Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-11-10
BOARD IS NOT DISCHARGED
Police Commission Intact So Long a. il
Does Its Cfioial Duty,
MICKEY on CIVIC FEDERATION CHARGES
Chief OF Police Must Enforce sunday
ClOsiug, Board Responsible for
Chief, but Execution ones
tibn for Court.

The Omaha Board Of Fire and Palice
Commissioners remains in office and the
Civic Federation drops it's fight 70 oust it.
pending the enforcement Of the Sunday
provisions Of the Slocumb law; that law
must b. enforced. the chief OF police Is
held responsible for its enforcement. the
board, of which the mayor is chairman
eX-oiicio, is held responsible for tho con-
duct Of the chief. but the supreme court
must say whether the mayor or police
commission is finally responsible for the
execution of the law in Omaha-these are
the results of Governor Mickey's hear
ing Of the case against the local board, in
sttuted by the executive committee Of
the Civic Federation. They were made
known yesterday afternoon at the hear
ing before the governor at the Millard
hotel
The governor once ventured the remark
that there has been a good deal Of hide
and-seek in law enforcement in Omaha"
but he expressed implicit faith in my
board as he termed the commission.
These charges were first heard by the
governor on October IS. At the outset the
governor declared it was a matter for
the supreme court to settle, that OF whether
the police commission or the mayor could
Of the laws In Omaha: but he explained
his position in the premises by stating
that it was the bounden duty OF the chief
of police to enforce the laws. the Sunday
closing liquor law being particularly in
question. Then the governor added that
the police commission, including the mayor.
Is responsible for the conduct OF the chief
OF police and members of the police de-
partment
COHRdes in Chief Donahue.
Getting down to carpet tacks. the gov
ernor declared he would he disappointed If
Chief OF Police Donahue did not cause
every saloon in Omaha to be closed next
sunday. His excellency also decided not
TO discharge the commissioners
Attorney 7. J. Mahoney, for the Civic
Federation, expressed a willingness to drop
the proceedings and not go into a hearing
Of evidence in the case If assurance were
given that the Slocumb law would be en-
forced in Omaha. The commissioners an
peared willing to carry out the plan sug-
gested by the governor, so with that under
standing the matter was put in statu quo
until such time as the Civic Federation
shall decide to withdraw the charges
The meeting was called at O'Clock by
the governor, Commissioners Dr. George
l.. Miller. J. W. Thomas and w. J. Broatcb
were present, Commissioner Lee Spratlen
being in New York. For the Civic Fedora
tion were 7, ]. Mahoney, 1. W. Carpenter.
Or. a. B. somers and G. s. Hayward.
Other interested listeners were Judge Lee
Estelle. City Prosecutor Daniel, Presidinr
Elder Gorst OF the Methodist church. Rev,
J. W. Conley, Rev. ]. Randolph Smith, Rev.
c. c. Cissell and Mayor Dahlman.
The governor began his remarks by saw
ing; "The vital point in this controversy
Is enforcement Of the law and the ques-
ton involved is Sunday closing of saloons. -
Then the governor read the Slocumb law
which referred to election days and Sun
days and said he Understood saloons were
closed in Omaha on election days.