The Norfolk weekly news-journal. (Norfolk, Neb.) 1900-19??, 1907-10-04
BRAASCH ISSUES REPLY
NIGHT POLICEMAN MAKES sENsA.
TIoNAL ACCUSATIONS
AGAINST CHIEF OF POLICE
Night officer Ed 6raasch Issues Signed
Statement in His Own Defense, at
the Same Time DelVing Into Other
Police Force Affairs.

Night officer II. w Braaschs prom
ised statement, shedding light on local
police matters, is made public today.
It Is sensational in substance, touching
not only on the Friday night episode
but on other items of police court his
tory
The facts which were brought
against Night officer Braasch and
which provoked his reply were these:
That on last Friday night after mid.
night he was summoned to private
rooming house by Norfolk landlady
who desired police protection against
a transient woman roomer who had
taken a young man into her room, that
the couple had had the lights eXtin-
guished in the room for about thirty
minutes before the officer arrived that
the door was unlocked at the com
mand of officer Braasch after a delay
of about ten minutes, that after a con-
ference in the room the officer re-
turned, suggesting to the landlady that
the matter might be best kept quiet
and that the people in the case would
pay her to keep it quiet, that no ar
rests were made in the matter until
Chief Flynn got busy the next after
noon, that the night officer returned
and collected 81 as advance room rent
which the Objectionable woman had
paid for her room.
Night officer Braasch, who admits
that he blames Chief Flynn for the
course recent events have taken, has
made a public statement. Instead of
following the chiefs advice to with
draw from the force, Officer Braasch
has plunged into police court history.
Part of Officer Braasch's statement
is a defense of himself and part con-
sists of accusations against the chief
of police. The charges, which Officer
Braasch says are supported by police
court records, are that Chief Flynn has
taken fees belonging legally to
Braasch and that other fees have been
wrongly charged by the chief. This
is the substance of the charges that
have been committed to paper by the
night officer.
The whole police court matter, ac-
cordng to the present program of the
city administration, will be inquired
into at the council meeting next Mon
day evening. This date, the occasion
of a special meeting of the city coun.
Gil, had been picked for an inquiry into
the Friday night episode but since
Officer Braasch has been heard GER
tain councilmen have declared that the
hearing will take wider range.
Here is officer Braaschs signed
statement:
To Whom 1t May Concern:
On the night of Friday last, Sept
90, 1907, | was called to the home OF
Mrs. X. Arriving there | was told by
Mrs. X that there were some object
ionable parties in the house. | knock
ed at the door of the room occupied
by the parties and after knocking three
times the door was opened. | saw
young man sitting in the rocker read
ing a newspaper. The parties were
not undressed. | then went to Mrs,H
and asked her if she knew of any
thing wrong with the parties. She sale
she wanted them out of the house.
asked her whether she wanted then
arrested or whether bhe would swear
that anything was wrong and she sale
she did not care what became of then
so long as they would leave the house
II saw nor knew nothing upon which
to make an arrest without a warrant
| then advised them to leave the house
and did tell Mrs. X that it would bt
we'll not to say anything on accoun
of the injury it might be to her house
there being absolutely nothing upol
which to base an arrest.
| did not leave the premises will
the parties and made no arrest AM
had nothing further to do with thu
matter until the following morning a
about 8 o'clock after | appeare,
against some other parties that | ha
arrested and that were before polio
Judge; it was then that | called upo1
Mrs. X for the return of the none
due to the former occupant (Mis
| Brunson) Mrs. X then gave me $40
which money, after consulting the cit
attorney, was turned over to the pal
ty who sent me after the same. n
} charge was made for this by me.
, was repeatedly instructed by Chief G
Police Flynn to make no arrests G
that nature unless | had positive proc
of the commission of a crime. Case
: of this kind were talked over repeated
5 ly between us and my instruction
.. were positive and acting on these II
. structions | made no arrest; this an
the fact that there was no evidence
prove up any charge against them.
My position as nightwatch is an al
pointive one-appointed by the mayo
e with and by the consent of the council
/ and | can only be removed by the al
e thorities that appointed me. Notwitl
n standing this fact l was threatened b
!. the chief last Monday evening thu
= he would remove my star and dives
me of the powers of the night waite
I and remove me. Upon asking hin
why | should be removed he answere
l. that | had not obeyed orders that h
J. had given. | asked him where | ha
r been direlct in my duty and he sal
$ "You have failed to call me at
n O'Clock" when under the provision