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About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 23, 1918)
a Daily B PART ONE NEWS SECTION PAGES ONE TO TEN THE WEATHER Fair; Warmer Om ah EE VOL. XL VII. NO. 215.- CONVICTED OFFICIAL HAS FEW DAYS IN WHICH TO FILE FOR NEW TRIAL Jury in District Court Find "Johnny" Lynch Guilty on Five Charges of Malfeasance in Office; Venire men Deliberate More Than Five Hours; Comment by Attorneys. , County Commissioner John C. Lynch, who was found guilty on all five charges of malfeasance in office by a ver dict returned at 9:40 o'clock Thursday night by a jury in the ouster proceedings brought by Sheriff Clark, has three days in which to file a motion for a new trial, denial of which will mean his immediate re moval from office. ANY CHARGE SUFFICIENT. Any one of the five charges upon which Lynch was found guilty was sufficient to effect his removal from the board of county commissioners, of which he has been a member for eight consecutive years. Lynch's term would not have ex pired until January 1, 1919. .Nebraska statutes make no provision for a su persedeas bond allowing the deposed official to hold office pending an ap peal in cases of this kind, according to attorneys in the case. The jury deliberated five hours and 20 minutes. DENNISON COMMENTS. "The outcome was all right. That is all I have to say," said Tom Den nison. "I have nothing to say on the ver dict," said Commissioner Lynch, who . .was in consultation with Pet, Loch and Johnny Ford after the verdict was returned Thursday night. "I will con sult my attorneys as to taking an ap peal." "We will file a motion for a new trial Monday," said Attorney Ken nedy, representing "Lynch. "We will then decide whether to appeal if the motion is denied." NOT PERSONAL MATTER. Sheriff Clark said: "It was not a personal matter with me. I did my duty as a taxpayer. I made the charges in good faith, believing that I could sustain them by evidence and I am very much gratified with the verdict." Attorney Ben S. Baker: "We in vestigated the testimony very care- fully before bringing the charges and were sure in our minds that an hon 'est jury could do nothing but find Mr. Lynch guilty of misconduct in office. This verdict will do much to i clarify the official atmosphere of this community and will be of great bene fit in the future. VINDICATION OF CLARK. "The verdict alsj is a clear vindica tion of Sheriff Clark and proves him to be a man on the square, honestQ and clean, faithful to his constituents and means to abide by his official ;. oath during his term as sheriff. The dqfent people of this community can , xecy on Sheriff Clark at all times and ., under all circur stances without fear ' or favor. If any man seeks to have Clark do something he does not want to do, he will hear from Clark the v favorite expression, 'Nothing do ling.'" r, Attorney Frank S. Howell: "I was attending a banquet of 300 men at the Blackstone when news of the verdict was sent to me. If the ap plause given by these men was any criterion of public sentiment, I am . sure that the verdict met with general approval." Fagan Hearing Begins , Next Tuesday at Gentva "V (From Staff Correspondent.) ' Lincoln, Feb. 22. (Special.) The hearing in the case of Prof. Fatran, former musical instructor at the Ge- i neva girls' industrial school, for al ; leged attempt to mistreat one of the female employes, will be heard at . Geneva next Tuesday at 10 o'clock, The Weather For Nebraska Warmer. Temperatures at Omaha Yesterday. WARMER Hour. Dear. 6 a. m. 13 16 16 17 18 21 25 29 33 38 42 4.1 44 m. 7 a. m 8 a. m 9 a. in 10 a. m 11 a. m 12 in... 1 p. m 2 p. m 3 p. m 4 p. m 6 p. m 6 p. rn 44 7 p. m 43 Comparative Local Record. 1918. 1917. 1916. 1915. Illphest yesterday ..44 69 41 36 I.owost yesterday .. 13 21 30 31 Mean temperature .. 28 40 36 34 l-recipltatlon 00 .00 .00 .00 ! Temperature and precipitation departure i from the normal: Normal temperature 26 J.xrres for the day , 2 . Total deficiency since March 1 706 . urinal precipitation 02 Inch deficiency for the day 02 Inch 'Total rainfall since March 1. .. .23.36 Inches Deficiency since March 7.17 Inches Deficiency for cor. period, 1916. .11.03 inches Deficiency for cor. period, 1915.. .37 Inch A. WELSH, Meteorologist. : 0 : : St 1 j a W v 4 is, SHERIFF CLARK '1 iX 4 ri " "if x,?1 "JOHNNY" LYNCH Uncle Sam Arranges for Mail to Go to Prisoners Washington, Feb. 22. Letters and post cards to enemy or ally of enemy prisoners of war and interned enemy aliens in Great Britain, France or Italy may be sent from the United States under a general license granted by the war trade board. The letters must be addressed directly to the prisoners, giving the name, designa tion and address, and must be marked "Prisoner of war mail, via New York," and senders are cautioned not to include any information that may give aid or comfort to the enemy. 