St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-07-22
CASE OF CONSPIRACY
Ed A. Stevens and Thad S.
Dickey Are Arrested in
Minneapolis,
And Give Bonds in the Sum of
$4,000 for an Exami-
nation.
Attorney Baxter Charges
Them With Attempting to
Pad the Census.
Gen. Gotten Advises the Ar
rest, and More Will Prob
Y

ably Follow.
Ed A. Stevens and Thad S. Dickey,
who had charge of the famous Mime
apolis census annex, were arrested yes
terday by Deputy United States Mar
shal Brackett upon warrant issued
at the instance of Special United
States District Attorney George
N. Baxter, who charges Stevens
and Dickey with conspiring to
pad the returns of the Minneapolis
census enumerators. The complaint,
which was drawn after a consultation
with Assistant United States Attorney
General Gotten, charges Stevens and
Dickey and Enumerator Ben Aarons
with adding 1900 false, fraudulent, fic-
titious and imaginary names to the
enumerator's district bounded by
Tenth avenue north and Plymouth ave-
nue., the Mississippi river, Bassett's
creek and Fourth street north. The
complaint, which was sworn to by At
torney Baxter, is as follows:
United States of America District of Min
nesota-ss. Before me, c. A. Morey, COM
missioner of the circuit court of the United
States in and for said district, personally
comes George n. Baxter, special assistant
United ties district attorney for said dis
trict, who, being sworn on his oath, says on
information and belief. that heretofore, to-
wit: on the lst day of May, in the year of
our Lord 1890, Edward A. Stevens and
- of no nil Of
lis, in this district, and other persons, to the
complainant unknown, meditated and ad-
vised scheme to procure exaggerated,
false and fictitious schedules and returns of
the population of said city on the lst day of
June, in the year of our Lord 1892. to be
made by the several enumerators employed
and to be employed to take the eleventh
census of the United States within the said
city.
That afterwards, to wit: On the I'd day of
June, A. ID. 1890, to effect said scheme the
said Ed A. Stevens and Thadeus S. Dickey
and Ben Aarons, together with divers other
evil disposed persons whose names are to the
deponent as yet UNKNOWN late of the said
city, he, the said Ben Aarons, being then and
there an enumerator duly employed, ap-
pointed, qualified and acting as such
.0f said district, PC such within and
for the district or subdivision herein
after described, under and pursuant to an
act or congress entitled an act TO provide for
approved March 1st, $780, did unlawfully
conspire, confederate, combine and agree to-
gether to willfully and knowingly make and
forward, and to procure to be made and for
warded to the supervisor of his, the said Ben
Aarons, district or subdivision false and ficti-
tious returns, to wit: Duly certified original
schedules of and concerning the population
of the United States within his, the said Ben
Aarons, said district or subdivision, that is
to say: All that part of the said city of Min
1nrfh
Plymouth avenue, Mississippi river, Bassett's
creek aud Fourth street north.
That afterwards, to-wit: On the said last
named day in the city of Minneapolis afore-
said, pursuant 10 said conspiracy and to
promote. and effect the object thereof, he, the
said Ben Aarons, then and there still being an
enumerator as aforesaid within his district or
subdivision, and then and there having in
MS custody or possession as such enumerator
divers to-wlt: Five hundred blank schedules
OF the form prescribed by the secretary of the
interior. to be filled by him, the said Ben
AaronS In the course of enumeration, and
being parcel of the blank schedules issued
pursuant to the provision of said act from
the census office, and to him, the said Ben
Aarons, as such enumerator before then
lately. to wit: On last said named day trans
mitted and delivered by the supervisor of
census of the district, embracing the district
or subdivision of the district of the said Ben
Aarons. hereinhefore described in and upon
divers, to wit: Three hundred of said blank
schedules of the form known as Schedule
No. l, and relating to and containing in
0ulrles touching and concerning population
and social statistics, did unlawfully, will
fully and knowingly insert put, place and
write among and together with the
names of persons actually and in
fact having respectively their several
places of abode in his said district
on said 1st day of June, A. ID. 1890, divers
to wit: 1000 imaginary. false and fictitious
names, and divers to wit: 200 names not
inhabitants within said district on the said
lst day of June, A. ID. 1890, 0s the names of
persons having respectively places of abode,
and being respectively inhabitants within
said district or subdivision on the 1sI day of
June, A. d. 1890. and imaginary, fictitious
and false answers and items of information
and other false. imaginary and fictitious par
ticulars in answer to The inquiries set forth
and contained in said schedule concerning
the person enumerated thereon, and re-
quired by said act TO be answered by emu
merators in and upon said schedule with
the intent then and there had and enter
tained by him, the said Ben Aarons, to after
ward certify the schedule containing false,
pretended and fictitious names, answers,
items aud particulars. and 10 them imme-
diately. Io-wit: On or before the 18th day of
June, A. d. 1890, forward the same to SAID
supervisor of census as his, the said Ben
Aarons returns, under the provisions of said
act; he the said Ben Aarons, then and there
to-wit: At the time and place aforesaid
when he wrote put. placed and inserted said
false. pretended and fictitious names. answers,
items and other particulars i'll said schedule
in manner and form aforesaid, well knowing
the said names, answers items and particu-
lars ana each and every one of them to be
false, imaginary and fictitious, and that said
names were not then and there or ever the
names of persons, nor was either of them the
name of any person having his or her place
of abode or being an inhabitant or habit
ants Of his said district or subdivision on
said 1st day of June. A. d. 1899, contrary TO
the form of the statute in such case made
aud provided and against the peace Of the
United States and their dignity.
(Signed) GEORGE N BAXTER.
Subscribed and sworn to before me this 10th
day of July, in theyear of our Lord 1890.
Commissioner United Stales Circuit Court,
District of Minnesota.
The presence of Deputy MarshalS
Bracket and Daggett in Minneapolis
soon ''put the gang on" and it was
noised about that warrants had been IS
sued for the arrest of all the members
of the citizens committee who assisted
in the census matter. Stevens first
heard that a warrant had been issued
for his arrest from a reporter. and he
Immediately started on a hunt for the
marshal. He didn't find him, but left
word that he would be in w. e. Hale'S
office, and there he was found by Maj.
Brackett and informed that his presence
was required before United States Com
missioner Morey, in the postoffice build
ing. Dickey was in his Office in the
Globe building, and messenger was
dispatched for him. The prisoners, ac-
companied by Judge Shaw and w. E.
Hale, who appeared for them, wandered
into the room set apart for the commits
sioner on the second floor of the post
Office building shortly after o'clock.
There was quite gathering there. Tim
Byrnes. with his proverbial smile, was
narnhad unan a daSIr and crack ed inkes