Omaha daily bee., 1910-03-12
MOVE TO GUST RICHMOND
Iowa Attorney General Files Charges
Against Council Bluffs Chief.
KNOWLEDGE OF MABRAY DEALS
Accusation He Permitted saloons TO
Violate Law, CountenRnced Gam
bling and Attempted nlsFal
Use of Money.

a petition. asking the removal Of Major
George H. Richmond from the office OF
chief Of police OF Council Bluffs was filed
yesterday morning in the district court
OF Pottawattamie county. Ia, by Attorney
General H.. w. Byers. The proceeding is
entitled The state Of Iowa, ex rel, II. w.
Byers. attorney general, against George II.
Richmond"
The petition was filed by Mr.. Byers as
attorney general and was filed by him In
person in the office Of Harry NJ. Brown,
clerk Of the district court a few minutes
before noon. Mr.. Byers had previously
presented the petition to Judge o. d.
Wheeler, who set wednesday, March q, at
10 O'Clock as the date for the hearing.
Although the petition includes the formal
demand that Major Richmond be suspended
from office during the tendency Of the
action, Judge Wheeler said Mr.. Byers did
not ask for such an order in presenting
the matter to the court and that he asked
merely an order setting the case down for
hearing, which was done.
The petition makes specific charges
against Major chmon Of wilful and
habitual neglect and refusal to perform the
duties Of his office, OF wilful misconduct
and maIadm inistration in office, Of cor
ruption in office and Of extortion.
The chief is also accused Of permitting
gambling, the Illegal operation Of saloons
and with knowingly permitting the oper-
ations Of the Mabray gang Of big store"
swindlers in Council Bluffs during 1907 and
: 1908. He is further charged with attempting
TO bride certain persons with intent to
Influence their conduct as public officials.
Text OF Petition.
20. -.,g+tn- thot Mainr RIChmOnd was
appointed chief Of police in 1884 and has
continuously held that office since. The
petition is as follows:
That the defendant. George H. Rich
mOnd, has wilfully and habitually neg
leoted and refused to perform the duties
That the defendant, George H. Rich
mond. has been and Is guilty Of wiltul
misconduct and aladministratio In
That the defendant, George H. Rich
mond, has been guilty OF corruption In
That the defendant, George H. Rich
Ihond, Is guilty Of extortton.
The plaintiff further states that the de-
saloons to operate in the city Of Council
Bluffs in violation OF law by permitting
the same to keep open after 10 O'Clock at
night, to sell intoxicating liquors on cleo
ton day and also to sell intoxicating liq-
uors to minors, drunkards and other pro
hibited persons. That the defendant
George II. Richmond, had full knowledge
OF said violations and failed and neglected
the said persons violating the law.
That there was gambling In the incor.
. porated limits of the city Of Council
PENDANT, George II. Richmond had knowl
edge that such gambling houses We're be
and that he failed, neglected and refuset
same; and failed, neglected and refused
to file information against the persons
operating said gambling houses.
bribery Charge.
That the defendant, George H. Rich
mond, did in the city OF ouncil Bluffs
Ia, and while he was acting as chief o
police OF said city attempt to bride Ger
tain persons in said city by giving t
said persons bank bills, gold and othe
circulating medium without receiving an,
consideration therefor, the money tendere,
to such persons being for the purpose o
wrongfully Influencing their conduct a
That sometime during the year 1907 on
John G. Mabray and numerous other per
IONS commenced to operate in this cit
game Mabray and his confederates having
consplred and confederated together 10
the purpose OF carrying on said ''bunco
aud brace" game with a view of swindlinl
ana robbing such victims as might b
6gought to them by their field operators
that such game was operated almost con
unuously in the city of Council Bluffs from
the latter part OF the year 1907 to the lat
period more than fifty victims or Mikes,
as they are sometimes termed, were swim
died out OF sums Of money ranging Il
amount from 5000 to $4,000, the tota
amount Of money said to have been in
Volved In these swindling operation
amounted to between $500, coo and $500, 900
that said "bunco" and brace" game wa
carried on in the public hotels OF thl
city; that the defendant, George H. Rich
mond, during all the time Mabray and hi
conrederates were so operating thei
"bunco' game was chief OF police of tn
city OF Council Bluffs, and, as such chief
force as TO the character and the exten
Of the operations OF the so-called "Mabra,
gang" that, Notwithstanding such infor