Omaha daily bee., 1919-02-03
DETECTIVE
Chief AND
WADEFACE
Ringer Suspends Both Briggs
and Wade; to Bring Charges
Before , Commission
erS Today.
The troubles in the police de-
partment are growing.

The troubles in the police de-
partment are growing,
Sunday, Police Commissions
Ringer suspended John Briggs
chief of detectives Of the Omaha
police department, and L. L. Wade
detective, pending hearing before
the city commissioners this NOR
ming.
The hearing of Ben Danbaum. de-
tective, on charges filed by Chief
Briggs is also scheduled for this
morning before the commission.
The charges against Danbaum were
wilful neglect of duty.
The specific charges which Com.
missioner Ringer will file against
Briggs and Wade are misconduct
in office.
"The case on which the charges
will be filed was brought to the at
tention of Chief Eberstein and my
self Saturday and we spent Sunday
investigating it, with the result that
we decided to suspend both Briggs
and Wade, pending the Hearing
Monday before the city council"
said Commissioner Ringer last
night.
On Fake Warrant.
Briggs and Wade must face the
charge that on or about Detemaef
Il Captain Briggs issued a warrant
purporting to have been signed BY
Judge Britt, charging Lee Calhoun
OF Red Oak, Ia, with passing worth
less checks on Dave Crounse. 1t
is alleged that Wade went TO Red
Oak and brought Calhoun back to
Omaha when both knew that no
warrant had been issued for his ar
rest.
Later, it is alleged that Herman
Davis. filed charges against Calhoun
before Judge Holmes in the same
case.
When asked to make a statement
about his suspension from Office
of chief of detectives pending
hearing before the city council.
Chief Briggs said: 'I've nothing
to say. I'll appear in the morning
Joined Force In 1900.
Chief Briggs first appointment
to the South Omaha police force
was made on April II, 1900. Two
years later, he was made captain at
the South Side station. He was
appointed to the position of chisf
there several years later, which Of
fee he held until the annexation OF
South Omaha to Greater Omaha on
June 81, 1915.
AT this time Briggs was given
the rank Of captain. When the old
Fourth Nebraska troops were mobi-
lized and sent to the Mexican bors
der. he resigned his position and
enlisted as sergeant in the Fourth
He remained on the boarder three
months, after which he returned to
Omaha and retained hiss former
rank.
In May, 1918, upon the election
of new city administration Briggs
was made chief of detectives and
was transferred from the captaincy
Of the South Side station to the
Central station.
Figured In Gun Fight.
AS chief of police in South Oma.
ha, he figured prominently in the
capture oftwo ex-convicts in Sarpy,
county. The convicts had escaped
from the state penitentiary at Lin
coin, and day later had barricaded
themselves in farm wagon with Roy
Blunt young farmer. Blunt was at
the mercy of the convicts. Sheriff
Hyers and Briggs, together with
South Omaha police, had a gum fight
with the convicts, in which Blunt.
an innocent participant, was killed.
Chief Briggs has been at "outs1
with several detectives during the
past few weeks, due to a statement
he made that some of the men were
working in collusion with autonio-
bile thieves"