Omaha daily bee., 1919-02-14
COUNCIL FINDS
BRIGGS GUILTY
OF MISCONDUCT

plause from the audience greeted
this statement. Commissioner Zim-
man stated that he was ready to
vote 10 exonerate Briggs but il
other commissioners wanted to go
into executive session there was no
reason why they should not do as
other juries do.
Just before council adjourned At
torney Baker moved that council
rescind it's action of last Monday
in the dismissal of Detective Ben
Danbaum from the service. He de-
clared it was done illegally.
Commissioner FOWL moved that
the action regarding Danbaum be
reconsidered in executive session.
Though this received no Second"
Danbaum's case was considered in
executive session. Four of the
commissioners were in favor of re-
storing Danbaum to the service.
Commissioner Ringer asked that
the matter be postponed for a few
days, though he did not express him
self as opposed to putting Danbaum
back. Mayor Smith said he had
talked to a number of men and
they say Danbaum was capable
officer. ..- ....
To Restore Danbaum.
So it is a practical certainty that
the council will reverse its decision
for second time in this case and
restore Danbaum to the force.
Extraordinary zeal in the prosecu-
ton of his duties was the reason
given by Chief of Detectives Briggs
for signing the warrant, which was
the basis of the complaint against
him. He freely admitted that he
signed it, but a peculiar fact in con-
nection with the affair was that the
name signed to the warrant was &C.
A. Britt" while the name of the
police magistrate is C. w. Britt. This
exonerates Briggs from any possible
charge of forgery of the police
judges name.
The principal witness against him
was Detective L. L. Wade, who re-
ceived the warrant and brought
back the prisoner, Lee Calhoun.
from Red Oak, Ia. Wade testified
that he saw Briggs sign the war
rant.
Story of the Case.
The whole affair started on De-
cember "a when complaint came
from David Crounse that Lee Cal
houn had paid for an overcoat at
the Crounse store with a check for
SOS. Crounse later became susp;-
cious and called up the Red Oak
bank on which it was drawn anc
was told that Calhoun had no funds
there. He then went to Captain
Briggs and told his story. Briggs
testified that he called up the sheriff
at Red Oak The sheriff said he
knew Calhoun and had seen him the
day before. Briggs asked the
sheriff to arrest Calhoun.
An hour later, Briggs testified,
the sheriff called him up from Red
Oak and told him he had Calhoun
in custody. Briggs Immediately
called in Wade, Crounse put up the
money for the expense of the trip
and Briggs ordered Wade to go to
Red Oak.
Then arose the question what to
do if Calhoun demanded warrant.
Briggs testified that he then wrote.
out the warrant, telling Wade not
to serve it unless Calhoun demand
ed to see it.
Just Bluff Warrant.
1T was just a sort of bluff war.
rant" Briggs said. "They are
often used when police can't get
hold of magistrate"
Briggs said he signed the name
&c. A. Britt" although he knew the
police judges name was c. w. Britt.
Commissioner Zimman asked
Briggs whether it is not true that
grips are frequently searched for
booze" without warrant. Briggs
said it is. ..-
I'D rather see them use 'phony'
warrants than no warrant at all, ;"
said Mr.. Zimman.
Judge Britt testified that he never
gave any authority to anyone to
sign his name to a warrant. He adj
mitted, in reply to a question from
Mr.. Zimman, that the name on the
warrant in question is not his name.
The manner in which the warrant
came to the attention of the author
titles was brought out by Detective
Wade. He said he took the warrant
after seeing Chief Briggs write it
out. After his return from Red
Oak. on Christmas day, he said he
called up Judge Britt and asked him
whether he had given anyone au-
thority to sign his name to war
rant.
"Why did you do thati" asked At
torney Murdoch.
Il didn't want to get myself into
a,,,y 4raVh1a - ea;d IAT.dn