The Minneapolis journal., 1902-08-05
HE'S NOT A BIT SORRY
Megaarden In a Position to Gloat
Over Ames.
MILLS OF THE GODS MAY BE SLOW
button in, the Way They M
Have Ground.

Former Sheriff Philip T. Megaarden,
who holds the Ames administration pri-
martly responsible for his removal from
office by the governor. and who says the
Ames machine fought him because he in,
terfered with the graft is naturally not
particularly dolorous when he thinks Of
the Ames brothers finish. 4
In commenting upon the matter Mr.. Me :
garden says that he was informed the
graft from slot machines alone
amounted to 100000 or $4,000 a year,
and that when he began to make arrests
the administration decided to go after
him In order to protect it's interests" 4
Furthermore Mr.. Megaarden calls atten-.
tfon to the fact that all of the 'tbig mitt' :
swindles referred to in recent municipal
cases were perpetrated after his removal
from office; and says that he and his
deputies frequently arrested "big nit
ters" whom the police either could not
Or would not apprehend.
These facts, he believes, led the Ames
combine to plot his downfall; and, al
though they were successful in securing
his removal, Mr.. Megaarden considers
that an Injustice was done him. In dis.
cussing the matter with T b ed o u r n a J.,
he said: II ~ i. 2-:3T. +
naturally feel that / have been unjustly
treated, for the reasonTth that in my conduct of
the sheriffs office followed the established
customs that had been in vogue for twenty
years In reference to certain charges. These
| charges had been made and allowed to other
sheriffs and did not exceed what might have
charged by law il had charged tin a differ
ent form. Ny prosecution was urged and
| aided by the city administration because I had
| served warrants and executed writs that the
city officials had refused to serve and execute.
1t was necessary that should be gotten out
| of the way as sheriff before they could carry
out and fulfil their plan .of Doodle. as shown
by the recent developments in municipal
affairs l had stopped their operations and
slot machines and other gambling devices,
from which they derived considerable revenue,
| and the question before them was how to dis
pose Of me, and to this end they directed all
| their energy.
All the evidence that was before the grand
| jury that indicted me was the evidence of an
assistant county attorney and the evidence OF
city detective, who had no personal knowl-
| edge Of the sheriff's Office or how it was run
| and my prosecution and removal from office
was brought about by combination between
certain county officials and the city admins
tration. T.
| In making charges in the sheriff's office, al
| the law stood then in references to certain
| charges it was very difficult to determine
| what were and what were not legal charges
| The supreme court. in passing on the ques
tion, has reversed itself within the last yea
|
I held office that I was not prepared to pa.
back to the county every dollar the count.
claimed it wrongfully allowed me, and did pa!
it back whether the county claimed it righ
or wrong Since my prosecution and remoVa
from office the county has paid back to m
s., 200, money which 1t wrongfully withheld
and now stands ready to pay me back owe
ST 900 more which it admits Is due me. o.
condition that I release the county from al
liability This have refused to do. for
still claim the county owes me between $500
and $1,000. - .-..- Il.
II the county wanted to change its method
that it has practlced and continued for owe
twenty years, it would have been, no NOR
than fair to me that should have bee
given an opportunity to conform to tn
change without being removed from Office an
indicted and prosecuted a criminal. but l
my Judgment the great question was to &c
rid Of me- right or wrong.