Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1908-04-15
HOCTOR AND CLAN QUITS
Abdicates as Gracefully as Possible
When Bluff is Called.
NEW OFFICERS ARE IN SADDLE
Hauptman Declares His Companions
Got "COld Feet"-New Council
Meets and Organizes for
Business.

Mayor Hoctor Of South Omaha Is no
more. He "abdlcated," more or less grace
fully, yesterday at 2:45 p. m. With him
went all his council and the tax commits
sioner. w. II. Queenan.
The new council and mayor had just ad-
1ourned after organizing, when Mayor
Hoctor with a quorum of his council, filed
into the hall. Mayor Hoctor requested
Mayor Mayor Koutsky to call the new
council together informally to hear his mes
sage of abdication. After a few minutes
conversation with his attorney, A. w. JEFF
ferris, Mayor KoutslCy called the council to
their seats. Mayor Hoctor then arose to
address the council
Mr. Mayor and members OF the coun-
Gill;" he said "I wish at this time to state,
in explanation Of the position OF myself
and the members OF the former council
and the other city officials in attempting
to. retain the offices as recorded i'm the
action last night, that in everything which
was done we acted under the advice of
counsel We believed we had the right to
hold the offices to which we were elected
two years ago for two more years We
still maintain that that right could not be
questioned successfully before any court.
But for the reason that TO continue in Of
flee would create more or less contention
in the city, a majority OF the council and
myself have decided to waive our rights in
the matter
"All that I have in the world is located
in South Omaha. I assure you, gentle
men. that my interest in the welfare of
the city far outweighs my personal am
bition or my private rights. Believing
that harmony in the city is absolutely re-
qulred at this time to conserve her integ-
rity, I therefore. to you, Mayor Koutsiy,
surrender my rights in the case and de-
liver officially, the keys of the mayors
office and the city hall. Gentlemen. II
may at any future time assist Mayor
Koutsky in any capacity for the good OF
South Omaha, 1 assure you I shall be glad
to do 1t, and will do It as cheerfully as II
I continued mayor of South Omaha"
Vote of Thanks Faint.
The large crowd clapped their hands
graciously, but uttered no cheers. Coun-
Gilman John Hasburgh. democrat, moved
a vote of thanks to the outgoing officials
for the way In which the affairs of the
city had been conducted and interpolated
wish that the new officials may do
as we'll" This was voted for falntly
by the new council.
Then Mayor Koutsky rose and said:
Gentlemen. this concludes the assem-
bly, the meeting is purely informal You
are at liberty"
w. c. Lambert and A. w. Jefferis has
tened to the clerks office and advised
him of the turn of affairs and gave in
structfans for the clerk 10 maze a note
in the minutes of the council of the facts
of the informal session. Then they, with
Jay N. Williams, proceeded to the office
OF the tax commissioner and in the alb
sence of w. II. Queenan formally took
possession.
This closed a series of events which had
been tinged at successive moments with
pyrotechnics, melodrama and even vaude-
Vile On the streets Mayor Hoctor's
speech was uncharitably called "con talk. d"
The great majority who said anything
said it was the only wise thing left to
do and that IT would have been wiser still
had 1t been done at the close of the reeu-
lar canvass of the vote Of the recent
election Monday night. 1t is safe to say
no one outside of the council and imme-
diate friends accepted as correct the as
sertion of the mayor respecting either his
rights or that of his council to hold office.
Cold Feet, Says Hauptman.
l1auDtman
said, Il want you to say for me that I'm
no gutter If my vote had counted for
anything we would have been up there and
still In the ring. / wanted TO fight this
thing to the finish. The rest got cold feet -
Previous to the surrender of the old Of
ficials the new council was called to order
and organized. On motion of Frank
Dworak, Swan Larson was chosen president
of the council Frank DworaL uvas siaotoa
president pro tenn. 1t was moved that the
president of the council read the names
OF the committee, which he did; the first
named being the chairman They are sas
follows:
Finance-Peterson, pworak. ]. Larsen.
Judtciary-Dworak, Hoffman, Swan Lar
son.
Viaduots, Streets and Alleys-s. Larson,
Hoffman, Dworak
Railways, Telephone and TeleRranh-
Hasburgh, j. Larsen Petersen.
Fire and Water-Hasburgh. j. Larsen,
Petersen.
Street Lighting-J. Larson. Hasburgh 8.
Larson.
Public Porperty and Buildlngs-Hoffman
Dworak, Hasburgh.
Printing-Dworak, Hoffman, ePtersen
License-Hoffman, Hasburgh s. Larson
Charity-J. Larsen, Peterson, s. Larson
The republicans therefore control five of
| the ten committees; namely, the finance.
the judiciary. the viaduct streets and
alleys, and street lighting and the charity
committees. These committees were ap-
proved and the council was declared
organized. The mayor called the roll ana
a motion to adjourn was made and carried.
this being all the business which could be
done on the date OF organization under the
provisions Of the charter. The council will
assemble at the call Of the mayor.