Omaha daily bee., 1906-05-25
BRIGGS AND MURPHY HIT
South Omaha Chief Of Police and Lawyer
Indicted for Alleged Graft.
CHARGE IS ExToRTloN FROM WOMEN
Accused of TakinE Money from
Keepers of Resorts for PrOtec-
tiOn-BOth Men Protest
Their Innocence.

Their Innocence.
sensation was sprung by the county
/ grand jury yesterday afternoon when an
indictment was returned charging Chief OF
Police Briggs of South Omaha and Henry
c. Murphy, an attorney of South Omaha,
with extortion and blackmail by receiving
money from houses of III fame for police
protection.
Chief Briggs and Mr.. Murphy were ar
rested late in the afternoon and gave n
bond for $1,000 each, signed by ex-Mayor
Frank Koutsky of South Omaha. The bond
is for their appearance In court at $3.50
o'clock this morning. when new bail will
be asked.
The information was returned on stesti-
mony given before the board by George
Bradeen, Mrs. Lillian Beck Bradeens for
mer wife, and Mr.. and Mrs. Charles Nc
Laughlin all of whom formerly operated
resorts in South Omaha. but we're recently
driven out by an order OF the Fire and Po-
lice Board.
II is charged that Mr. Murph. solicited
the money, representing himself as an
agent for the chief of police from Mrs.
Lillian Beck Twenty-Five dollars a month
is alleged to be the amount paid.
Chief ia Arrested.
Chief of Police Briggs was arrested in
his private office at South Omaha by Dep
uty Sheriff Haze. Two reporters from
Omaha were about to enter the Office with
Chief Briggs when Captain Haze came UP.
Il want to see you. chief" said Captain
Haze.
These boys want to talk to me a few
minutes" said Chief Briggs. not suspecting
| H. -
you in a moment"
Il want to see you first" said Captain
Haze, stepping into the room and closing
the door.
The two we're closeted together a short
time and then the reporters were invited
in. Chief Briggs was very noticeably af-
fected by his arrest II appeared to be
blow he was not expecting and his voice
shook when ne talked
briggs Calls II BIackmaII.
''It is all dirty blackmailing lie," ho
said with considerable emotion. am
surprised that twelve men should have
! believed the stories told by such peopIs
as these. 1t is case of their being
) sore because we drove them out of town
Bradeen was ordered to close up abolt:
three months ago. There is absolutely
= no truth in the charge"
That police politics" is back of the
charges was the assertion of Mr.. Murphy
last Saturday at the time he was testify.
ing before the grand jury. He declared
1t was scheme to have Chief Briggs
ousted from his ONCE in the interests
OF Captain Shields
Chief Briggs last night was also inclined
to ascribe the charges to an attempt tc
oust him in favor OF Captain Shields. Cap.
tain Shields made an emphatic statement
that he had nothing TO do with the CHARGES
at all He testified before the grand Jury
but he said he could prove by those who
heard his testimony that he did not give
any evidence discrediting his chief II,
expressed the belief that Chief Briggs wa,
innocent.
Basis Of the Indictments.
The charges made by Bradeen and hir
former wife have been heard by the Fir,
and Police Board once or twice before. L
: is said that the board voted to refer tn.
: matter to the grand jury and certain mem
bers testified before that body.
. Bradeen asserts that the payments OF 81
: month continued through a period OF Ell,
q months. Then came the order of the Fire
: and Police board ordering them driven ou
N | OF business. This was about three months
O ago. The indictment is in four counts. a.
a covering the same alleged transactions.
q Mr.. Murphy heard OF the rumors that h,
n was to be indicted and telephoned tn,
i Office of the district court to find out II /
= was true. He was told the jury had no
q reported but rumors were afloat he wa
e to be indicted. He made arrangements 4
meet the oficers and in accordance Will
8 the agreement he met Deputy Sheriff IIaz
d with Chief Briggs in custody near Thir
k teenth and Douglas streets. He had al
q ready met Deputy District Clerk Gallaghe
Il and was with him at the time Arrange
n ments for the bond had been made will
J. Mr.. Koutsky, and the party proceeded 4
the court house. where the bond was giveI
Is before Judge Sutton. who was called up b,
n telephone Both men declared they woui,
= demand speedy trials.
o Dirty Play, Says Murphy.
= The finding Of indictment by tn
grand jury against myself is the culmina
= ton of one of the dirtiest and most dia
= bolical plots ever hatched The grand tur-
found this indictment against me upon tn
testimony of woman and her escort
who at one time were engaged in running
a disorderly house in South Omaha. Tn
only relation or transaction l ever sus
y. tained with either of the Bradeens wa
"a that OF defending them on one or tw
n Occasions Nhcn lney were charged Wit
II having committed some crime. In face o
70 the fact that the Fire and Police boar
10 OF South Omaha informed Bradeen and hi
ie wife that the board would not tolerate tn
l. collection Of protection money from tn
II members OF the tenderloin OF South Omah
g Bradeen and his wife now say they con
k tinued to pay il. 1t is surprising that tn
4 grand jurw would besmirch mans repu
tation upon this testimony. And II is NOR
ID surprising TO me that the Fire and Pollc
le board of South Omaha. after having salts
ned itself OF the falsity of the charges mad
by Bradeen. certain members OF that bod,
z aided by the captain Of police Of sout
Omaha, were very active in voucf
d ing for Bradeen's story to the gran
jury. l am ready and willing and anxiou
to have this matter presented to a jur
where ! may be permitted TO face m
accuser, and l IN ready to abide by th
" result Of the Jury's deliberations"