Omaha daily bee., 1903-04-01

bOW uthTiy RlkQL months since EZRA
r sa Sage. acting governor of Nebraska,
Apo mted the so-called reform police and
hre commission for Omaha. 1t will be re-
numbered that the governor gave It out
cdd that he had spurned the tender Of a
ortbe amounting to many thousands OF dol
lars from parties that we're presumed to
be Interested in securing the appointment
OF men that would favor the wide open
town.
Savage, in talking publicly Of his refusal
to be bribed, said that he had decided 10
appoint Broatch. spratlen. Wright and
Thomas because he was determined to
purify the city of Omaha by giving to it a
police administration that would not toll
crate vice in any form. 1t was the gov
ernor's boast. Slso, that his appointments
Swould have the effect Of divorcing the po-
' lice department from politics.
As a matter of fact, vice in Omaha has
been more Haunting since the incoming Of
the Broatch police board than ever before
and the police club in the hands of Will
liam ]. Broatch has become a menace to
good order.
Police Decentralization Begins.
The generalization Of the police force
began early In the official life OF the new
board by placing back into the department
i hceSs whose previous service had been
everything but credltable and whose police
records we're known to the public to be
V0fy bad.
At the very outset Of the new police adj
ministratiOn the following correspondence
took place:
OMAHA. Aug, Z, 1SO2,-Mr. c. c. Wright,
Fire and Police Commissioner.-Dear Sir:
Your attention is respectfully called to
the enclosed afidavits. Most Of the in
formation embodied therein was public
property years ago and was well known to
Captain Broatch during his former term on
the police board.
Re Jorts OF similar behavior on the part
Of former Chief Swigart are also in my
possession. Yours very truly.
e. RosEwATER.
Duplicates Of this letter we're also mailed
TO Police Commissioner Spratlen and
Thomas.
Keeps Girl from Reform.
Following are copies of the ahdavits re-
ferred to:
State of Nebraska, Douglas County-ss.
Caroline II. Cummings being duly sworn,
deposes and says that she is now and has
been for four years last past police
matron by appointment OF the Fire and
Police commission OF the city of Omaha,
that about two years ago Bertha Reich
enback, a German girl who had been an
inmate Of a mouse of ill-fame, was brought
before the police court on complaint OF
ner sisters. and the Keeper of the house Of
prostitution was prosecuted, convicted and
fined for keeping a minor; that said
Bertha Reichenback, then and there signed
papers, agreeing to go to the Milford Home
Epr fallen women; that afiant procured
transportation for her from Omaha to Mil
ford, but while said Bertha Reicnenback
was at the police station she was talked
into refusing TO 20 by Henry p. Haze,
CHIEF OF detectives, and Through his inter-
pJsition was persuaded to go to his
Haze's) home and within g week later
again resumed her residence In the house
of iIl-fame. Said Bertha Reichenback sub
seouently was arrested and finally sent
to the Milford Home. Afhant further states
n said Haze had a short time previously
also induced Laura Day. a 16-year-old girl
who had agreed to go 20 the Milford Home,
70 decline going after all arrangements
had been made for her transportation to
Milford by said matron and said parent
Of the said Laura Day. who thirty days
later was shot and killed in an designation
house in Omaha. Afiant further deposes
and says that all of these facts and par
ticulars known to her were related to Com
missioner v. o. strickler In the summer of
1874 ana LnNl hlu CiEithltt pIbilisth "
further investigate the matter personally
and make inquiry concerning their truth
fuIness, but never thereafter made mention
or reference thereto. Further deponent
sayeth not. (signed)
MRS. CAROLINE NJ. CUMMINGS.
Subscribed and sworn TO before me this
2Sd day Of July. 1895. e. p. RoGGEN,
Notary Public
HaEe False 90 His Promise.
state of Nebraska. Douglas County-ss.
Freda Reiehenback. Of lawful age, deposes
and says: She is a sister Of Bertha Reich
euback. That on the 2sth day OF February
1879. the said Bertha Reichenback was ar
rested in a house OF III repute in the city
OF Omaha and was taken TO the police sta
ton in said city and was there persuaded
by the police matron. Mrs. Cummings, and
others 10 20 TO the Nebraska Industrial
home at Milford. The afhant visited sait
Bertha Reichenbaek at the police station
and remained with her during the night
After the transportation had been secured
for said Bertha Reichenback Chief Of De
t~ectiyes Haze visited the said afhAnt anG
the said Bertha Reichenbsck in the polio,
station and said to the said Bertha Reich
enback that she need not go TO the reform
school at Milford unless she wished TO d
90. He told her that she could so to hi
house and work for wages ana tnAt no on
need know anything about her former If
or her trouble. The annant alleges that tn,
said Bertha Reiehenback then, upon tn
representation of said Haze, decided no
! tdso TO Milford, but to go to the residene
al said Hare and enter his employ as
domestic. The said Haze promised TO TAX
| care OF Bertha and to tell anant II her sis
ter. Bertha Rsichenbaek, should leave hi
employ. Several weeks later the sal
Bsrth6 Rsiehenbaek was arrested In
,ouse OF M repute In Council BLUFFS. sh
} had eft the house of said Haze, but h
failed and refused 20 notify the afiant a
be. had promised TO do. Afiant further al
81 that the said Bertha Rsiehenbac
vi then taken to the reform school At Nil
tord and Il nov liVinS In South DakOti