Omaha daily bee., 1919-11-08

a boomerang appears TO De
waiting for the police in the attempt
to fasten completely in the court
house riot upon ]. Harry Moore, 4
reporter for The Bee, who has in
Cured the hostility Of the various
officials and members Of the force
by exposure made by him in his ca
pacity of newspaper man.
I'm going to demand an immedi-
ate trial" said Mr.. Moore yesterday.
IF they thinks they can get away
with anything like this they
are mistaken. Can you imagine,
anyway, a set of police officials
framing up on a reporter for news
paper because they do not like pa
per that publishes all the news?
But it is in keeping with every
thing else they do. ano even this at
tempt at frame-up has that special
brand of inefhciency that is so mark
ed with the heads of the depart
ment." ..- .....'.
That Moore's indictment is an
other of the we'll known frame
ups" of the police, and is character
lied by all the earmarks of police
stupidity that have attended efforts
in many other cases, is evidenced by
dozen facts that have been
brought to light.
Three Men Out of 10000.
In the first place the Identification
of Moore is made by only three men,
all of whom are under police domi-
nation, two of whom have confessed
or have been convicted of rioting,
and one of whom is a notorious
bootlegger and all-around crook,
who has been endeavoring for
months to gain the good graces of
the police department, or members
of it, in order to acquire immunity
for the practice of his profession.
Out of the 10000 or more people
around the court house the night of
the riot, only these three could be
found BY the police to testify they
saw Moore.
And this, in face of the fact that
Moore is known to hundreds of peo-
pie in Omaha, aud it would have
been impossible, for him to have
been in the crowd, or anywhere near
it, without scores recognizing him,
and calling him by name.
Paraded the Street, is Charge.
According to the apparently we'll
coached story of two of the wit
nesses, Moore is described as incit-
ing a group to burn down the
court house"
"He did all the talking" said
Morris, one of the prisoner wit
nesses.
Gle led the crowd of US down the
street, telling us to come on says
Thorpe, the second of the prisoner
witnesses.
"He carried can of the gasoline
himself" says Morris.
The idea of Moore Juggling can
of gasoline down Seventeenth street.
as alleged, and calling to the crowd
to "come on" constituting himself
the fgurehead of such parade on
such a night, without anybody in a
crowd of 10000 recognizing him ex..
cept these two boys, neither OF
whom ever saw him before, accord
ing to their own statements, is not
only preposterous, but stupid and
ridiculous. -
1t is more than nonsensical to
those who know Moore, owing to the
fact that he is quiet and retiring to
degree.
Moore Leading a Crowd.
Moore leading a crowd. waving
his arms and shouting to them to
come on, and Juggling can OF gaso-
line, in the manner Of the excited,
half hysterical addle pated youths OF
that night is a spectacle that could be
conceived by none, except an 1gnor-
ant Omaha police official.
The very stupidity of such tale
gives all unerring clue to its author.
ship, as those knowing the man will
readily agree that none could con-
ceive such thing, or would be TOOL
ish enough to conceive of it, except
those responsible for similar exhlbl-
lions and manifestations of wooden
headedness on the part Of the police
department.
Ernest Morris and Harold Thorpe,
the two young men who allege they
saw Moore leading group of in
cendiaries, carrying gasoline to start
a fire in the court room basement,
when interviewed in the county Jail
Thursday we're hating in their
stories, plainly i'll at ease, could give
no description of Moore, MOI. could
they recognize any description OF
him, and could make no definite
statement until they had been con-
fronted with him. Then their eyes
fell, both were abashed, and appar-
entity found it impossible to give.
straight look into the eyes OF the
man they accused. Both were ST.
lent and apparently afraid to
talk until prodded by Moore, who
accompanied the writer. .
II never saw either one OF you
two boys before, and l don't be-
lieve either one of you ever saw me
before" said Moore.
81 did" mumbled Thorpe, ner-
vously rolling a cigar in his mouth.
GU re the HAL, AL iiShl' -,
"And do you identity me, toor
Moore questioned Morris.
'Yes," answered the other, his
manner sullen and embarrassed,
you're the man."
Moore Not in City.
The hitch In the story is brought
about by the fact that, what has not
not been known, Moore was not in
the city the night of the riot until
late hour. When informed of
this the eyes Of the boys gave a
momentary flash as if startled, and
then Morris quickly said:
well, the people that said he
wasn't here could be lying just as
we'll as anybody else"
Whether or not this could be the
fact, says Moore, will be brought