Omaha daily bee., 1902-04-25
AFFAIRS AT SOUTH OMAHA
Bond Issue to take Up Overlap Seems to Be
Unpopular.
OCCUPATION TAX PROPOSED INSTEAD
city Omcials Estimate that EnOuGh
Could BE Realised on Special Tax
in Two Years TO Clear
Floating Debt.

mere seems 10 De u letllnE among Ine
people that the city should not at this
time call a special election for the pur-
pose CT voting bonds for the taking up
OF the overlap which has been accumulat-
ing for years. One reason is on account
Of the expense and the other is a plan for
mulated by certain members of the pres
ent administration.
II is now proposed to levy an occupation
tax Upon all classes Of business, including
professional men, banks, etc. One sugges-
tion is that each saloon be taxed 5000. This,
II carried out, will bring in about SIS, 900
and the assessments on the other business
men will be made large enough to bring the
total up to s25, 900. This amount will pay
off half OF the overlap and the expectation
Is that the same tax will be levied next
year, thus clearing the city OF it's current
debt and at the same time avoiding the
Issuing Of bonds.
This plan Of assessing an occupation tax
has been tried here several times, but has
never been really successful for the reason
that business men would not pay, while
the liquor dealers were forced to put UP.
II the occupation tax, as proposed, is not
favored by the people the council proposes
to endeavor TO induce the liquor dealers to
get out and hustle for the bonds proposed
to be issued. II is asserted that these
bonds can be sold for $1,000 premium. pro-
viding that interest at the rate Of 5 per
cent is paid. Should the issue go for a less
amount buyers say that par will be paid.
May BE Murder
Investigation made yesterday showed that
there is a possibility Of Edward Woods
having been murdered. After the autopsy
which was conducted by two physicians,
had been completed and the report had
been made to the county attorney Of
Sarpy county and the coroner, It was dis
covered that prints OF a boot heel were
plainly observable on the left side of the
face OF the deceased. This caused an order
to be issued by Mr.. Patrick, county attor-
ney for Serpy county, for the inspection OF
the clothing worn by Tom Joyce and Webb
Clark, the men who were last seen with
Woods. DR.. Curtis of South Omaha was
directed to make the examination with a
microscope and he found blood spots on
the clothing of both Of the men. When
questioned about these spots yesterday aft
ernoon the prisoners, who are held for fur
Their examination, admitted, it is asserted,
that they had a scufle with Woods and that
he was struck in the nose with such force
as to bring about bleeding. AS for the
heel prints on the face they deny all knowl-
edge.
This case may still bring about some in
teresting facts, but the fact that the county
attorney and the coroner and the jury did
not request the presence of the train crew
| which was supposed to have struck Woods
looks in a measure rather peculiar. 1t may
be that the county officials are holding
back certain information which they have
secured in connection with the case. The
remains of Woods were inferred at st.
Mary's cemetery yesterday forenoon.
Pontoon Bridge sale.
Secretary Watkins OF the Pontoon
Bridge and Ferry company said yesterday
that the announcement made in an uptown
sheet about the sale OF the pontoons to
T. G. Parmelee was rather premature. He
admitted that negotiations were pending
and that he hoped the deal would 90
through. The neglect Of the city, said
Colonel Watkins, to provide a suitable road
to the river was the cause Of disposing of
the pontoons already constructed and the
steamer Castalia. From the present out
look there will be no ferry across the river
at this point this summer. but Henrietta
will be run as an excursion steamer by
those who have purchased the pontoon
| company's business on the Iowa side Of the
/ river.
Funeral of Joseph Crawford.
Funeral services over the remains Of Jo-
seph Crawford, who died at his home, 2409
N street, on Arbor day, will be held this
afternoon at the First Methodist Episcopal
church, Twenty-third and N streets. Rev.
NJ. A. Head, the pastor, will deliver the ad-
dress. The deceased had been q resident OF
South Omaha for sixteen years and was an
old and respected employe Of the Union
Stock Yards company. The member OF the
Union Stock Yards Employees association
will attend the funeral In a body. Inter-
ment will be a Laurel Hill cemetery.
womsn's Auxiliary Meeting.
A meeting Of the wonnan's auxiliaries OF
the Episcopal church will be held at st.
Clements mission, Twenty-eighth and R
streets, at $3.50 o'clock Friday afternoon.
Members OF auxiliaries from Omaha will at
tend and will be entertained by the South
Omaha member OF the auxiliary from st.
Martins church.
II was thought some days ago that the
treasurer would issue a call for warrants
before the end Of this month. but a change
Of plans was made yesterday. Treasurer
Howe stated that he would try and make
a call for city and school warrants on May
5. This call will use up about all Of tho
money the city and the school district has
on hand.
jack Hurley Reforms.
For the thirty eighth time this year
Jack Hurley. better known as Red MuzEle,'
appeared before Police Judge King yester-
day to answer to the old charge OF being
drunk and disturbing The peace. After a
fatherly lecture delivered by the judge
Hurley agreed to take the pledge and
after he had been sentenced to five days
in the county Jail in order to give him a
chance to sober up he signed an agree
ment in which he promised to abstain from
all intoxicating liquors for seven months.
In case he violates this pledge Hurley
agrees to 60 to jail for a period Of six
months without trial.
Cash Transferred TOday.
Mayor Koutsky will transfer the city
funds TO K. L. Howe, the newly elected
treasurer. some time today. Work on the
books has been going on for SOM weeks
And the delay has been caused by the coun:
a. -