Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1919-10-21
BLOODY VEST OF
COULTER SHOWN
At CITY TRIAL
Policeman Tells His Actions
on Night of Riot
Council to Announce
Finding Today.

The city council yesterday after
noon concluded the hearing of evil
dence in connection with charges
filed by Chief Of Police Eberstein
against William Coulter, policeman,
charged with eowardice on account
of alleged refusal to assist Mayor
Smith when the latter was attacked
at the court house. Sunday night,
September Is.
The council decided to consider
the case in executive session and
to announce its finding this morn
ing.
The charges were filed upon in
formation furnished by Charles E.
Metzger, 1928 South Twenty-fourth
street. and Allen Mactiar, 3706 South
Twenty-third street, live stock COM
mission men. When summoned as
witnesses, Metzger and Mactiar tes-
titled they heard Coulter utter re-
marks which indicated that the po-
licenan approved of the conduct of
the mob toward the mayor.
Waves Bloody Vest.
The witnesses were conflicting in
some of their statements. Metzger
admitted the possibility of doubt in
his Identification of Coulter. Neither
had known of the policeman prior
to the alleged utterances.
William Jameson, attorney for
Coulter, enlivened yesterday after
moons hearing by waving a blood
stained white vest which, he assert
ed, had been worn by his client
while on duty at the court house.
JAMESON fred this broadside at
Police Commissioner Ringer. as
il true that you advised Capt. John
Briggs of the South Side police sta
ton to recommend that Coulter en-
gage an attorney named Murdoch
instead of myself"
Charges Against Briggs.
"That is not true" Mr.. Ringer re-
piled, whereupon Jameson an
nounced that Briggs had so advised
Coulter. It was then suggested that
charges should be filed against
Briggs.
Mr.. Coulter denied all of the
allegations entered against him. He
declared that on the night of the
court house affair he did his full
duty and that he was injured twice.
Il threatened 4 group who said
they would take my revolver" he
testified. II saw the policemen in
the window on the south side of
the court house, and / yelled, For
Gods sake, get those policemen
DOWN."
Tells of Riot.
He related that some of the riot
crs Invested policemen of their re-
volvers while they were passing or
a ladder. He told of notes which
were dropped from windows of the
court house.
One of the notes read that the
mayor had been shot and that six
men had been shot upstairs in the
court house.
II told them to cut out the shoot
ing UP there, for they would kill
some innocent people," he added,
Out tney feplleQ that tHcy dlu not
care"
500 People Shooting.
He related the effort of City
Commissioner Zimman to address
the mob from the vantage point of
. FIRE truck, and he added that great
excitement prevailed. He estinat-
ed that the crowd fired 10000 shots
at the negro's lifeless body within
Eve minutes and during one stage OF
the riot he believed that 500 people
were shooting. He said he endeav-
ored to prevent the lynching, but
was overpoweredl
Several Witnesses testified to hav-
ing observed Coulter on the night
Of the riot, doing his work in vari-
Gus locations of the disorder. Coul-
ter testified that at no time during
the evening did he observe Mayor
Smith.