Omaha daily bee., 1902-07-30
AFFAIRS AT SOUTH OMAHA
Caroline Drisosll Claim has Finally Beer
Fully Paid Up,
KNOCKED ABOUT IN COURTS FOR YEARS
City once Had Chance to settle, but
Didn't. and the Result Proved
Costly in the Long
Run.

oNheiSut u 1851 phguehI Dy the city nav
Ing been made at noon yesterday. This
claim has been in the council and In the
courts ever since 1896 and has cost the city
a large sum OF money in interest and costs.
Last year when the levy was made the
sum Of 81. 7ss was appropriated on the claim
and on Monday night the council closed
the account by appropriating 1875, making
a total OF $500, which the city paid for a
Judgment amounting to $4,000.
In the sping Of 1896 Catherine Driscoll,
then quite an old woman, slipped on the
sidewalk and sustained injuries. A claim
for damages was filed with the city. but
before the matter was seriously considered
by the city oficials Mrs. Driseoll moved to
Nicola, Ia, where she shortly afterward
died. Before her death she was visited by
a South omaha attorney. who purchased
her claim against the city for $500. The
money was paid and the transfer OF the
claim duly recorded at the court house In
Omaha. Then the holders OF the claim,
Tom Hector and A. L. Sutton, proceeded
to round up the city council and endeavored
to secure a settlement. The council was
willing. but DR.. Ensor, who was then mayor,
was not willing, and he placed his veto on
the resolution. directing the city clerk to
draw warrants on the judgment fund for the
amount.
This action on the part Of Ensor caused
strained relations between the mayor and
council for some time, but Ensor stood
his ground. Then there was another trial
and judgment rendered against the city.
This was followed by mandamus proceed
ings, brought by Sutton and Hector, who
were then acting for Mary Madden, to whom
the claim had been assigned. Finally the
case was taken to the supreme court and
In the course OF time a decision was handed
down Affirming the judgment OF the lower
court. This was in the fall of 1900 and In
the summer of 1901 the first m was
made, just hve years after the original
claim had been filed. Yesterdays payment
by the city closes the incident as far as
the city is concerned.
Inquest on JOdeit and seykora.
A coroner's jury held a session at Brew
er's undertaking rooms yesterday and list
ened to testimony regarding the death Sat-
urday afternoon OF Herman Jodeit and Jo-
seph seykora. SIX witnesses we're ex-
amined, the most important being John
Henry Loechner and his son, DR.. William
Henry Loechner. Both testified that be-
fore the work Of digging the new cesspooI
commenced boards and fence posts were
secured for the purpose OF bracing the
"1S VI NAS . III Nh0 NACdNhlluk was
going on. Mr.. Loechner testified that he
instructed the men to use the bracing on
account Of the soft condition of the ground.
This they neglected to do. The statements
OF the Loechners were substantiated BY
other witnesses aul the Jury brought in a
verdict to Tho c1e,: ta1t Jodeit and scy-
kor' came 20 ihstr death as tho resLlt
o. their own carelossnoss. The funeral OF
Jodeit was held yesterday afternoon. intcr-
ment being at Laurel Hill cemetery.
Mayor Koutsky's DiIemma.
Mayor Koutsky is in a position where he
has dogs to sell. Just now his kennel con-
tains twenty-nine dogs Of various III leeds,
colors and sizes. The mayor did not dis
cover how rich he was in canine stock
until yesterday, when he was engaged In
signing warrants for claims. Then he found
that there is not money enough in the dog
fund to pay the p~oundmaster. Unless about
half Of the dogs now in the pound are re-
deemed within a day or two either the
poundmaster OF the city will get stuck.
The mayor Is figuring on holding a public
auction Of the ours now on hand In order
to raise enough money to settle with Pound
master McGil.
CrOsswalks Ordered.
Crosswalks have been ordered laid az
follows: Twenty-sixth and @ streets
Twenty-hfth and E, Twenty-sixth and e
Nineteenth and !, and Nineteenth and Mis-
souri, avenue. These walks will be laid
Just as soon as possible. The street aud
alley committee has a list Of a number
Of crosswalks that are badly In need OF
repairing and this work will be done Just
as soon as the street force can get around
to 1t. About a dozen men are now employed
on the street gang. but repairs to the
streets takes up most OF the time Of the
force just now. leaving little time for side
walk or street crossing repairs.
. Bids for Sewer.
Following the instructions Of the city
council the clerk will at once advertise for
bids for the laying OF a twelve inch sewer
In the alley between TWenty-second and
Twenty-third streets from r to @ streets
This sewer district has been created by or.
dinance and property owners in this dis.
, trict desire that the sewer be completed
before cold weather comes. A number o.
, new houses are being erected in this 10.
cality. hence the demand for q sewer.
Not Seriously Injured.
Miss Charlotte Jensen, who fell from
street car near Twenty fourth and d streets
. Monday night, is still at the South Oman,
hospital. The nurse in charge stated yes
I terday afternoon that Miss Jensen wa
! conscious and from the indications at tina
time was not seriously injured. She will
however. be compelled to remain at tn,
hospital for several days yet. Miss Jensei
y resides at Twenty eighth and b streets.
d once Altstadt Complains.
Charles AltstAdt, the police onacer 4
charge Of prisoners sentenced to work o.
the streets. was lonesome yesterday after
noon, as he had nothing to do. He onl
had one prisoner assigned 10 the street
9 and as this man was sick Altstadt wa
worrying about how he was going to get tn
weeds cut. In some portions OF the cit
e the weeds are so thick that sidewalks ar
n almost impossible. and the suggestion ha
e been made that the city employ abou
ten men for a period Of q week In order I
get the weeds cut before another spell {
vet weather sets In. Very few prisoner
have been on the street gang lately and 9
little in the weed cutting line has bee
accomplished. Residents ars also com
W planning about the tall weeds aud II
possible that some arrangements will b
made to secure men to do this work.
Magic City Gossip.
There is quite a demand here at IN
present lime for grading teams.
son haa ban hnrF, 70 NJ 90 A.