Omaha daily bee., 1919-02-11
Two and Half Hours.


The Rearing occupied two and a
half hours and the speeches and
counter speeches on conditions in
the police department took more
than an hour.
When order had been restored to
some degree vote was finally TAX
en- on the case Of Danbaum, and this
vote was as weird as the rest Of the
late afternoon proceedings. Mayor
Smith, acting as presiding Judge
called for a vote on the guilt Of
Danbaum on the charges named in
the complaint. Ringer, Towl, Ure
and Smith voted guilty. Then on
vote whether or not to dismiss
Danbaum, Ringer, Ure and Smith
voted to dismiss; Zimman, Butler
Falconer and Towl voted not to
dismiss.
Towl Changes Vote.
An attempt was then made to
postpone further action for a week.
This did not prevail. Finally Com
missioner Ringer offered a resolu-
tion tlat Danbaum be dismissed
for the good of the service and
this passed, Ringer, Towl, Smith
and Ure voting for it.
This action is said by Attorney
Baker and friends of Danbaum to
be illegal and the promise that the
city council will hear further from
them before they are through.
Interesting though the Danbaur
case was, it was overshadowed by
the Zimman-Ringer- Smith explosion
at its conclusion.
Little Evidence Brought Out
But little evidence had been
brought out 10 prove Danbaum
guilty of neglect of duty" in failing
to arrest Meyer Greenberg for the
theft of an automobile belonging TO
George Richardson on November
II. In fact, Detectives Van Deu-
sen, Anderson and Rich all testified
that it is frequently advisable to let
one man go for time if by SO do
ing the real thief can be caught
ANY of the council want to say
anything" Mayor Smith asked at
the end of the hearing. Commits
Sioner Zimman arose and two min
utes later the commissioners knew
that the councils skeleton had been
taken from the closet and was being
ratified in public,
Complete Reorganization.
"The time has come when there
is a loud call for a conn lete reor-
ganization of the police depart.
ment," said Mr.. Zimman. "For
long time I have known that this
would be necessary. There is alb
solute lack of cooperation in the
department Men work at cross
purposes. They have come to dis
like and to distrust each other IN
many cases, and this extends also
to the higher-ups. In running a DO
lice department it is necessary to
use some common sense and sound
judgment, Here is this boy, Green
berg, who was held at the police
station for p hours and no bond
was allowed. That is only a sam
pie of how wretchedly things are
going in the police department.
Just today a summons was sent 10
thi1 boy at the high school, carried
up there and served by two police
men in uniform in front of 500 chill
dren. That was poor judgment.
Talks of More Discharges.
1T may be necessary to discharge
some of the men and also to re
move some of their superiors. Anc
! believe that now is the time to ID
Commissioner Ringer was on his
feet as soon as Mr. Zimman Sal
down.
Il know that Mr.. Zimman has fell
for long time as he has Just now
talked" he said "And / am ready
to come to a showdown. to fight
out to finish right now and here
The one question is whether the
police department shall be run from
the city hall or from the private de
tective office of Charles w. Pin
kin, or some other place.
Run From Budweiser Saloon.
1t used to be run from the Bud
weiser saloon and we went into the
campaign last spring and told the
people we were going to give the
forces Of decency chance TO clean
up the police department. Now give
us a chance. / intend to 60 ahead
with this fight and | don't care who
Is against me. We can't clean things
up in day
The evidence here shows that an
Omaha police detective took this
boy, Greenburg, into the office Of q