1 Lesson of the Lynch Ouster Suit The outcome of the ouster suit against County Commissioner Lynch, nauseous as the evidence brought out at the trial was, should help to clear the moral and political atmosphere in Omaha. It goes without saying that no decent citizen has any countenance for the disgusting performances and festering corruption disclosed, and the wonder only is that it could have been kept under cover for any length of time. Where has our county attorney been, and what have all those grand juries been doing, wThen the running of these lawless joints was periodically ex ploited in the newspapers with fair inference that they could not run if the authorities were alert to their duty? The only person involved who seems to come out of the mess in the clear is Sheriff Clark. The political effect will be certainly seen in this year's city and county elections. The searchlight will be focused as never before upon every candidate for office in city hall and court house. Let candidates with crooked or corrupt records beware. -I OMAHA, SATURDAY MORNING, FEBRUARY 23, Map Showing Where Central Powers Are Threatening Russia 1 R U )s Fs v "Pm Y i a j ( Uel JjWSHlNEFI. 1) IffjjpyH y T I I liW r r-n -SCLE. OF MILES. lA.Y.KfFtR 3ENATE PASSES BW0RU.S. RAIL OPERATION Bill as Adopted Includes $500, 000,000 Revolving fund and Federal Control 18 Months After War. (By Associated Prfn.) Washington, Feb. 22. The ad ministration bill, providing for gov ernment control of railroads until 18 months after the war, including many "short lines" and appropriating a re volving fund of $500,000,000 for fed eral operation, was passed today by the senate without a roll call. It now awaits action in the house where it is under debate. Both senate and house worked through today's holiday to expedite the legislation. General debate was concluded in the house and arrange ments made to consider amendments tomorrow under a five-minute rule with a view to final action early next week. Difference between the senate and house drafts then will be adjusted in conference. The only amendment radically changing the compromise draft pro vided for inclusion of "short line" railroads in federal control and bene fit. Ownership Advocates Quiet. Provision of the committee com promise fixing the compensation of railroads on the three-year basis, pro viding the $500,000,000 revolving fund appropriation, authorizing the presi dent to fix rates subject to Interstate Commerce commission veto and limit ing government control to 18 months i after the war, all were retained by the senate. ' Amendments to reduce the period of control after peace is declared failed. One by Senator Lodge of Massachusetts to make the time limit six months instead of 18 months was defeated 37 to 28, and another by Senator King of Utah to make the (Continued n rage Two, Column Two.) RICHO FALLS NTO HANDS OF BRITISH ARf.lY Turks Surrender ' Historical City With Little Resistance; "English" Forces Advance" Beyond Jerusalem. London, Feb. 22. The British have captured Jericho, in Palestine, the war office reports. Since the capture of Jerusalem the British have been pushing ahead steadily, striking out to the north and east. Official statements from London in the last few day3 have reported rapid progress, and apparently the Turks have offered no determined resist ance. Australians Take Town. The city was entered by Austral ian troops yesterday. Little opposition was encountered. Subsequently the Australians established themselves on the line of the Jordan and the Wadi-Auja. The official statement reports the continuation of bad weather. JCorth and northwest of Jerusalem the Brit ish advanced positions were extended slightly and made secure. During the fighting Wednesday the casualties of the British troops were .again slight. Aside from its historical import ance, in connection ' with the British plan to free the Holy Land from the domination of the Turks, the capture of Jericho is of little significance. Has Strategic Value. It consists merely of a group of squalid hovels and a few shops, with about 300 inhabitants. Its chief strategic value lies in the fact that it gives the British domination of the valley of the Jor dan, and also control of a network of highways radiating