Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1907-05-05
MAYOR FOlLS THE COURT
IahlmAn Psrdons Low Character Few
Minutes After Her Sentences.
cONsoRT BOASTS OF PULL WITH in
Male Companion of Condemned
Female Laughs Rt Law and
Boasts Of Power with
CIty's Executive.

IN Just show you who is running this
said William Velie, released trloay
from the Emergency hospital with small
pox. as he turned from the bar in police
court Saturday morning, Immediately atter
Tiuie st. clair, whom he said was his
wife, was given a sentence of thirty days
IN the county Jail on a vagrancy and com
mon charge IN just show you that l
can get a pardon" he hurled back at
Judge Crawford before roomful OF ofh-
GERS and spectators, as he hurried out or
the door on his errand.
Less than an hour later, putting and
painting at his unusual exertion, the fellow
rushed into the court room, holding aloft
tho mayors pardon for the woman whom
the Judge had sentenced for making her
self an object Of unusual shame on the
streets Straight up to the bar rushed the
man before he stopped and, throwing the
paper triumphantly down before the court,
he called in voice loud enough to be
contempt OF court in itself
There you are. There's the pardon
where did you get this?" was asked
him.
Got IL from DahImnn.
II got that from Dahlman," was the an
swer between short breaths. Everybody
rounded the man and the exhalations Of
breath which he sent all about him.
Leaning his elbows on the bar he ex-
planned how he got the pardon and wanted
the woman released Immediately. She
was stll in the bull pen.
When Judge Crawford could stand the in-
science Of manner and stencil no longer he
turned upon tVelie with a storm of words,
bidding him get out of the room as quickly
as he was able Velie's bravado deserted
him suddenly and much faster than he en-
tered, he skunk out of the door and into
the open air.
The woman for whom the man had inter-
ceded with Mayor Dahlman was one who
has for years been a police character and
who has a child now in the care of the
Juvenile authorities, having been taken
away from her. Her record on the police
blotter is not far behind that Of Velie, and
Velie is making a hard run for first place
among Migrants. beggars and petit larceny
thieves
The incident of her release secured 30
easily by a person of Velies stamp. was
the subject Of much comment in the court
room and attorneys who witnessed the I'M
usual scene were open in their denancia-
tion Of such disregard for the dignity OF
the pardon was that the woman should
keep of the streets ana take care OF
her child"
Mayor Explains Why.
Speaking Of the pardon of Tillio st. Clair
who was sentenced thirty days by Police
Judge Crawford, Mayor Dahlman said:
Il pardoned the woman because believed
and still believe the circumstances in the
case warranted such action. In the frs
place, the police said the only charge they
had against the woman was that she wa,
caught drinking beer with some com
panions. A thirty day sentence under sucl
circumstances was excessive. The woman'i
husband called on me and l learned tn,
man is working and the man told me tn,
woman was his wife and that he had
child
THE police and police Judge are sendinl
too many persons to jail for thirty days fo
offenses not commensurate with tn,
charges against the prisoners. II this in
discriminate talk about my pardoning doe
not cease I will call on a committee o
citizens and have both the city and count!
1ails investigated. I will call for an in
vestigating committee. 1t will be fount
that the way prisoners are being packe,
into these jails is a disgrace to the com
munity.
in the ST. Clair case the thirty-da,
sentence was out of all reason. A five
day sentence would have serve the ends O
Justice as we'll intend to go after thi
thing and will stay with It until It Ia