St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-03-21
EMINENT DOMAIN.
Mr.. Prescott Thinks the City Has
No Right to Destroy His
Property,
And Proceeds to Enforce His Opinions at the
Point of Revolver.

There was a lively circus over in the Sixth
| ward yesterday morning which had in it the ele-
ments of both farce and tragedy, and al
| though the situation at one time looked formid-
able, the affair luckily terminated without blood
| shed.
Some time ago the board of public works passed
an order for the opening of Dakota avenue, and the
| contract for the work was let to Boyer q Lux
Adjacent to the line of the proposed extension is
the dwelling house of C. A. Prescott, proprietor
| of the loan office on west Third street. The
| grounds on which the house is
| located abutting the line of the street.
Last week the contractors put a force of men
at work to grade the street. and it apprars that in
SO doing they were called upon to remove certain
Of the shrubbery which Prescott claims is part
of his private property. The latter ordered the
men to quit work, and called on his lawyers,
Messrs. Warner & Stevens, for advice. The ad-
vice given must have been in favor of himself for
when the work was resumed yesterday morning
he peremptorily commanded them to stop work
and leave the primises. They refused when he
attempted to put them off the place, his mandate
| being inforced at the muzzle end Of revolver.
A rough and tumble scrimmage took place in
the course of which four of the workmen were
knocked down.
Then they sent to city hall for assistance and
the patrol wagon was sent over with Officers
Keneally, Gibbons and Ringwald. On reaching
the premises, Mr.. Prescott was found seated on
chair on the edge of the bluff; he was smook-
ing cigar and in his hands he held a revolver.
The officers proceeded to ascend stairway lead
ing to the house, when Prescott met them and
threatened to shoot the first man that went up.
Then a counsel of war was held and 1t was de-
cided to take him by storm the officers sailed
up the escarpment and as they reached the
enemy he seized chair and let them have it;
a regular scrimmage ensued aud while this was
in progress it is asserted that Mrs. Prescott
came to the relief of her husband; she seized
one of the officers and succeeded In downing her
man, and for while thugs looked decidedly
like business. Prescott was finally collared, put
| in the wagon and locked up.
He was seen in his cell by a GLOBE reporter,
and in reply to inquiries said: "The way of it
is this: 1 own 600 or 700 feet on Dakota avenue
and have been eighteen years in liking up my
grounds; / set out some valuable shrubbery and
| made hideous bank thing of bounty
last Friday the city set lot of men to work on
| the place, and mind you the property had never
been condemned called upon Mr.. Warner, my
lawyer, and notice was served on them to stop
work; Mr.. Warner told me they had no right
| there and to knock them off if
| they came on the grounds again.
they stopped work until Wednesday, when they
| went at it again and destroyed $1,000 worth of
| property, besides shaking my house by blast
| and soaring my wife. Well, Mr. Warner said he
| would get an injunction, and when the men came
| around to-day 1 ordered them away; they sassed
me and threw chunk of rock at me; then l got
my gun, and threatened to shoot the first man
who made break. After this the express wagon
came with five officers asked them to show their
papers, when they said they would take me
without any papers; had my pistol and they
came up when we had scufle; l was knocked
| down, had my collar torn off and lost 500
watch. This is the first time have ever been in
Jail and you can bet that somebody will pay for
| it; 1 was merely protecting my own rights"
AT 2 O'Clock Prescott was before Judge Burr
on the charge of assault with dangerous weapon.
Mr.. Warner, his attorney, made statement of
the case, ard the hearing was set for Monday
next at 10 a. m. The bail was fixed at $1,000
He was then arraigned on the charge Of assault,
on complaints preferred by Bernard Loeffer,
Henry Boyser and Claus Thompson. These
cases were continued to Monday at Up. m.