Omaha daily bee., 1902-06-04
JUNKET MONEY IN QUESTION
storekeeper 0'0onnor Has the Cash, but
Does Not Travel,
Mr.. CONNOLLY, HOWEVER, TAXES A TRIP
Commissioners May Want the Money
Appropriated for Delegate to
Charity Convention Turned
over to Him.

At the county court house there are quite
a number Of people who are wondering
what will happen when James p. Con-
molly of the board Of commissioners and
chairman OF the charity committee re-
turns from his eastern trip. Incl
d~entally these same people are wonder
ing whether he or Thomas O'Connor.
keeper Of the county store, will get a GER
ain SIS voted by the board to defray
O'Connor's expenses in attending the pres
ent conference of charities and correction
in Detroit, or whether this money will be
returned to the county's Golfers.
Two weeks ago the board authorized
drawing a warrant for this amount in
O'Copnor's favor, specifying the purpose
for which It was to be used. Mr.. O'Con-
nor has already attended three of these
conferences, but last week, the day before
Connolly's departure for his visit In the
east" the "storekeeper made the disquiet-
ing announcement that his children had
suffered an attack of measles and that,
therefore, he would be unable to go. Mr..
Connolly announced that he would rear
range his program and attend the confer
ence himself for q few days. There was
no meeting Of the board and his act was
voluntary. But previously Mr.. O'Connor
had received the warrant for $50 and he
said yesterday that he still holds the
money and that he had thought of asking
the board II he might not retain It and
take a vacation later in the summer
Not Vacation Money.
AS the resolution Of the board appropri-
ated the money for an express purpose,
1t is said that he cannot use 1t for vaca-
ton purposes without first having the
board rescind its former action and then
expressly Inappropriate the amount for
vacatino purposes, which latter would be
something Of On innovation.
Meanwhile MIR. Connolly, who has not
been an ardent admirer Of O'Connor and
who has repeatedly tried to have him dis
placed by Patrick Ford, will have re-
turned.
The chairman Of the charity committee
remarked several weeks ago that he didn't
see why some Of the commissioners should
not be sent at county expense to the char
ity conference instead of the storekeeper,
and some of his friends say that 1t is
probable that he is still Of the same
opinion and that he will take the ground
that as he attended the conference he
should be the one to receive the money
appropriated to O'Connor for this use.
Some others who, perhaps, are not his
friends intimate that he had his eye on
the SIS when he started and that he will
demand that 1t be transferred to hin by
O'Connor.
Chance for an Argument.
Thus there becomes apparent a compli-
Gated condition that will make possible an
other of those lively melees that are
recorded with such frequency in the his
tory of the board since COMMISSIONS
O'Keeffe and COMMISSIONS Connolly took
to dlslikfng each other. II O'Connor asks
for the money to defray vacation expenses
Connolly. it is supposed, will balk. And
IL Connolly asks 1t because of having at
tended the conference, O'Keeffe, 1t seems
equally probable, will balk. u
Members of the board said Tuesday
that O'Connor could not transfer the money,
as Connolly may desire, without the sane
ton Of the board, and they anticipate some
more fireworks when the matter is brought
before that body, as the South Omaha
member is not apt to be at all Inclined to
assist in defraying his fellow democrats
junketing expenses with county money, be-
cause the latter voluntarily goes out Of his
way to spend a day or two at a meeting
to which he was not sent and from which
It is not apparent that he is to derive
much benefit for the county.