Omaha daily bee., 1899-12-19
AFFAIRS At SOUTH OMAHA
Chief Of Police Carroll Sends in His
Resignation
HAS AN OFFER OF A BETTER POSITION
business Men Likely TO Hand In the
appointment of Ncw Chief
Ensor Says lie VIII Coz
Operate.

Chief Of Police Carroll last evening ten
| dered his resignation to Mayor Ensor. Mr..
| Carroll intends leaving for Denver in a few
! days where hetwill look after business mat
/ ters for a time. In speaking about his leav-
! ing the police department Mr.. Carroll said
he was in receipt of an offer Of a much bet
ter position and while in the west he would
/ look over the ground with his probable em-
! poyers The chief further said that he had
been contemplating a change for some time
past, but he had been urged by the mayor
TO remain with the department until Janu-
airy /. Events have transpired which now
| make this impossible, hence the resignation
at this time. Pending the selection of
chief OF police. Captain Allie will be made
acting chief.
Carrolls retirement leaves the way open
now for the selection OF a head of the police
department by the business men. Mayor
Ensor asserted Sunday night that IL the bust.
ness men were dissatisfied with the manner
in which the department was being con-
Quoted, he stood ready and willing to ap-
point a chief of police TO be named by rep
resentative business men. Since this offer
has been made it will NEST likely be ac-
cepted as a great many complaints have
been made lately regarding the manner in
which the police force is being handled.
Members of the Commercial club incline to
the opinion that with a now chief the work
Of the force will be greatly improved. Bust
ness men further say that the new chief
whoever he is must be given full authority
to handle the men as he sees fit, and this
request will undoubtedly be made of the
! mayor when a new head of the department is
designated.
On account of the number Of robberieS and
holdups committed lately, the people are
r. ncid h1y hare
should be an entire reorganization of the
force. AS constituted at present the force
is costing the taxpayers $1,000 month and
it is asserted that this is rather expensive
considering the amount of protection
corded. The 1899 appointment for police
purposes is $910S, that it can readily be
seen that there will be an overlap in this
fund at the expiration of the fiscal year.
There are those who assert that with a
complete reorganization the number OF
patrolmen need not be increased in order to
have fairly good protection.
Another thing that has been spoken OF is
the closing of saloons at midnight. More
than likely the mayor will be requested to
issue instructions of this kind. BY closing
all places where liquor is sold at the hour
mentioned, 1t will be much easier for the
police to keep track OF suspicious charac-
ters. With saloons open at all hours of the
night thugs and thieves have place to hide
and keep out of the sight of police officers.
In addition to this request the mayor will
likely be asked to close all games now being
operated in saloons with view of compell-
ing undesirable citizens to seek some other
climate. Men with no occupation congregate
about cheap resorts, and it Is asserted fire.
quently remain all night With such places
closed at reasonable hour the police will
ba cd m kep hotf wa oh
thieves and those who do not work.
Spring Politics.
Candidates for the spring election are be-
ing talked OF these days, although the cleo
tion will not be held until next April. The
republicans are casting about for a good
man for mayor and as a strong candidate
must be put up. quite number are urging
j. B. Watkins to allow his name to be used.
Mr. Watkins is a well-known business man
and he is being very favoraby considered.
1t is asserted that the city's finances are in
such a condition that a business man of
ability is needed to untangle the snarl and
practice economy in all branches of the city
government. In case Mr. Watkins allows his
name to go before the convention he will
undoubtedly receive the support of not only
the republicans, but of those who are con-
templatng the organizing Of reform move
ment.
Councilman Patrick Trainor is harboring a
mayoralty bee in his bonnet and those who
claim to know say that he can have things
all his own way in the Third ward. or the
democrats, it is presumed that Mayor Ensor
will seek the nomination again. 1t is for
this reason that the republicans are now
casting about for strong man who will find
favor with a majority of the people and
thus insure the election of republican. The
city is democratic and great deal of hard
work will have to be done by the republi-
cans and those who favor a reform in mu-
ncipal affairs If the democratic ring is to be
broken up.
LIZ