from the town. A further advance eastward of 25 miles, however, would take the Brit ish to the railway from Damascus to Mecca, which would cut off the Turks' line of communication with Arabia and greatly assist the revolting Arab tribes, which are co-operating with the British. Jericho is near the northern ex tremity of the Dead Sea, 14 miles northeast of Jerusalem. The ancient Jericho, which was sit uated to the west of the modern Jericho, was a -.own of considerable size. It was the first Canaanite city to be reduced by the Israelites, who, the Biblical story relates, encom passed its destruction by the blowing of trumpets. Mutton and Lamb May Be Eaten on Tuesdays Mutton and lamb may be eaten on meatless days from now until April 15, by oroer of Federal Food Administrator Hoover. Hoover in his telegram to Food Administrator Wattles of Ne braska, explains that the season of surplus production of mutton and lamb raised for meat purposes in the western states is now on, and that therefore the administration authorizes the removal until April 15 of the recommendation against the eating of mutton and lamb on meatless Tuesday. It was largely due to the steady stream of complaint from the sheep men that this action was taken, for they have complained that due to meatless days the market for sheep and lambs was not satisfactory. is: 1918 TWENTY PAGES PETROGRAD DECLARED IN A S TA TE OF SIEGE Teuton Plot to Restore Russian Monarchy Rouses Slavs to Fury; Bolsheviki Calls Nation to Arms to Defend Capital. (By Associated Press.) Germany is advancing into Russia to restore the monarchy and the privileges of the land owners and the capitalistic classes, the Bolshevik government in Petro grad declares in a proclamation to the people. It calls on them to resist the German armies and defend the republic "to the death' All Russians must co-operate in the defense, the bourgeois classes by compul sion if necessary, the official proclamation declares. Petrograd has been declared in a state of siege. Explicit instructions are given the peasants and workers to take all measures to prevent valuable property from falling into the hands of the Germans. Railroad rolling stock and food supplies are particularly mentioned. Everything must be done, the people are adjured, to keep German militarism from crushing the working classes in Great Russia and the Ukraine. MINES TO WORK MM DURING SPRING Nebraska Fuel Administrator Returns From Big Confer ence and Urges -Consumers to Put in Supply. Coal mines over the middle west will be worked to full capacity dur ing the early spring months and deal ers and consumers urged to lay in a large supply, declares John L. Ken nedy, Nebraska fuel administrator, who returned from the Kansas City conference of fuel dictators from seven states Friday morning. Kennedy attended a meeting held there Thursday, called to consider the fuel situation. It was by far the most important fuel administration meeting yet held in the west. Fuel adminis trators for seven states were present or represented. Deputy distributors from the producing states in the dis trict were present, as were numerous railroad officials and wholesale and retail coal dealers. II. N. Taylor of Kansas City, district representative, presided. Summer Storage Urged. The early summer storage plan re ceived the most attention. Other im portant problems were very fully dis cussed, such as the weighing of coal in transit, reconsignments, distribu tion of cars and pooling of railroad equipment. It is expected that Dr. Garfield will put into effect at an early date a slid ing scale of reduced prices, to en courage dealers and consumers alike to lay in a large supply of coal dur ing the early summer months. This rtliM .imII lf-i th minf wnrtinnr tn . (Continued on Fane Two. Column six.) Dr. Charles Lieber Called for Active Duty at Naval Station i ! Ws?....,..f. i ', l? Dr. Ctartep Liebez ;J."aBM,SSu SINGLE COPY TWO CENTS. REDS ISSUE PROCLAMATION. A proclamation ordering resistance to the German ad vance, calling on all' Russians to defend the fatherland and de claring Petrograd in a state of siege, was issued tonight from the Smolny institute, the Bolsheviki headquarters. , -ATPEAL-TO n-f ik- 'J-iU tu " ucoih ogaiusi uennanj. is oruerca in the proclamation of the Russian commissioners. The commis sioners appeal to the soldiers to destroy railways and provisions and compel the bourgeoisie to dig trenches under penalty of death. The proclamation was issued at the order of the people's commissaries and is signed by Premier Lenine and Ensign Krylenko, the Bolshevik