Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1900-01-31
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ID ORDER COlUM


1If iUent COIDm1Itesuta0 tss Al ANSo = ~
Geo. d. sweet. the detective who worked
M cases against the blind piggers at WI ll-5f
M a hiring September and October. failed
| Il, 4 me ar be fore the grand jury to testify
he had maintained his relations witt the
aeeney that employed him until the day
.s:ep he was supposed to take the train 1or
whitman. Instead Of coming here. h'Wever.
&c nia,c5llimself scarce. q bench Warran5
Was issued for him, and Dsaputy s,h heili
Hans. ON went to Minneapolis, on the 2 ssuI-
.lace from the agency that he might DC 10 TO-
ca ted In the5cities. He was not 1ouhds now
ever, but has later been heard from II an
other state Thus it seems that the pima
piggers an d their friends at W1llmar were
better informed as to Mr.. Sweet than were
his employers. It is known that he COM
inundated with Willmar parties as late as
the Saturday previous to his fight just
inv mucl, was paid him or by whom will
probably never DO known positively but
;an only b., surmised Some of the people
who have been 50 vehement in their assur-5
5luces thai. he would never appear to testify
now wisl, that they had been more careful.
IL proves that either they had Il hand In
keeping him away. or that they were very
init mate with someone who was interested
in suppressing the truth. Sweets testimony
| was not only feared by the saloon gang pro-
I per. He was in position where he could
shed much light on other matters relating
to the moral condition of the village. the
disclosure Of which might have created
havoc among tho wouid-be aristocracy of
the village But he yielded to the tempta-t
tior, which no doubt was made alluring.
~
This failure Of the important witness in q
number Of the 5lind-pig cases naturally
| makrs the piggcrs and their sympathizers
feel jubi!:.nt. But it Is short-sighted in
them to crow over it. There Is no vindicA-
tinn for them in bribing IL witness. Itsimp-
iy is adding one crime to another. And it
serves to open the eyes of Willmar citizens
to the desperate character of the whiskey
gang which has deficd the law of the Will
lage and state If anyone has advocated q
surrender to the liquor sellers heretofore.
he v Ill heSi,a'e to do SD now.
~
II is Of course somewhat discouraEine to
those who have spen. some effort and time
in cause for the public good to fud them
selves in part thwarted and betrayed in this
| manner. but it will net dishearten them in
the work. There can be no compromise with
the traffic now. The Illicit dealers of the
fiery spirits have not only deted the will of
the pc"pe Of the village rs expressed on the
! liquor question at the polls, but they now
with their fll-gotten money defy the courts
a No interfere in the administration of JUS
| tice. We will So whether the people will
| take such arrogant bluffs as that and give
them the legal license they prefer to have.
! ~
Indictments have been secured. however,
| on the evidence adduced at the village tri-
ais and the present petit jury will have
| chance to deal out justice to persons &C
! cused Of blind-pigging, nevertheless. The
bfind-pig attorneys will make a supreme at
tempt to clear their clients and of course
they will be we'll paid for it.
*x*
1t isn't all a bed of roses to run a blind
| pig either. evidently. even when it appears
that it can be done without much legal re-
straint. What with u S. revenue to pay.
rent and stock to figure up. spoilers to hire.
briLes to pay, lawyers fees TO put up and
prospects of heavy fines and Imprisonment
in sight. 1t does look a little dubious. that's
4 fact. AS one OF them expressed himself
the other day: Its too bad people can't
| let Il fellow alone. when he tries to make an
| honest(Ii living" He may live long enough
| to realize that there are more promising
| fields for such ''hoDesty" as he is displaying
than in this village
*x*
We would suggest that the good people of
| the village who car do so attend court dur
ing the trial Of the bIind-pggers. 1t will
he Interesting to many to see how these
cases are disposed Of. The friends of the
pjgge's are always on hand, Why not let
| these whose Influence count the other way
be present TO show that they too are inter-
ested in he result
*x*
That an important witness defes the
! order Of court and abscnts himself indi-
| Gates brihery-and bribery in such q case
| denotes constituencies Of guilt. In short
! SUCH BRIBERY is CONFESSION OF GUILT