Omaha daily bee., 1912-01-15
GROSS is MADE SCAPEGOAT
Claim Agent of Street Railway Com
pany to Be Replaced.
END OF JURY FIXING SCHEDULE
bar Association Committec Reports
Agreement with Company and
Recommends Cessation of
Proceedings.

Arthur w. Gross, implicated In the
charges OF alleged wholesale bribing OF
Jurors by the Omaha a Council Bluffs
Street Railway company. will be dis
charged AZ claim agent for the company.
and Walter b. Thomas. one of the COM
pany's attorneys. will be placed in the
vacant place Monday.
In consideration OF the companys
promise TO make these changes and to
see that in the future there arises no
cause for complaint Of Its practices In
connection with It's lawsuits, the Omaha
Bar association abandoned its attack
upon the company. for the present. at
least. at Its annual meeting at the Uni
ver.ity club last night.
Cemprssaise II Recomme ased.
The action was taken upon recon-
mendation OF the special committee APP
pointed on December Is and instructed
to have custer proceedings started
against the company. or TO take any other
action Il deemed advisable In order to
put an end 10 the alleged corrupt
practices Of the street railway company.
The committee report was signed by I. J.
Mahoney. chairman Of the committee. and
c. ]. smyth. J. J. Sullivan and II. IL.
Baldrige, members. II. c. Bronze. the
other member Of the committee. did not
sign the report. being absent at the time
II was prepared.
The committee report was accepted and
approved with but one dissenting vote.
that Of Attorney Charles s. Elgutter. the
only man to speak against II from the
floor. Several members OF the association
whispered their disapproyal in undertone
and refused TO vote for approval OF the
report. one referred to it as a white
wash"
The committee report was dated jan
uary IS and was as follows:
"Mr. President and Gentlemen OF the
Douglas County Bar Association:
Your committee appointed to take ac-
ton with respect TO charges presented at
the last meeting Of the association against
the Omaha 4 Council Bluffs Street Rail-
way company beg leave TO report as fol-
lows:
Immediately after our appointment we
proceeded to assemble evidence bearing
upon the charges. While engaged In this,
we received a communication from
committee Of the board Of directors Of the
street railway company, asking for. a
meeting with this committee. in response
to that request, meeting between your
committee and the committee of the
board OF directors OF the street railway
n..lH a. aNf - 0 49,
chairman Of this committee. At this
meeting all members OF your committee
were present, as well as all Of the mem-
bers Of the committee appointed by the
street railway company. The representa-
tiyes OF the street railway company dis
claimed any knowledge OF any OF the
misconduct complained Of. or any reason
to believe that the charges we're well
founded, but unequlvocally assured your
committee that the directors Of the street
company would take such action
at once as would remove and hereafter
effectuaIly prevent any cause for COM
nlaint or Just ground for suspicion In re-
spect TO any Of the matters complained
Of. They assure your Committee that
the directors have ample power to ac-
this end and that they propose
to exercise that power 20 the fullest ex-
tent necessary. They further assure us
that the course which will be taken by
the street railway company will afford
as complete and ample relief as could be
obtained through the institution Of such
litigation as was contemplated in your
resolution Of December Is last.
The members Of your committee are
agreed that the above men
toned ASSURANCES are made in good faith
and ought to be accepted.
I'VE are therefore OF the opinion that
no further action should be taken at this
time. but recommend that your commit
tee be continued"
EIgstter Opposes Report.
After the motion TO accept and approve
the report had been made by Clinton
Bronze and had been seconded. Mr.. FL
gutter secured the floor and objected TO
he approval.
The report is not detailed" said Mr..
Elrutter in part. If the committee has
assurance from the street railway com
psny that the alleged improper practices