Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1912-03-08
COMMITTEE ASKS FoRMAIIry
Want ito Be Put IN Right Light
Light Before Public"
DAVIS REFUSES TO BE SEEN
Denies Interview When Call is Made
at Neighbor's House.
MeovERN SHEDS REAL TEARS
weeps When He Thinks of q Fellow
Councilman Getting Into Trouble
NO Successor 10 Named
by the Council.

Charles NJ. Davis, councilman from the
Twelfth ward. accused OF malfeasance In
office. did not come before the city coun-
IN yesterday afternoon. but sent his res
isua,ion. which tho council accepted after
formally passing resolution requesting
him TO Immediately resign. The council
indulged in this forInality at the Instance
OF Councilmen MctIovern and Funkhouser
Of the street Improvement committee.
whom Davis had mentioned as involved
in one OF his attempts to obtain money
by questionable means. and who asked
that they be put In the right light be-
fore the public"
Mr.. McGovern and Mr.. Funkhouser
were the principal speakers at the after
noon session Of the council. John 7. Dh-
lon appearing TO relterate assertions ne
had made TO reporters and being promptly
requested by a member Of the council to
"cut his remarks short"
McGovern In Tears.
with tears In his eyes Mr. McGovern
reviewed the record Of the young council
man who had been asked to resign after
he had already rendered his resignation
He regretted that the street improve
ment committee should have been brought
Into the case at all. and especially since
all of them were 50 free from taint. Fol-
lowing Mr. McGovern, Joe Hummei. the
third member OF the committee. carried
q resolution to the clerk. which was read
and upon motion OF Funkhouser adopted.
Before we adopt H." said Councilman
johnson. II would like TO know II IL Is
the same resolution We drew up about
three weeks ago
He was Informed that the legal depart
ment had been instructed to prepare the
document a few minutes before John c.
Klauek walked into the council chamber
with Mr. Davis resignation.
Lose. Campaign. Chance.
After the adoption Of the resolution
Davis resignation was formally read and
accepted. The acceptance was not with
out regret that II had been presented be-
fore the council could make some cam
paign capital out Of what looked like .
dencit. by uemanding MIN torcsign. Thus
rebukinf hIm and 1t the safne time leav-
ing the impression that other members
Of the council were in no wise mixed up
lin the matter,
Hummel referred TO Davis frequently as
this man and this fellow" and In
dignation burned in nearly every council
manic breast.
Although the council had been investi-
gatIng Davis for several weeks and had
called him on the carpet and. asked for
explanations. the affair was suppressed
as long as possible, not because 1t would
hurt the members OF the council as can
didates for commissioner. but, explained
one, out OF sympathy for him.
No Successor Likely.
No successor to the deposed councilman
VIII be selected. II the council remain OF
It's present opinion. Commissioners are
to be elected May to supplant all cleo
tive officials and the council will not
bother with choosing a representative for
the Twelfth ward unless there Is press
ing demand from the residents.
Evidence produced against Davis tends
to prove that he attempted by use of his
official influence TO secure money for
his personal use. His resignation from
the council forestalls any further pro-
ceedlngs by that body. but no may be
required to testify before the grand jury.
Councilman Davis returned from Knox
VILE, Ia, yesterday morning while the
city council was In session investigating
his case. He went Immediately to the
home OF John c. Klaucl1. neighbor.
While the council was preparing for
special meeting and drawing up resolu-
ton TO ask Mr.. Davis to resign Mr..
Klauck walked into the council chamber
with the young mans resignation. The
resignation was not dated and said
simply that he desired his office be de-
clared vacant Immediately. No action
was taken by his fellow members on the
council. except to call a meeting for
o'clock in the afternoon when "an at
tempt will be made" said Councilman
McGovern, ito put the other members
right with the public.s
Call for Special MeetIsg.
The call follows:
special meeting Of tie city council OF
the city OF Omaha is hereby called for
Thursday. the 7th day OF March, 1872, at
chamber OF the city hall building OF the
city Of Omaha, for the purpose OF consid-
ering the rumors and charges made
against the councilman Of the Twelfth
ward Of said city as to misconduct on
his part as such councilman. and for
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