The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1900-08-24
HACK DRIVERS.
Under Discussion by the City
Council.
The Police Force Also Comes in for Cen.
sure for Allowing Martin
Murray TO Escape

AS was expected the hack question
came up before the council Friday
and was given an airing. Geo.
Atcihson was present and stated his
side of the case. The police depart
ment also came in for its share of the
criticism, and it was the general
opinion expressed privately, if not in
the open session, that the force from
the chief down is deserving of severe
censure if not general shaking up for
having allowed Martin Murray to
escape when they had plenty of time
to arrest him 1t is felt that the police
department did not on the start, at
least, take proper interest in the
case, their failure bringing discredit
not only on themselves but on the
administration as well.
The matter came up during the lat
ter part of the session, by statement
from Aid Meyer that the ordinance
committee had looked up the hack
license and found that it is not being
lived up to in the matter of number
ing the hacks and placing schedule
of charges on the inside. He wished
the police to see that the ordinance is
enforced.
Recorder Williams said that he had
given out hack numbers and they
could have them put on.
Aid Meyer said that if the hacks
were numbered persons abused in
them could identify the drivers if they
remembered the numbers.
Mayor Currier called attention to
the provision of the hack ordinance
requiring the drivers to be of good
character. Licenses can be revoked for
violations of the ordinance. The
mayor called attention to the Edith
Watson case and said that there has
been great deal of criticism on the
hacks of the city, and some of it may
be unjust and some merited. Mr.. At
Gibson had stated that he had instruct
ed his men to be gentlemenly on all
occasions. While Mr.. Atchison is not
to blame for Dick Graves wrong do
ing, he is to blame for not employing
trustworthy men. If he cannot dc
this, he should get out of the business
and let people go into it who can dc
lo1o oo,,,a 70 yoocc
that something must be done, as ladies
are afraid to travel in the hacks The
drivers are looked to to protect the
passengers in their care.
Geo. Atchison was present and said
that he had supposed that he could
trust his men. He did not know how
he could learn their true character
He was very sorry for the deplorable
affair that had occurred and would
not have had it occur for anything.
The hacks had been numbered until
three weeks ago, when they were re-
painted. 1t is the duty of the city to
furnish charge schedule cards No one
had been overcharged in any of his
hacks
Aid. Jordan said that he considered
that the people have right to give
censure, according to reports that
have appeared in the newspapers An
employer should know where his We
hicles and men are at all times.
Mr.. Atchison is to blame for not dis
charging his man then and there when
he first learned that he had committed
a crime, and not waited until the po-
lice had taken him from the hack If
the driver had had any heart he would
have brought the two scoundrels to the
city hall. A man who will allow a
woman. of no matter what character
to be abused in hack, is to blame
This is second Cronin or Hayward
affair, although there has been no
murder, and yet nothing has been
done: Even the police allowed one of
the men to get out of the city. ZAP
plause by the spectators, The alder
man proceeded to administer criticism
of the police force.
Mr.. Atchison said that he did not
learn of the matter until Saturday
night, and then he was the one who
got Graves to confess to Chief Bruels
He did not consider Aid. Jordan S CEN
sure just. Mr.. Atchison said that the
police had agreed to protect Graves
if he told all he knew of the crime,
which he pretended to do