO reorganize was made. the saloon keen
ers being told that II Ensor resigned and
Johnston was made acting mayor the latter
would Immediately remove the ban on
Sunday closing. The last attempt at reor-
ganization was knocked sky high by
Trainor. who thought that he would like TO
wear the chief executives shoes from now
until next April. AS Tranor would not