Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1902-08-05
Slip Into Office While No One but
JAnitOr is Present.
AAYoS REFUSES TO ACT WITH THEM
Old Board wiz Bring Quo wsrrantO
Proceedings At 0nos.
PEAcEABLE cOUR1 Ac1ION N pRospEcr
Governor Savage said TO nave Threat
ened Violence TO Seat His APP
rointees, but Finds it
Unnecessarx.


New Mercer Police Commission.
Name. Poi,,,o. IT,.
J, w. THOMAS. .Fepubiiesn. fosr vsar.
y. - iBRsQATGH. Republican, three years
y; y. MNlGHT. ...... Democrat. two wears
LEE sPRATLEN. -. Democrat. one wear
governor Savage yesterday afternoon AZ
$3.50 o'clock Issued commissions to the
above as members OF the Board Of Fire
ano Police commissioners Of the city ot
Omanas acting under the decision Of the SUI
preme court rendered two weeks ago.
These are the men agreed on AZ the con.
ference between the governor and conere..-
man Mercer and John N. Baldwin Of the
Union Pacific law department. ana the CON
ditlon Of their appointment is understood
70 be the use Of all the boards authority ia
foT1e the denomination Of Mercer for con-
gress
The method taken by the sovernor IN
announeing his selection was calculated 10
throw about II the greatest secrecy. He
came to Omaha on the Burlington train
at sac o'clock and went to the MiIlard
motel. where he met the men he had Sc
lected and handed them their commissions.
rne commissions were from August 4 and
expire on the first Monday in April OF the
years mentioned: J. w. Thomas. 1906; w.
= brostcn' 1905; G. G. Wright, 1904, and
Lee spratlen, 1903
J. w. Thomas is cashier Of the Union Ma
ticnal bank. He came to Omaha ahopt civ
years ago from Hay Springs. where he
was somewhat prominent in local politics.
He is close personal friend of Coyernor
Savage and was selected several days he
fore he would consent 20 accept.
w. J. Broatch Is a former mayor NJ
es..s he Ne hs= ls.>A here A>=> :..:.= -;:.5s ;.;,.;
has been active In politics ever since he
came to the city. He was member OF
the legislature at the time Governor saw
age wac In that body and was a msnhsr
OF the former notorious Churchill. Russell
police board.
c. G. Wright Is the attorney for W
Froatch. He was one Of the parties 10 the
suit BY which the supreme court reve,sed
itself and authorized the governor 10 -
point the present men to ONCE. Va has
been a candidate for district tudrs snd
been mentioned as candidate for eonrres,e
Tor county attorney and for sevSrai city
oflces S'@
Lee spratlen was one OF the leaders a,
the gold democrats. He was for time as.
sistant cashier Of the National Bank of
Commerce and Ia now an attache Of The
ONCE of the general manager OF the Bur-
Iington railroad.
New Commissioner Eater.
As soon as they had received their COM
missions the men started for the city hall.
arriving there, they entered the Eighteenth
street entrance and went to the third floor.
Lne news OF the appointment had reached
the city hall before the appointeea ar
rived and the clerk OF the Board Of rsra
and Police Commissioners came to the con-
ciusion that It was time 70 quit for the
day. He had Just locked the front door
OF the ONCE and was starting downstairs
when the appointees reached the landing.
In his hurry to close the room be had for.
gotten that janitor was inside. The ian-
itor had Just completed his work and was
starting out with a bucket Of water in
his hands. As he opened the door there
was precipitate rush for the entrance
on the part OF the appointees II was
touch and go between Carl Wright and
w. J. Broatch as to who crossed the line
into the rooms Of the commission first.
Arriving In the rooms a short session
was held and II was decided to notify the
mayor. the chief OF police and the chief
Of the nre department that the new board
was In the once. The mayor came down
before any business was transacted and he
was invited to preside al the session OF
"the board" Acting on advice Of the city
attorney, he refused to dc this, and the
meeting was organised BY the election OF
W. J. Broatch as president and Lee spratien
as secretary. temporarily.
Chief OF Police Donahue at this time ar
rived and was asked II he would recognize
the authority Of the governors appolntees.
He asked to be given time for consldera-
tion. He was gone about fifteen minutes
and returned, saying:
81 acknowledge and recognise this a. tho
legal board. ! consulted with the mayor
and he told me to do just as / please.
Now there is another thing TO this. am
ready to carry out your orders, and when
cannot do that I will write my resigns-
tion."
Carl Wright. speaking to the chief. said:
I'VE are here because OF the decision Of
the supreme court. II there ia 70 be any
contest we win be IN possession OF the
once until that controversy is settled
That is all We have to say"
Frank Ransom Appears.
The appointees then began 20 discuss the
weather and other things. ana several mem
bers OF the city government dropped In 10
Ransom came In and the board went into
executive session 70 consider the question
OF the filing Of an application for q writ
OF mandamus to compel the mayor, the
members Of the Board OF Fire and Police
Commissioners appointed BY him. the clerk
OF that board and the chiefs OF the fre
and police departments TO recognize theif
authority. The recognition accorded ths
governors appointees by the chief Of po-
lice caused q portion OF the application 10
be stricken out. and before Il was served
G. A. saltsr chief Of the hre department.
appeared. He was esked 70 recognise the
board and was given ten minutes 10 con
slider. In less than that time be was back
IN the once and said;
II recognize this as the legal board"
w. J. Broatch was the spokesman for the
appolntees on this occasion. He said:
That ls all. Mr.. salter. co back 10
work and let the men know that there viii
be no change at this time; that evsrythins
will run along In the same way"
He started to say something else, but
upon look from another one Of he ap-