The Saint Paul globe., 1897-11-02
BLVECOATS ARE BRAVE WHEN AR
RESTING HALLOWEEN FROI-
ICKERs FOR COLLEGE WELLS,
DR. RIDING OVER SMALL BOYS
WHO GET BEYOND THE LINE IN
WATCHING A FOOTBALL
GAME,
BUT THE WOMEN AND CHILDREN
Df HamIine nnd Vicinity Are Reset
by Thugs if They Venture Out
at Night.

Some time ago the Prior avenue
police were relieved of the Fort Smell
ing district, at the request of Ham!ine
residents, who demanded more efficient
protection. Since then half dozen
outrages have been perpetrated in this
suburb. and the police, with much less
territory to cover than before. have
not succeeded in making a single ar
rest Saturday night. Officer Braak
made a brilliant effort to retrieve the
reputation of the Midway police. A
party of Hamline students, both young
men and women, were returning from
a Halloween party. One of the boys,
Charles Collett, a member of the sOph
omore class, gave vent to the college
veil. 1t sruote loudly on the ears of
Officer Braak. 1t was nearly II o clock,
and some of the residents of Hamline
were asleep. The matter of burglars
breaking into houses, thugs aSsaulting
lone women on the streets, and, pc.
haps. murderouS shooting through
windows at occupants of homes and es-
Gaping, did not alter Officer Braak's
estimate of Colletts heinOus offense.
The fact that in a college settlement,
where, as a matter of fact, the war
whoop of a band of Comanche Indians
is sweet music compared with what
the residents of such places are accus-
toned to hear had no consideration
in the policemans mind, either a
serious offense had been committed,
and, in cases where something really
demanded police activity, such as Il
college man venting his holiday en-
thusiasm in the varsity yell occurred,
the Prior avenue policeman was out to
do his duty. Collett was accompanying
a young woman home, but this did not
deter the officer. The department in
the Midway district may let thugs and
assailantS of women escape, but this
young man was thrown into a cell.
Shortly afterward, however, he was
released on SO bail, and yesterday
morning, when tried in the municipal
court, Judge Twohy ordered his dis
charge Then the whole Prior avenue
detail might have had something to
do within their established powers, had
they all been present, for young Col
lett and about thirty of his class
mates, who had come down to witness
the trial, adjourned outside the court
room and gave a series of college
yells that may still be reverberating
through the city hall corridors.
If the Midway police would devote
more energy to protecting life and
property than to arresting college boys
who may indulge in what is recognized
in every university center of the coun-
try as almost a necessity, Hamline
women might not fear to walk the
STREETS after dark and mothers and
babes might not be shot at through
the windows of their homes. AT least
this is matter of general conviction
among the residents of the suburb.
COllett and the other members of his
class had been to a Halloween cele-
bratiOn to which each had escorted one
of the young women students and go
ing home a rather hilarious spirit
among the company found vent in the
college cry being given several times.
officer BTaak ordered the young peO-
pie to cease the demonstration and
when the cry broke out again. he ar
rested Collett for leading it. In court
the young man testified that the Of
ficer had said nothing to him, or that
if he did he had not heard him. Collett
was the escort of Miss Hulda Ritter,
teacher of French and German. Both
testified that officer Braak dashed
along the line of students and aimed
a blow with his club at the accused
young man. Miss Ritter said she be-
iieved, if Mr. Collett had not pushed
her aside, that she would have been
run down by Braak's horse and also
struck by his club, which Collett re-
ceived upon his arm, in protecting his
face. officer Braak claimed he had
merely touched Collett on the arm
with the club, remarking that his or
der for quiet was meant for every one