Omaha daily bee., 1911-09-09
Governor Aldrieh Decides TO Begin
Action Under Saokett Law
Against Police Board.
ATTORNEY GENERAL GETS ORDERS
Instructed to Bring the Proceedings
without Delay.
SALOONS CAUSE THE ACTION
Disregard for Law So Flagrant that
Move is Demanded.
NEFF1cIENCY OF THE BOARD
Many Kinds of Graft Alleged, with
saloon Men Paying for PrOtee-
tion while violating LAW
In Every Way.

South Omaha is to have a house cleaning
with Governor Chester A. Aldrich as house
cleaner in chief. The governor will begin
with the members Of the Fire and Police
board of whom 1t is said that they have
been carrying on affairs with but slim re-
spect for the laws
Affidavits signed by, Dean Ringer, an at
torney, and Nels Turnquist. former po-
liceman. have been filed with the governor,
IN which specific cases of law violation and
graft are recounted and on the strength
Of these and other information. the gov
ernor has directed Attorney General Mar
tin to commence the proceedings under the
Sackett law.
Evidence is on hand warranting the gov
ernor to proceed and the whole affair will
be threshed out in the executive offices at
Lincoln. local attorney, II is understood
will be appointed assistant to the attorney
general for the conduct of the case and
the grafters will be dislodged II 1T takes
every miltiaman in the state to do It"
said the governor.
Graft that is Alleged.
| The evidence of the dereliction Of the po-
lice board is flagrant in the extreme.
Liquor dealers are said to have paid 800
each for the transfer of the license bond
from a bonded surety company to per-
sonal straw bond. OF the seventy-eight
liquor licenses involved in the case very
few have sureties solvent to the amount
of the guarantee in the bond. Some of the
sureties have no property and are not free
holders; others have signed and made
themselves liable on more than one bond
which is in direct violation to the law
which prescribes that q surety, except it be
surety company, can not sign on more
than one bond.
Certain of the saioonists when Informed
that the governor would take a hand an
nounced their intention of looking up the
financial standing of their bondsmen whom
| IL found wanting would be discharged In
| favor of sounder ones.
Board is Divided.
In the police board itself. there is dis
sension. One of the members being for the
most part in a hopeless minority.
Another story that the board will have
to confront is that saloon men are forced
| to pay $40 a month for protection to run
after hours and on Sunday. The money In
no case, IL Is said, has been paid to the
board, but into the hands of others. Some
of the saloon men are dissatisfied with
! the way things have been going and are
ready to cough up what they know. Just
now every one concerned seems to be beni
on seeking convenient cover.
Men Who Signed Bonds.
The unfortunate signers Of the liquor
bonds are in most cases the scapgoats
They can be prosecuted for perjury, where
II is found that they have sworn that they
| owned property to the amount involved II
the bond, while in fact not possessing the
amount. Some Of the sureties are said K
be quiet family men owning a little hom'
worth at most few hundred dollars.
Others are unfortunate hangers OF
about saloons. One James Corr, at present
under charge Of numbering John Matsor
in a saloon on Sunday, is surety on thu
bond of Michael Diggin to the amount o.
$500. Corr said he owned one lot. Th'
records show that he did own one lot
valued at $3.50 but that the same was sole
for taxes three years ago and has no
yet been redeemed. Corr, when asket
about the matter confessed to havinl
signed the bond, but said he had neve
sworn TO It, and could not recall having
been in the presence OF a notary public
1t is expected that when the honest salooI
men and the innocent victims of the plo
shall have been shown their dangerou
predicament in regard 10 the law they will
be glad enough to make peace at an!
| terms.
DIEEin Gets New License.
A report has II that Michael Dige1n
whose license was recently revoked by tn
board for selling liquor on Sundays, haI
obtained a new license under the name o
Henry Nutoff 10 whom the claims TO hav'
sold his saloon. Diggin is said to hav'
made threats that unless the board saw
him through, he would 'let the cat out o
the bag" 1t is said further that the gam
or some Of it's members supplied the 400
for a new license. Another story is 10 tn
; effect that one OF the members OF tn
board recently sold q piece OF propert!
to a brewery with the understanding tina
the brewery company would get three NOR
saloons. Whether or not there was sucl
an agreement the brewery company go
the three saloons.