The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-01-20
He HAD BEEN ARRESTED.
WAS TWICE APPROACHED WITH
A REQUEST THAT HE PLEAD
GUILTY.
Turned Down the Offer and Won in
COurt-HOw Does Mayor Doran
Like Thfse

nectlon With the prosecution or cases
in the municipal court has been fire.
quently heard in certain circles for
some time past, and a number of &C
cused persons, it is claimed, have been
cajoled and coerced by the police into
pleading guilty to charges against them
under promise of immunity from the at
tendant penalty. 1t has been asserted
that when an arrest is made the stand
ing Of the department demands that
a conviction follow, whether the per-
son accused is guilty or not, and that
when the police find they have a weak
case on hand, they pursue the tactics
complained of, and frequently influence
guiltless persons to brand themselves
infractors Of the law when, If the case
| should go to trial. they would I'M
doubtedly be acquitted
Rumors Of this questionable mode Of
procedure have become more general
recently. Last week a woman pleaded
guilty to keeping a disorderly house.
When arrested she threatened to shed
some light on the way she had been
approached by the police When the
trial came. however, she pleaded guilty.
There were some ugly rumors around
about it,
Yesterday Christopher Frylinger. who
keeps a saloon at 2S1 University ave-
nue., was tried in the municipal court
on the charge of keeping his place open
after midnight, and the trial seemed
to show the truth Of the old adage that
where there is much smoke there must
be some fire." Mr.. Fpylinger was ar
rested Jan. on a complaint sworn to
by Detective Campbell, of the central
station, and after he had retained coun-
sci and it became evident that he in
tended to fight the charge against him,
he was on two different occasions, he
says, approached with the proposition
that If he would plead guilty to the Of
Tense charged he would not have to
suffer the penalty attached to his al
legged breach of the law, but Mr.. Fry
linger refused both offers, went to trial
and was acquitted.
When Frylinger was arrested he de-
sired his case disposed of as soon as
possible, but the attorney for the city
| asked continuance, 1t was said for
the purpose Of obtaining witnesses
from West Superior. The matter came
up ten days ago and another continu-
ance was granted for the same purpose
and the time Of trial set for yesterday
in the meantime, Mr.. Frylinger was
| approached and assured that, if he
would plead guilty in open court, he
would not be fined. He refused the
offer and several days later another
offer, more in the nature Of a conces-
sion, was made from the same source.
! If he would privately go to Chief Goss
and admit that he had kept his place
! open after hours, the complaint against
him would be withdrawn. This prop
oSition, upon the advice Of his attorney,
Mr.. Frylinger also rejected, though at
| first inclined to accept it, aside from
| the merits Of the case, as an amicable
settlement Of the trouble. Though the
| Jealous police department was perfect
| ly willing to spend the city's money in
| procuring the presence of the witnesses
! alleged to be in West Superior in 50
small a matter they, if they existed at
| all, were not produced, and, with only
the testimony of Detective Campbell,
| the case against Mr.. Frylinger fell to
i the ground.
| The spirit which actuated the police
| department in it's attempt to prose-
| cute Mr.. F'rylinger is easily understood
| when it is known that he is Democrat
having been a candidate before the
| last convention for the nomination for
| the legislature from his district Fry
| fingers saloon is situated at the cor
ner Of University and Harrington ave-
nues, and directly across the street is
! the saloon of a staunch Republican.
| During the negotiations Of the police
| department looking to a compromise
| with Mr.. Frylinger, it was accidently
| stated by Detective Campbell that Mr..
F'ryl1nger's business competitor Of op-
| posite political faith had complained of
his place being open after hours, but, of
! course, Chief GOSS would not detail a
| special detective from the central dis
| trict to obtain evidence against Fry.
! 1inger for political reasons, although
some people think that is about Goss'
! size.
On the witness stand Detective
| Campbell testified that he had visited
| F'rylinger's place at ten minutes after
| II O'Clock with two friends, the West
! Superior witnesses and purchased four
rounds of drinks between then and half
| past twelve. Charles Hickson had been
in the saloon and Joined in the drinking
! The party of four, Detective Campbell
| said, left the saloon and returned again
| at 12:45, when another round Of drinks
| was purchased.
Mr.. Frylinger testified that he had
! ordered his customers out at II As and
that all went except Campbell, his two
| friends and HickSon. CampbelPs party
had then1>been in the place since ten
| minutes after II. AS he was putting
] out the1clights, Mr.. Frylinger asked
! Hickson to go up stairs, where a dance
was In progress, and see that no Prov
| 1ers were on the lower floors. Camp
bell and his friends also went out at
| this time and he locked the saloon
! doors, leaving the place in darkness.
| AS he was going to his own apart
4 ments up stairs, Hfckson knocked on
| the back door and said he had left his
rubbers in the saloon. Frylinger OPEN
| ed the door for him and found Camp
bell and his friends also there Camp
! bell, the witness thought 1T was, asked
| if the party could not get a drink, and
| F'rylinger knowing him to be an officer.
as a matter Of friendliness, served one
| round of drinks, though it was not yet
| IL o'clock, and he told the party to
| hurry, as he must close on time. The
| next day he was arrested on warrant
! sworn out by Campbell.
! Mr.. Hiclzson corroborated F'ryEnger's
| testimony as to it's material points and
| Judge Orr stated as there was some
| doubt as to whether or not the liquor
| had been sold after hours, he would
| give the defendant the benefit Of the
doubt and dismiss the case.
| M. j. Costello, attorney for Frylin-
| ger, was seen at his residence last
evening and asked by a reporter for
the Clio b e. if any proposition was
made to him looking toward a dis
missal of the case. Mr.. Costello was
guarded. He asked In turn: 'Who
told you anything about a PROPOSE
| tion?"
Being apprised by the reporter that
! he had the information, Mr. Costello
said: "Well, there was a proposition I
| believe. It was substantially aus you
have stated. / was told that If my
| client would go to the central station