The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-07-04
STAR WITNESS SAYS HE COL
LEcTED CRAFTS UNDER Or
DERS OF POLICE CHIEF
DEFENSE STAGGERED
BY HOT THUNDERBoLTs
Roman MEX Tells the Jury a Convine.
ing Story of How He Was Vic
timized and Played for a
"Sucker."

Those who were inside of Judge
Simpsons court room yesterday re-
ceived the worth of their money. 1t
vas day of surprises and the state
played several of its trump cards by
way of advertisement.
The principal surprise to the defense
" as when Assistant County Attorney
Smith went to the private entrance Of
Judge Simpsons private Office and
beckoned for some one to appear, and
out stepped Roman MEX. Without
further ado Mr.. Smith said, "You may
he sworn, Mr.. MEX
The defense for the moment was
wholly at sea, as it had not even leak
ed out that Mr.. MEX had been brought
all the way from Kalispell, Mont, to
tell his side of the draft deal in which
he had been fleeced out of $375, and
$25 Of this had been paid to Chief
Ames as his share of the proceeds of
graft" from the big mitt" men.
1t must be said in Miex's favor that
he did not appear on the stand as a
man who was seeking for revenge, and
While he was in a measure a willing
witness, he did not attempt to make
his story any stronger than it really
was. 1t was apparent that he was tell
ing the truth, and did not enter into
and by-plays to strengthen his evil
dence.
Lost At Stud Poker.
He told the story of having been
beaten out of the original draft by the
game of stud poker that has so many
times been explained In the past six
weeks by various witnesses in the
other cases, and of how he tried to get
redress through the chief, and the
chief giving him "fatherly' advice as
to the best thing to do, which was to
take the first train out of town. He
also told him that there was no use
in trying to get the draft back, as it
had been indorsed and that he, the
chief, had worked in a bank long
enough to know that 1t would be i'm
POSSIBLE to secure any part of draft
under such conditions.
He also told of Norbeck coming to
him at his hotel and telling him the
best thing he could do was to leave
town, for should he press the matter
in regard to the draft he would be ar
rested for gambling and no doubt
would be put to considerable annoy
ance. He told him the fellows who got
the draft had undoubtedly skipped
town, and that would be the last ever
heard of ii.
Mick also said that he told the chief
If he would send someone with him
that they could catch one of the fellows
who had relieved him Of his draft, and
maybe If they secured one they could
get the rest He said the chief told
him he only had one man whom he de-
tailed on such cases, and that man was
not to be had just then.
"steerer" named Henderson at the
depot at o'clock, and they were go
Ing on the train together at 1920, but
he said there was no use in keeping
the appointment unless the chief would
detail an officer to go with him. When
he communicated this to the chief he
said, We'll, 1 can't help you now, but
If you will come back at 7:30 will see
what can be done for you"
The chief listened to this story, and
was seemingly unmoved, except
that he chewed his cud of gum harder
than he had been doing. On cross -ex-
animation the defense received no
comfort from what it got out of MEX,
but, on the contrary, the story was re-
told which imbedded it more firmly in
the minds of all who heard 1t.
Norbeck Tells All. -
What really was the chief attraction
VI the utty was the pldclng OF eX-De-
tective Christopher G. Norbeck on the
stand, and while it had been a fore
gone conclusion that he would tell all,
it was not expected that he would tell
q great deal more than was anticipat-
ed, but he did, and revealed such a.
state of corruption In municipal af-
fairs that those who heard it stood
aghast and marveled at the high-hand-
ed carnival of crime that had been in
operation in the police department al
most from the opening day of the pres
ent administration.
He not only implicated the chief In
the game of graft" but also threw
several bombs into the mayors camp,
which places the head official OF the
city in an unenviable light.
Norbeck was asked IL he ever saw
Roman MEX. He said, Yes, at the
st. James hotel, where he had been
sent by the chief to call on him." He
was then asked If he ever had a talk
with the chief about the matter. Yes;
he called me into his Office and told me
Lincoln G. Crossman and Billy Ed
wards had swindled MEX out of a.
draft" and he said, IF they wouldn't
mix up with drafts and checks there
wouldn't be so much trouble" He said
MEX was making all sorts of trouble
and they better get him oGt~of town.
He was then asked II he made any
attempt 10 arrest CroSSman or Ed
wards, and he said, mo, because they
were working under the protection OF
Col. Ames and the mayor"
Given List Of Steerers.
He testified to having been furnish
ed with list Of "steerers" who were
In the employ of Edwards and Cross
man, and Of having given 1t to the
chief, and received instructions that
these men were to be immune from ar
rest while they piled their trade in the
Continued on Fifth Page.