The Minneapolis journal., 1902-07-29
POLICE WAR
WAKES | E WARM
Supt. Anes Retorts to the
. Scoring Of sec'y
Brown.
Brown Asserts That the
Chief Was Always a
Weakling.

Chief Of Police Fred w. Ames remarked
this morning that he was very much nm
der obligations to Thomas r. Brown,
mayors private secretary. He was in tho
latter's debt, he said, because OF an fin-
terview published elsewhere, in which Mt.
Brown took occasion to say some decided
ly uncompHmentary things about tho
head Of the department.
When man SO far forgets himself
as to break into print in personal Will
fcation OF another, no matter who he
may be-" said the chief. "he only lowers
himself In the estimation of the public.
Far from having done me any harm,
believe that such a statement, emanating
from such a discredited source, has act
ually been good thing for me. 1t Is
bound to react in my favor, for all intel
ligent people can discover the animus OF
any such attack on me-. Brown is evi-s
IDENTIFY out to toot his own horn, but he is
apparently blowing in the large end Of the
bazoo. .:.se..g =. s.. o.. - -
:,
can afford to pay any attention to such
mouthings. This man Brown is only q
clerk in the employ Of the city, and as
such, he is entitled to only the scantiest
consideration when he gets out OF
bounds and shoots off his mouth for the
'delectation Of the public
why, wouldn't pay any more atten-
~ hat he haS
than 1 would about the barkings of the
meanest, lowest, most ornery yellow cur
upon the street. ss,.s
HE says he is going to watch me pretty
closely from now on, does he? Wen, ies
me tell you right here that II he only
keeps his prying eyes revolving inWaraiy
and gives himself close examination
that he vii have his hands full without
botheringN his head at all about me-
"The big mitt men would never have
been allowed to operate in Minneapolis
IL I'd had my way. Mind, don't, say this
in the sense Of rejecting at all upon my:
brother. ss T. don't wish to criticize him,
but If, as chief Of police, had been given
plenary powers, II would have been in q
/ 81
| were carried out. But that was al
threshed over in my trial and I don't
care to discuss II.
II want to correct the impression that
I am going to tear up the Minneapolis
police department.. People seem to have
cot the idea, from the way I have been
| quoted, that am going to revolut1onlze
things, and fire men right and left. AS
| matter of fact, It is altogether proDaD Dle
that not a man In commanding position
will be released. AS IEtold Alderman
Powers, acting mayor, last evening, there
| is only one man in command under mo
whom I believe may be proper subject
for discipline. and before I attend to
his case, shall certainly talk the matter
over with Mr.. Powers. -a...
,",Mr Powers was to have called on mo
| this morning, to size the situation up.
but I suppose he has been too busy to
get around so soon. After | have had
confidential chat with him, will hold a
consult alton with City Attorney Healey.
When know just how far my jurisdiction
extends and am fully acquainted as to the
scope of the city ordinances, l Will hew
close to the line and keep the vicious and
criminal element within the closest possi-
BILE confines. I'll give the people of this
town a clean, moral city, If they want 1t.
All I ask is the support of all people who
are willing to give me fair show, now
| that my hands are not tied, and who real-
\ ly want to see change in the present,
\ nond3f;oD of -
| Here's What Brnwn Said.
| Secretary Brown, after reading tho
chiefs interview yesterday, being particu-
larly interested in that portion rejecting
/ on the mayor fired some hot shots at the
mayors brother, giving him a very low
rating. He referred to the chief as q
'sweakling In every position which he haa
! held" and a wash rag.
Ellis assertion said Mr.. Brown, that
4 the responsibility for the existence of the
disrcputable resorts rests upon Captain
Hill is just what would be expected Of .
4 chief of police who is not man enough to
| accept responsibility himself, but Is will
ing to besmirch the brother to whom he
owes everything in the world. His con-
duct Of the police department was piti-
able. During the trial he spent half hia
time in tears"
AS to the redistribution OF officers, Mr..
Brown again asserted that the chief had
persistently refused to take the initiative
though repeatedly advised to do so by
himself and Captain Hill.
"The day the mayor left for West
Baden" Mr.. Brown continued, i had two
conferences with him in regard to the
changes. He finally issued the orders haA
an hour before his train left. and was
the only one who knew what they were
until they wsre made public. Fred Ames
was as ignorant of them as the babe un-
born. He was away on q vacation. Mayor
Ames never gave orders to close the candy
stores; neither did the chief It was
his nature never to assume any RESPONSE
btlity. It was while the mayor was on 4
hunting trip and the chief WAS In com.
, plete control OF the police department
that the big mitt and other municipal
. scandals occurred. / never knew FREQ
Ames to have any opinions on any sub
!, iect whatever. He had power to direct
the department, but he never used It. He
was like putty.
ssThe mayor issued repeated orders ts