Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1900-02-07
and q legal bride paid into the village
treasury does not change its character.

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treasury does not change its character.
*< y ~ 9.5< .
The petit jury consisted of q number
of fair-minded men who had no trou-
BILE in arriving at the right verdict in
these blind-pig cases. In each case
except one it required but a few mo-
ments to arrive at the result. IN the
trial of the 'king-bee', Stabler, a
misunderstanding arose as to the evil
dence, but upon the matter being set
right by the Judge, the proper agree
ment was speedily reached.
~
Judge Qvale made a splendid record
upon these cases. While he main
tanned the strict impartiality betitting
tribunal of justice and gave the &C.
cused the benefit of any doubts that
might exist, he strictly Interpreted the
law and plainly showed that viOlators
of the liquor laws might not claim any
sympathy from him. This was in
marked contrast to other occupants OF
the bench whose attitude in like cases
has been such as to disgrace the posi-
tions they fill.
County Attorney Frye and his able
assistant, Attorney F. P. Olney, main
tanned the good record they have made
as public prosecutors since they took
charge OF the Office. The blind-pig at
torneys with all their arts, subterfuges
and eloquence were not able to clear
single one of their clients while they
had boosted that they would clear them
ell. Honest purpose and moral con-
viction are necessary qualifications of
a prosecuting attorney when cases Of
this kind are to be presented.
! *x*
The work done by some attorneys
suggests the question as to what
length an attorney is justified in going
in defending an accused. There is
certainly no code of honor in the legal
profession which will justify an at
torney to defend wrong-doing or ex-
cuse an evil.
Much has been said about detectives
employed to ferret out blind-piggers,
and a favorite contention, especially
among saloon sympathizers, is that
such people are all unreliable and
that their testimony should not weigh
in court, They argue that lit takes a
rogue to catch rogue While it is
true that the nature of the business
presents many temptations to indulge
in Matchmaking and that danger turks
in the cup of whoever INDUCES therein
on whatever grounds, it must be ad-
mitted that it takes good deal of
moral courage to honestly do this
work, and that there are critical times
when the work Of a spy is not only
necessa airy but honorable. The only
| hof oil Of 1o+o
work is claimed to be more disreput-
able than such work in other lines is
that in the mind of the claimant the
crimes which they are set to investi-
gate are more reputable than others.
That's the only difference.
tx
If man is not selling Intoxicating
drinks he would not be paying U. S.
revenue for so doing; nor is it likely
that his place would get the reputation
which would place a detective to work
upon his case. If he would not sell
drinks to others, he would sell none to
a detective. It is no crime to buy
drink. When therefore the detective
> comes in and buys a drink in the nat
ural order of the business of the place,
he is simply trapping the fellow at his
own game, and it appears to US to be
as legitimate as any other form of de-
tectlVe work. But as we SAID before
the business is fraught with many dam
gers and he who comes out unscathed
and does the work in good faith should
, come in for good share of credit.
*x*
It is very pleasing indeed to see
what a great number of our people ex-
: press themselves in favor of law and
J order. Many of those who have been
non-committal before are now rejoic-
ing that the saloon people who were
} indicted were convicted. When the
test comes again next April we expect
to see the crowd that has been giving
7 the blind-pig fraternity their moral
. support and substantial assistance put
: down by an overwhelming vote.