Omaha daily bee., 1910-04-06
Council Bluffs
RICHMOND HEARING STARTS
testimony Taken in Custer Case
Against Chief Of Police.
URY TRIAL DENIED BY COURT
Aomsn whose AffIdavit Hns AP-
peured Ia Cpse Gives Testimony
several Pastors Give.
e- Evidepce.

The testimony offered by the state in
he custer Proceedings against Major
ieorge H. Rlchmond. chef Of police, yes
erday was entirely devoid Of anything
2 ordering on the sensational and failed to
,how that Major Richmond had acted diff
'erently from his predecessors in office
f. 60 quartet OF a century or longer The
Y lumony related chiefly to the system
II fines imposed uron the women of the
own and the women who conducted
iousos OF 81 fame The evidence showed
nat the accused official as agent for the
mayor and city council had collected these
lines in the same manner in which they
lad been collected by the police depart
nent for over thirty years,
The witnesses introduced by the state
Nere Myra Stevenson, who was indicted
~ the grand jury at the present term OF
district coart on charges Of conducting a
rouse Of al fame ard the illegal sale of
liquor; Jessle Miller, the landlady Of a
house Of itl fame, who testified to paying
he fine imposed by the city ever since
SIS: Attorney ID. E. Stuart, former presi-
tent of the Law Enforcement leagues.
Rev. JOHN William Jones, rector OF St.
7aul's Episcopal church, and Rev. James
" Williams, pastor Of Broadway Methodist
.hurCh
The hearing Is being held before Judge
=. B. Woodruff Of Glehwood, Judge O.
} Wheeler who Is presiding at this term
,r district coupt, having expressed the wish
hat some Judge outside OF the city hear
he case,
Array Of Lawyers.
The state is represented by Attorney
General IL. w. Byers and his assistant
John Fletcher, formerly of Avoca. V
Lyngby, former Danish vice consul of this
.ity, Is also assisting Mr. Myers and occu-
pies a seat al the table with the states
attorneys. Major Richmond is represented
oy Emmett Tinley, George S. Wright
Judge ]. Il. Reed and h. w. Miller.
The case was set for $3.50 o'clock, but
kudge Woodruff was an hour late in ar
wing from Gleuwood. BY the time court
opened the court room was crowded. In
side the railing we're many members OF
he bar while n the audience could be
seen u number of the pastors OF the city
churches and men from all ranks of life.
At the opening Attorney FINLEY, after
Mr. Fletcher had read the information, OF
ill of complaint, outlining the charges
lgaitst Chief Richmond offered a motor
% transfer, the action from the equity t
lie law docket and asked that 1t be tried
Mr. Tinley contended that charges refer
ing to matters alleged to have taker
place before the statute under which thu
proceedings were brought went into effec
sere properly triable before a jury, tina
aaving been the procedure in removal pro
.eedings prior to the enactment of what il
Enown as the Cosson law.
Attorney General Resists.
Irl.reslsting the motion Attorney Genera
Byers quoted the statute, which. provides
hat an action such as had been Instituted
Igainst Chief Richmond shall be sum
: nary in It's nature and triable as an equit
lble action, and may be heard either IL
vacation or term time, and shall be hearC
before the court or judge without the inter
iention Of a jury" Mr. Byers further con
endEd that all the questions raised b!
he motion had been determined by tn,
.owa supreme court in the case of Mayo
Henderson Of Marengo, against whom Gus
Ter proceedings had been instituted on the
,harge OF intoXicaton.
Judge Woodruff promptly overruled th
notion, saying: 1T Is possible this ques