Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1919-08-24
DENY CLEANUP
WAS STARTED BY.
RECALL drive
Women Will Tell Of Police
Corruption If Protected
From Persecution Of
City Guardians.

gun solely for the good of the peo-
pie" the chief further stated.
at is not the fact that these prison
ers are placed under such extremely
i high bonds an extraordinary pro-
cedure?" the chief was asked.
II do not care to discuss such a
silly matter" was the arbitrary re-
ply.
Asked if the police department.
was going to assume the authority
of the courts, the chief declared he
would adhere to his announced plan
regardless.
Neither would he admit the cam
paign The Bee has been waging
against lawlessness had anything to
do with the unusual activity of the
police.
1--WE are going to rid the city of
undesirable men and women" Chief
Eberstein continued, "and we are
going to drive them all out"
Sutton's Record.
Paul Sutton was reappointed to
the police force by Commissioner
Ringer about two months ago. IN
der the city ordinance he should be
wearing uniform and walking a
beat Chief Eberstein announced at
the time of Sutton's reappointment
that he was extremely sorry he had
not served the length Of time re-
CURED by the ordinance. HE will
simply work in plain clothes until
he has had time to obtain his uni
FORM" the chief explained.
When Detectives Potach and
Palmtag were reduced from the de-
tective force several weeks ago, they
were notified of their demotion and
in forty-eight hours procured new
uniforms and were walking the beats
assigned to them.
Sutton was discharged from the
force about two years ago. He was
compelled to quit under serious
charges after fight for his job be- |
fore the city commission. The &C
ton Of the city commission in dis
missing him later was upheld by |
the district court.
Fad Protection Money, Charge.
Many women arrested yesterday !
declared they would be willing to |
testify that they had been paying
protection money to members of the
police department, were it not for
the fact that they feared they would
be rearrested and thrown in the
Detention home.
Under the Ringer-F indley ordi-
nance, regardless of her guilt or in
nocence, most any woman can be
picked up, taken to the police sta
ton and held until a physician can
be found who will declare she is dis
eased, and then held indefinitely at
the will OF the heads of the police
department, it was pointed out by
one woman, who refused to tell all
she knew about the corrupt tactics |
OF the police.
The district court judges have re-
fused to recognize an application
tor writ of habeas corpus on be-
lalf OF women imprisoned in the De-
ention home. Many of the women
Who would be glad to tell all they
NOW about police corruption in
omaha already have been detained
n this prison, and they declare they
10 not want to return.
At Mercy of Police.
II would be glad to tell what Paul
sutton said and did in my house
oday," said one of these women.
II l did, | would be arrested and
leld in the Detention home until |
igned statement to suit the police.
have seen other girls 60 through
his experience. ! saw girls given
he third degree and | heard officers
rying to get them to sign state
nents which were untrue. When |
vas there, | begged for an outside I
physician to examine me. | heard {
,ther girls do the same. We were
efused even though we offered to
Jay the expense ! know what it is
o be held in the Detention home.
Before they let us out we have got /
o do what we are told to do. ,
when | am promised immunity,
1 will tell the names of policemen
Who have drunk whisky and COL {
ected protection money in my ,
This woman declared she was will
ng to go before the council or any s
representative investigating body of {
,itizens.