The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1891-08-14

Which Their County OfhcerS
Perform Their Duties.
Editor UNIoN:-Some OF the indepen-
dents OF Sturgis desire space in your
paper to call the attention OF your
Meade county subscribers to the dis
graceful manner in which the public af-
airs Of the county are conducted.
To begin with, the government OF
Sturgis is entirely Ill the hands Of the
old democratic ring, while that Of the
county is controlled by the republicans
and the issue betw cen them seems to be
which can show itself most entitled to
the support of the saloons and dives OF
the city.
Last Spring IL low dance house dive
was opened on the business center OF
Main street and q dozen OF prostitutes
employed to parade the streets and as
sist certain officers in drumming up bus
mess for the establishment. The respec-
table ladies OF the city in order to pro-
tcct their school children from the ex-
ample and insults OF the pimps and har-
lOS WIZ CdIIlCu I'll CllCAA DuoAAlCoo " v
that dive, petitioned the public officers,
city and county, to enforce the prohibit
ton law against that dance house and
inmates, or if this would be too much
to ask, then to compel them to carry on
the business in a less public n and
in a less public place, but the city and
county officers, after a short considera-
ton: refused the petition, the relief
asked for or any relief, and in substance
informed them that they had no right
in the matter at least that pimps and
prostitutes were bound to respect. The
democratic city officers claimed it was
the duty OF the republican county off
GERS to deal with the matter, while they
in turn claimed it was a city and demo
cractic matter entirely as they had II
open violation OF their oaths for d
money consideration licensed those es'
adjustments to violate any and alllaws
they desired, with the understanding
that all officers would be faithless to
their oaths and wink at the offense, for
a consideration Of course, and with the
further understanding that the dye
keepers would patronlze those officers
who are engaged in business in the town.
But the officers have just settled a
very knotty question, viz: as between
saloon keepers and gamblers, which is
entitled to the most protection from
these all-powerful officers. Thequcstion
came up in this way: y. salooli-keepcr
somewhat loaded with his b"ig.
lost 81 POO against Il; shure-thlnE game
and refused to pay any part uf it. Ihc
tinhorn gamblers appealed TO the Ieah-
ing city and county officers. After long
and careful consideration the officers
came to the conclusion that the gam
blers were more reliable on election
days than the saloun-keepcrs and there
fore should be protected in their skin
games. The proper officers made out q
criminal complaint against the saloon
keeper, examined witnesses, prepared
Injunction papers and Mr.. SalooI-keepel
was brought to time. lie settled 10.
5000 and the farmers to pay the cost
1t has been observed that those Off
GERS who managed the transaction eve
since have silver in every pocket.
Some person has wrote that "truth
stranger than fiction" He must hav
had in mind some such officers as a
present control matters in this county
where a few sporting men, saloonkeeE
ers and baudy house owners control til
officers and they, as a rule, from tn
constable up, dare not make an aires
or serve a paper without getting til
consent OF a Henerlck or Il NOOK.
INDEPENDENT,