The Omaha morning bee. [volume] (Omaha [Neb.]) 1922-1927, 1923-10-17
Butler.
Is Removed
by Council
Henry Dunn Returned to Po-
lice Commissioner; Vote Is
4 to l; No Demon
stration.
Mayor, Hopkins Absent

Hnd1Ct, anu dSSiSiiCd
Fl. w. Dunn to the commissionership
of police.
This was accomplished by the votes
of Commissioners Joseph Koutsky,
J. B. Hummel, Dean Noyes and II.
w. Dunn, the latter acting as presid-
ing officer of the council in the alb
sence of Mayor J. C. Dahlman. Com.
missioner John Hopkins went to Call
fornia last Friday night.
The action of the council came in
the form of a report and resolution
from the mayor who has been IN a
hospital since last Saturday night.
These documents, dated October ID,
were written last Saturday. Commits
sioner Dunn visited the mayor at
hospital Monday morning.
To Station Together.
The resolution, transferring Com
missioners Butler and Dunn back to
their former departments, contained
a clause which provided for imme-
diate reassignment of departments. A
few minutes after the council meet.
Heg, which adjourned at II, Commits
sioners Butler and Dunn went TO
Central Police station together. Since
he assumed Jurisdiction of the police
department last March %, Mr.. But
Ter hae maintained his office at po-
lice headquarters, Twelfth and Dodge
streets.
The councils formality yesterday
was not attended by any dem
onstration. Commissioner Butler an
nounced that he voted against the
resolution because he was opposed to
turning the police department back
to "Dennison and his friends" Mr..
Butler was affected by the action of
the council, although he suppressed
his emotions.
Mayors Report.
The mayors report which accom-
panied his resolution referred to var
ious documents which were referred
to his department during the last two
months and affecting the police de-
partment. One of the matters re-
ferred to him was a resolution adop-
ted by the Tenth Ward Improvement
club on the matter of transferring
the police commissioner; another was
a signed protest from residents along
Pierce street, Sixth to Tenth streets,
against alleged unwarranted search
of automobiles and persons by the
9osce, and there was letter from
s.. Salerno, Italian consular agent,
against search of automobiles.
The mayor referred to the hearing
held in the city council chamber on
the action of police in the Sixth and
Pierce district, and Twenty-fourth
street and Poppleton avenue: also to
charges heard against members OF
the police morals squad which result
ed in the suspension OF four officers.
There was also a letter from the
Bohemian-American Improvement club
demanding the transfer of Mr.. Butter
from the police department The
mayor submitted the following con-
clusion in his report to the council:
Personal Observations.
'In addition to the foregoing I have
been informed by individuals OF other
matters concerning the administration
of the police department, and have
also made personal observations.
'I have given the matters careful
consideration and 1t is my conclusion
that the public service and manage
saent of the affairs Of the city would
bs benefited by transferring the pres.
sent superintendent of police to the
department Of accounts and finance,
and by transferring the superntend
ent of accounts and finance to the
department of police. A resolution to
that effect is herewith submitted
Rumored for Weeks.
The transfer back of Commission.
ers Butler and Dunn has been sub
1ect Of rumor for several weeks. Last
s Tuesday morning Commissioners
sutsky, Dunn and Noyes conferred
with the mayor. one OF the rumors
was that an effort was made to in
duce Commissioner J. =. Hummel to
take the police department.
In a recent public statement Com.
missioner Butler stated that the city
council did not have the nerve to
transfer him back to the department
Of accounts and finance.
Transferred in March.
The transfer of Butler from account
and finance to police department last
March, followed series Of criticisms
of police department administration
by Butler in the council chamber.
At the time Mr.. Butler was as
signed the police department the city
council transferred the health depart.
ment from police department to pub.
lie affairs department which is In the
jurisdiction Of the mayor. Recently
the council also transferred the mu-
nicipal coal department from accounts
and finance to public affairs depart
ment. During his former service as
commissioner of accounts and finance
Mr.. Butler had charge of the muny
coal department.
Too Abusive.
Commissioner Koutsky offered the
following comment this morning after
the council adopted the mayors reso-
luton:
IT think the mayor was right. We
have had the most abusive police ad.
Ininistration under Butler the city has
ever had. He went after friends Of
the administration rather than the law
breakers. If Butler had performed his
duty the council would have been with
him. II anyone was friend OF Dahl
u,rn he was In fear Of being raided'
Commissioners Koutsky and Butler
have engaged In bitter clashes In the
council chamber.
Dennson Unmoved.
Tom Dennison registered neither
10y nor grief following the decapita-
4=s--- - psg. Tao. Column six.,