The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-05-06
'UP TO Grand Jury
ADMINISTRATION OF MAYOR AMEs,
OF MINNEAPOLIS, TO BE IN
VESTIGATED
UGLY CHARGES ARE MADE
DOCTOR LIKELY To BE MADE AC-t
QUAINTED WITH SIREN
UOUS LIFE
ABUSES MUST BE CORRECTED

SEQ" are few Of the charges that
are made against the administrator ~
4iOert A. Ames, mayor of MINNEAPOLIS
Inc grand jury meets today. and be-
tLo week Is over these charges viii
be given serious attention
The grand jury made a partial i,ves+r-
CATION early last month, and a mora
thorough inquisition will be had at the
coming meeting '-'~
me reason that indictments were nor
round III April, it is said, was not because
there was q lack of testimony. hut ratbar
because or a nope that the mayor would
see the error Of his ways and would cor
rect abuses.
Ever since Mayor Ames came into ofIcs
there nave been complaints that the adj
hllnlstratlon was endeavoriug to make all
the profit 1t could out Of the people i'm.
Heulalely under The surveillance Of the
police.
Officer Myron f, Johnson. who has re-
signed from the force, has told how
sharpers were allowed to operate on his
peat without fear Of punishment. because
When he arrested a man the prisoner was
Immediately released without trial by
men in authority
Ex-Ofticer Merrick told that q member
OF the administration the private score
tary to the mayor, asked him to paw 500
a month of mis- salary Of Sl5 month to
the administration war chest He. told
this story to the grand jury. The secre-
tary made a general denial, and Saturday
night many Of the police officers in the
city were obliged to sign affidavits to the
effect that they had never been assessed
by members of the administration or
course, they all signed the paper, for
refusal would have been tantamount to
a dismissal from the force
Keepers OF houses of ilI-fame who do
not appear in the municipal court on the
10th Of each month and pay fine Of 500,
have been notified that they must pay S2l
q month to a man who would call
around" for the currency.
A LARGE BILL FIGURES.
A man who Is engaged in an occupa.
ton prescribed by law had a large check
cashed at the bank where he has a de-
post. Among the bills he received was
one of large denomination marked IN q
peculiar manner. A few hours later thia
same bill was deposited to the account
Of q city official.
Keepers of houses of ill-fame, who pay
a regular monthly fine. have been in
formed that If they do the proper thing
they VIII be arrested but once I'm two
months, and their average monthly line
would be reduced to $50 month. Sheriff
Megaarden has said he would arrest
them on the month the police di1 MT
summon them to appear, and the judges
of the municipal court can be relied
upon to impose fines whether the women
are brought before them once a month,
once week, or every day.
A citizen complained Of the maltreat-
ment Of his child by a policeman, and
the only punishment the offending officer
has received has been transfer to an
other beat.
Mayor Ames has directed the captain
commanding the municipal court detail
aV9f- .
clerk of the municipal court. The clerk
requested the captain to have the order
reduced to writing. Before this was done
the mayor consulted an attorney ami
never wrote the order. Had he done 50
there would have been some interesting
developments.
The events of Saturday are fresh in the
memories of the people OF Minneapolis.
The administrations connection with the
proprietors Of these slot machines seems
to have been pretty well established.
Members of the staff of one local paper
say they have seen the street foreman"
of the combination in consultation with
the mayor in his private Office. and in the
absence Of the mayor the private secre-
tary has officiated.
Men who have been arrested and
brought into the central police station
have been attacked and brutally beaten
by men higher In authority than tho
man at the time in command Of the sta
ton.
REPORTERS ARE BARRED.
The blotters at the police stations have
been closed to a portion Of the press be-
cause the mayor claimed that facts were
being distored." Able attorneys say this
record belongs to the public
A system of double entry" prevails.
A pencil record Of the arrests is made.
In the morning all prisoners whom TIE
police believe should be tried have their
names inscribed in ink in another book
which is kept at the station. The others
are released. AS in the good old days, a
pull Is all that is needed to square tho
release of man who has been arrested.
Until the recent suppression OF the
fraternity because Of internecine troubles
there were more open gambling hous 8
than ever before In the history Of the
city. 1t is currently reported that these
paid a tribute Of at least $40 a month TO
somebody.