St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-12-04
EXCEEDED AUTHORITY.
A Suit Brought Against Some of
- Our Magnificent Police.

A Suit Brought Against Some of
Our Magnificent Police.
There are warm. lurid flames of battle
in the South Minneapolis police station,
Capt. Ness blames Sergeant Allen, Sergeant
Allen blames the several patrolmen, and
they in turn jump real hard upon
the frame of Officer Mcleod The
cause of this upheaval in South town
police circles is couple of complaints filed
in the district court yesterday afternoon. in
which Nelson White and white and his wife
ask for damages to the extent of S5,346 and
$4,000, respectively. Louis Ness, cal tain
of the South Minneapolis section; James
Allen, lieutenant, and Mack Brady and NJ, r.
Mcleod, patrolmen, are made defendants
to the suit. The, circumstances which
brought about the suit are these,
evening of the Goth of May last Officer Nc
Leod. it is alleged, dressed IN citizens
clothes, in company with two young men
whose names are unknown, entered the resi-
dence of MIR. White. at 259 Seventh avenue
south. Mrs. White had but recently got out
of bed after a severe illness, and was still in
a weakened condition from its effects. Two
other gentlemen, with their wives, friends of
the Whites, were present. The three men,
from their ctions, it is said. evidently sup
posed that they were in a house where
everything goes" They would youchsafe
no reply to Mr.. Whites repeated inquiries as
to what they wanted Instead they began to
MAKE themselves at home. They tried to be
come somewhat familiar with the ladies pres
ent, and; as the story goes, one of
them advanced toward Mrs. White.
She became frightened, and Mr..
White began TO let slip the cords
that controlled his mad" For the last time
he demanded to know what the intruders
were after. He received the same reply as
before-not word. He arose TO his feet
and the man who was approaching his wife
continued to advance and tried to brush pass
Mr.. White. That gentleman stands some
thing over six feet III his stockings and thick
in proportion. His muscles were also in
good state of development, and when
a man tried to run his house he demonstrated
and demonstrated real hard. The intruder
found himself going down stairs, impelled
by the boot of Mr.. White. Another of the
trio fled, and the third, who is said to have
been Officer Mcleod, was caught by the col
lar and the rear of the trousers, in the man
ner employed in making q person walk
Spanish and bodily thrown down
the stairs and into the street The
doughty guardian of the law so it is alleged.
was not thus TO be overcome by base civil.
ian. He summoned his conn anions- in arms,
and right valiantly the blue-coated heroes re-
sponded. A storming party was formed.
The complaint sets forth that the door was
broken in and that Mr.. White was seized,
without ever being told that he
was under arrest and kicked, cuffed,
buffeted. and pounded with "batOns,
billys and other weapons Various and
sundry vile epithets were hurled at the head
of Mrs. White, and all the oaths and obscene
expressions in the category are said to have
been applied to her, and to her husband.
The patrol wagon was summoned and Mr..
Whitelwas knocked down and dragged into
it. despite his frequent assertions that he
would go along quietly if the pounding
would only be abated for few mo-
ments. He was locked up. When
arraighed the mex morning in the municipal
court and before judge VINO is especially
hard upon offenders the charges were so
palpably unjust that he was immediately dis
charged The above is a recital of the facts
as gathered from the complaint and from
the plaintiffs.
Mrs. White in her complaint declares that
her health was poor when this attack was
made upon her home, and that severe i'll
ness was caused by the shock to her system
occasioned by the tumult, the fighting and
swearing, the attack upon her husband and
the abuse suffered by herself In considera-
ton of all these she asks damages TO the
amount of $4,000. Her husband alleges that
he suffered from false imprisonment and
from the i'll treatment inflicted upon
him by the officers; that he was unable to at
tend TO his business on accout CT them; that
he was caused trouble and expense because
of his arrest, and that the illness of his wife
compelled him to eXpend considerable
money for doctors fees, etc. Tie seeks to re-
cover 3d. 46. Ihe action causes some sur
prise. since Capt. Ness is noted for being a
capable conscientious and careful officer.
and the South Minneapolis station for being
one Of the most efficiently conducted in the
city.
Mr. White is employed as city salesman for
q well known wholesale house. He is highly
respected by his neighbors Not word has
ever been breathed against the character of
himself or wife. The firm for which he
works is said to be backing him in this &C
ton. They propose to find out IL a mans
home can be invaded in Minneapolis and
himself and wife be subjected to all sorts OF
abuse without redress being secured.