Omaha daily bee., 1902-12-07
TO PROTECT WIFE AND CHILD
Chief DOnahue 0Ontsmplater Measure to
Compel Husbands to Support Families
WILL URGE LEGISLATURE TO PUSH HIS BILL
Head of Omaha Police Department
Says NonsuppOrt and DesertiOn IL
Increasing In Alarming
Degrees.

Chief Of Police Donahue has undertaken
the task OF securing the passage in the
legislature Of bill which will If his pres
ent plans carry, cause to be placed on the
statute books OF the state OF Nebraska an
act that is now, and has long been, ur-
gently needed to deal with a class OF Of
tenders who have escaped the punishment
which should have been their due and
which, had the proper provision been made,
could easily have been meted out to them.
Chief Donahue's efforts will lie chiefly in
having his measure passed which will make
husbands, who have moved from their res
idence cities, leaving behind them families,
responsible for the care of the wives and
infants who are dependent upon them for a
livelihood.
To a reporter for The Bee yesterday aft
ernoon Chief Donahue said he had under
taken the passage OF the bill that the con-
dition which has for some time given the
police department of not only Omaha, but
the other cities of the state, no end of
trouble and expense, might be allie
Waited and an unnecessary burden which is
now thrust upon the taxpaying public by
its being compelled to care for the families
of the negligent husbands, eliminated.
Il shall recommend the passage of the
bill at the coming session of the state
legislature in January" he said, "and
there is no doubt in my mind that but very
little opposition will be encountered in
having the new statute enacted. What is
more important, this neglect on the part OF
husbands has grown to such a magnitude
that It is now very great burden and
II 1t is not curbed at this session 1t will
continue for two years more.
Numerous Cases in Omaha.
Regarding the local conditions, not ali
the cases for this winter have as yet de.
veloped Not a day passes but we have
one or more calls to locate husbands whC
have gone to distant cities and have ig-
nored the demands Of their wives and chill
dren for assistance. In Omaha alone las
year 346 families applied for and wer,
granted relief. The majority of these casei
were such as l have described. In the jai
there were sheltered 1854 dodgers, amont
whom, no doubt, we're many men who hat
| deserted home and family and not feelin,
any responsibility, wander at their leisure
| free from arrest. Pitiful cases come t
our attention which would be removed
| could the law / desire be passed l hav,
| no doubt that the cases for this year will
| equal those Of last, in which we will b.
| compelled to grant assistance. Up to tn
| present there have been at least twenty de
mands from wives to have our department
| locate itinerant husbands. One case in par
ticular that l can suggest is that Of a
engineer who left this city and went ava
to earn his ss5 q month. The first mont
he sent his wife $50, the second s25, bu
for the last six months he has not furnishe
her with one penny. What is there for u
80
this offender and we must resort to bluff
ing him into keeping his family.
Character of Bill.
my bill will be similar to acts governin
such cases In Illinois and Missouri, copie
Of which have received from the secrt
) taries OF those states. They provide th'
every person shall be deemed guilty OF
misdemeanor who shall, without good caui
abandon his wife and refuse to mainta
and provide for her; or who shall abandc
his or her child or children under the al
of II years The punishment is a fine n
less than 800 nor more than $500, or in
prisonment not to exceed one year n
: less than one month in the county Jail
workhouse, OF both fine and imprisonmer
81 have not conferred with any of Il
legislators regarding my proposition, b.
will take the matter up at once with ther
} Should there appear to be any opposite
to the measure, will go to Lincoln al
, work personally for the new bill. Th
) practice of desertion and nonsupport
, steadily increasing. will enter into corr
, spondence with the other police chiefs of L
: state in reference to this matter and solic
their support in it's behalf I also thil
1t would be we'll for the people Of Omal
to weigh this matter we'll and ask the
representatives to favor it with their su
port"