Omaha daily bee., 1899-01-29
NOW JUDGE GORDON MUST co
Will Be Permitted to Adopt One of Two
Courses.
IMPEACHMENT CHARGES ARE TALKED OF
IL IL Possible thnt the Police Judge
Question Nny he solved by
nm mendmcp tn the
city Charter.

For the bettsrment of the police force
Of the city Police Judge Gordon is to be re-
moved. The city officials are united upon
this point and the first move In this direc-
ton was the adoption Of the resolution at
Friday nights police board meeting, rec
ommending to the council that 1t take steps
to remove him. Just what course Is to be
pursued from now on is somewhat doubtful.
Impeachment may be tried, but 1t is more
than probable that the legislature will be
appealed to to remedy the situation" said
an officer Of the city.
Impeachment proceedings could properly
be brought in the district court" says City
Attorney Council. I'VE have plenty of evil
dence to support them-much more than was
disclosed at the board meeting. Judge Cor
don's withdrawal froE- he meeting pre-
vented US from showing our full hand. But
we have evidence to prove not only that the
police Judge has accepted straw bonds in
police court, but also that he has approved
worthless bonds for men and women whom
he has adjudged guilty enough to bind over
to the district court. transcripts from the
records of the district court fully prove this.
With this in hand the city would have no
difficulty in showing that Police Judge Cor
don has practically granted immunity to the
ui'i ePutaplc anu CTlHludl characters VINO
prey upon the citizens of Omaha and upon
strangers to the city.
solution of the Problem.
"A much easier way of solving the
difficulty, however, leads through the legis-
!ature. This is the more practicable owing
to the fact that some clause must be in
serted In the city charter to provide for the
election OF a police Judge. The section re-
garding this matter in the present charter
mas been held unconstitutional by the SUI
preme court and consequently the city finds
Itself In a position where 1t cannot secure
q successor to Judge Gordon. According to
the supreme court Judge Gordon was not
reelected in the last spring election, but is
simply holding over under the city election
that was held in the fall a year before.
The charter revision committee g~rappled
with the problem and has asked for Tie in
sertion Of a provision in the charter that
will call for the appointment Of a police
Judge by the council. The Judge Is to be
one Of the regularly elected justices Of the
peace for Douglas county. six of whom are
elected every two years.
That Is the best way out of the diff
Guilty. Moreover, 1t will comply with every
provision OF the law. The constitution re-
quires that the police Judge shall be elected
and shall hold office two years. Under the
charter. which makes an interim Of three
years between city elections, the police Judge
could not be chosen at a city election. We
cannot make him an appointee of the mayor,
as he must be elected. Therefore If one
OF the justices of the peace Is chosen, we
will comply with all legal provisions. The
police judge will be elected by the people
and elected for a term Of two years"
Gordon Has His Say.
The trial OF Acting Police Captain Her
formed the leading topic among the habitues
OF the police court. with Judge Gordon as the
central figure. His honor seemed to take
the result good-naturedly remarking that
he might have known better than to have
filed the charges before the Board Of Fire
and Police Commissioners. In referring to
the findings Of the board he pointed out that
he has been found guilty of having continued
several hundred cases and Diminishing them,
also Of having made 1t a practice to take
straw bail when not the least evidence was
submitted on which to base such findings.
THE action Of the board In permitting
City Attorney Cornell to force me to sub.