Omaha daily bee., 1919-11-08
Accused Bee Reporter Will
Demand Immediate Trial,
On Riot Charge, He Declares
Indictment Against J. Harry Moore Only Another In
stance of Glaring Stupidity of Police Officials
Frame-up Story Is Made So Perfect It Is Abso
lutely Ridiculous

| We didn't know him by the name
OF Moore or any other name.
When ! saw him identified him
instantly" broke In Thorpe. II
knew him the minute he entered the
door of Captain Haze office"
The night of the riot" continued
Morris, 1--WE were standing with
crowd of twelve or fifteen at Seven
teenth ana Douglas streets. The man
called Moore was in the crowd and
doing all the talking, saying that the
only way to get the negro was to
burn the court house. He led the
crowd to the Nicholas filling station
at Seventeenth and Davenport
streets, where we filled some cans,
taking the gas without paying for it.
The man called Moore carried can.
We went back to the court house,
and saw Moore pour his can into
the basement room. l didn't see
him touch a match to it, and don't
know who set the stuff on fire"
What time was this?" Morris was
asked. r., 4.
He hesitated, and said he couldn't
tell. =.
WAS it after dark"
He hesitated again. "Yes," he
said" 1t was after dark. / got there
myself about 7:30. 1t was about 8
or 9 o'clock.
MAY Get Out Soon"
1t was then that significant slip
occurred in the recital of the pris-
oner Morris, apparently lending
support to the charge of Moore
that the entire attempt is frame
up" to retaliate upon him for police
exposures.
"You were sentenced to 90 days
each by Judge Redick?" Morris was
questioned.
A grim smile spread over the
prisoners features, and he glanced
slyly sidewise.
"Yeh," he answered, 80 days;
that's what they say, but l don't
know whether we'll stay that long
or not, you can bet on that"
why? Did Captain Haze say
he would help you?
The prisoner shut up like a clam,
and Thorpe jerked his head around
to sharply eye his companion and
the questioner.
Nix" said both, in a breath,
captain Haze didn't promise Us
anything"
Reluctant to Give Addresses.
Both the boys appeared reluctant
to talk about themselves their
business, or to give personal details
or addresses, answering questions
only after consideration, as if con-
GLIDING that it would be better to
give replies.
Ernest Morris stated that he had
lived in Omaha year. He said
he had come here with his mother,
who still lives here. He gave his
home address as 533 South Twenty
second street, and said he had
worked for the Omaha Transfer
company.
The address does not appear in
the city directory.
Harold Thorpe said he was an
Omaha boy, his parents living in
Omaha, that he had been employed
by "Groth," a groceryman, and that
his parents lived at 1904 Farnam
street.
Moore did not recognize the pris-
oners, on seeing them in the JAIL,
and gave his story in the presence
of the two boys as follows:
Zone day about week ago Cap
tain Haze told me he had a man
in his office he wanted HE to look
at. Invent up to the office later, as
requested, and as l came in Captain
Haze shook hands with me, and
said the man wasn't there. noticed
two men sitting in the office at the
time, but paid little attention to
them. I presume that they were the
two prisoners, and that | was called
in so that they could get look at
me. Captain Haze probably went
through the handshake, SO as to
identity me to the two men,"
Moore looked at the two prisoners
and said:
That's the way it was, wasn't it?
You two were the men sitting there
when Captain Haze took me by the
hand"
Morris was silent, and Thorpe
ehrroo.d h;- ehor1ders