commander-in-chief. O MORE RULINGS MADE UNDER LAW FOR EMPLOYES Lincoln, Neb., Feb. 22. (Special.) Compensation Commissioner George E. Norman has handed down the fol lowing opinions which have come covering under his cases super- vision: Frank N. Williams will receive from the Omaha Structural Steel corporation for injuries received by falling over a cable, $9.33 a week not to exceed 300 weeks from the 17th day of October, 1917, and defendant will be required to pay reasonable ex penses for medical attendance. Nellie and Charles Schick of Oma ha will receive from the Globe Automatic Sprinkler company of Omaha for the death of their mother, Nellie Schick, because of injuries which resulted in her death, the sum of $12 per week for not to exceed 350 weeks beginning with the 25th day of October, 1917, and a further sum of $100 payable at once to defray funeral expenses with costs of bring ing the case before the commissioner amounting to $5.80, the total amount ing to $4,305.80. Robert J. Rubach of Fremont has been awarded $10.80 a week for 25 weeks for the loss of two fingers while in the employ of the Fremont 'Manufacturing company. Dr. Charles Lieber, an Omaha phy sician, has been called for active duty at Great Lakes naval training station, near Chicago. Doctor Lieber has been placed in charge of the medical unit of Camp Decatui, where the re cruits are kept in detention for 21 days. There are about 2,000 mel in the detention camp. Doctor Lieber has the rank of as sistant surgeon. He is a graduate of the University of Nebraska. He was an intern at the Swedish Mission hos pital. Death Record at Aviation Camps Low, Says Baker Washington, Feb. 22. Although there have been 51 fatalities at army aviation training camps in this coun try, the death record was described today by Secretary Baker as re markably low. Since last , June, he pointed out, student aviators have flown more than 100,000 miles. Records of the War department show that 10 officers and 29 cadets were killed on training flights, and that 12 men lost their lives in un authorized flights and ground accidents. SOLDIER. : . n - j j PETROGRAD IN DANGER, The commissioners' appeal also in timates that the Germans plan the capture of Petrograd. "The German generals," it says, "desire to establish their own order in Petrograd and Kiev. The republic is in the gravest danger. The duty of Russian workmen and peasants is de fense to the death of the republic, against the masses of bourgeoisie and imperialists of Germany." An Exchange Telegraph dispatch from Petrograd says the evacuation of Finland has been ordered by the commissioners. NO OPPOSITION. The German advance into Russia is not the march of conqueror, for nowhere up to the present has it met any serious opposition. The compar atively rapid progress is ascribed to the fact that the Germans found a clear passage. special cuspatcnes trom retrograa, none of which are dated later than Wednesday, indicate that the invad ers are making their own pace in col lecting immense stores of weapons, munitions, food and other valuable property, which the disorganized Rus sian armies abandoned in their hur ried flight. The strength of the German ad vancing army is not believed to be great. A Petrograd dispatch to the Morning Post sayr that there is only one division of cavalry and one divi sion of infantry. Germany's ultimate objective, of course, can only be speculated upon, (Continued on Faga Two, Column .Three.) REDS DESTROY BIG WARSHIPS TO SAVE NAVY (lly AaMdated Freu.) London, Feb. 22. Disorganization in the Russian navy has reached an extreme point and there is no like lihood of any order being obeyed, ac cording to an Exchange Telegraph dispatch from Petrograd. The naval authorities at Reval report that in order to save the Russian navy from the hands of the Germans it will be necessary to remove the ships at Reval and Helsingfors to Kronstadt. This, however, is believed to be impossible owing to their disuse. Up to this time only submarines have been removed from these ports. The question has arisen whether to destroy the ships in Helsingfors. It is also suggested to intern them in Finland as a free and neutral state, acknowledgment of Finnish neutrality having been made by the Bolsheviki. The Bolsheviki are willing to with draw the Russian Red guards from Finland and to stop the supply of munitions to the revolutionists. The marine detachment at Abo, Finland, and the Aland islands, de mand their immediate dis-harge, the dispatch adds, and the majority of the crews at Helsingfors oppose v active defense. & J V