The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-04-04
A PIONEER SHERIFF
The Late Colonel Brott Was First
Sheriff of Ramsey.
HE COVERED A BIG TERRITORY
Sank Rapids, st. Cloud,
breckenridge.

Colonel George F. Brott. who died re-
Gently in Washington, D.. G.. was one of
the pioneers who figured prominently in
the DEVELOPMENT of the state in the early
days. His particular distinction in ter
rltorial days was that of being sheriff Of
ramsey county when that bailiwick en-
braced most of Minnesota and conse-
quently included what is now Hennepin
county. He came to Minnesota in 1850,
one year after the territory was formed.
Minnesota then included the two Dakotas,
and the three organized counties were
Ramsey, Benton and St. Croix.
st. Paul had been made the capitol and
Alexander Ramsey was the governor.
Colonel Brott says in his memoirs that
st. Paul then had about 1900 Inhabitants
and that most Of them were saloonkeepers
and gamblers. 1t was the headquarters
of all the Indian trading posts, and had
a fur trade extending northWard TO the
Canadian line. Once year many half
breeds came down from Pembina, a dis
lance of 500 miles, with long trains OF
wheeled carts loaded with furs and
buffalo hides to exchange for trinkets,
housegood goods, food and whisky.
Colonel Brott didn't like the looks OF
st. Paul ver- well. Instinct told him
that the big center of future population
vas ~ De w Slf6dm u 10W IlllleS. IlO
accordingly transferred his goods and
chattels to the present site OF Mime
apolis, then st. Anthony. In this con-
nection it was his delight to tell the
story of the first interurban line, which
he would solemnly declare was an cleo
trio one.
The First Interurban.
'"The first passenger conveyance be-
tween the twin. Cities" said the colonel,
was established by lightning rod man
named Mitchell. who was in the habit OF
making a daily trip between the cities in
his business wagon, taking all of the pas
sengers Re could accommodate at dime
apiece
1t was in the fall of 1851 that an cleo
ton was held to choose county officers
and a delegate to congress. There were
no political parties in Minnesota. The
fur company welded the balance Of po-
litical influence and the question at IS
sue was ''fur company or no fur com
pany."
Colonel Brott fought the good fight for
sheriff and was triumphantly elected.
His Jurisdiction extended from .he Brit
ish possessions on the north to an in
definite line about 425 miles south, and
from the Mississippi river on the east 10
the Missouri river on the west-a terri
tory several times as large as that OF
the New England states together.
Sheriff Brott's first official act was to-
erect a Jail in the rear Of the old court
house in St. Paul. It was constructed
Of sawed timbers six inches square and
was simply a log house. The ceiling and
floor were made of like material and COW
cred with two-inch blanks. 1t had two
rooms for cells and three rooms for the
jailer and his family.
A Famous Liquor Raid.
There were few persons or, the frontier
in 1881 who respected either the law or
its officers. and most Of the writs had to,
he executed either by force OF by STRAIT
egg.
The legislature had passed what was
known as the Maine liquor law, making.
it the duty of the sheriff to seize and de-
stroy all liquor held unlawfully. one
William Constance was charged with haV-
ing a certain quantity of hot, rebellious
LIQUOR in warehouse on the levee, Whlch
the sheriff was commanded by writ TO
seize. Lott Motif, strong temperance
advocate, who would willingly fisk MS
life in the cause, was appointed deputy
sheriff, and instructed to serve copy OF
the writ on Constance. Constance re
quested a stay of execution OF two hours
in which to consult his attorney.
Wishing to show Constance all the con-
sideration consistent with the faithful
discharge of my duties," said the colonel,
in describing this thrilling exploit, -
made the seizure and left the liquor In the
warehouse in charge of Mofht until l re-
turned for Constance's answer.
"Returning two hours later, l round that
Constance had mustered force OF men,
elected my deputy from the warehouse,
closed and barricaded the doors and was
guarding the building against citizens and
officers alike
The colonel Immediately swore in every
able bodied man in the town who had not
gone over to the other side, and COM
manded them to help him execute the law.
After struggle Of several hours IN which
many of his men were roughly treated,
truce was called, and it was stipulated
that the liquor would be delivered on
condition that the attacking force would
be withdrawn after Constance and his
men could get safely away.
The sheriff agreed to a cessation Of hos
tilities on that basis, but when he again
returned, found that Constance had
simply summoned achievements.
Then the sheriff summoned twenty red
shirted lumbermen from the falls who
soon made resistance useless. The fact
that most of Constance's men were by
that time helpless from drink--having
knocked in the heads of several barrels
persuaded him to surrender the rest of
the liquor. 1t was bonded to await the
action of the district court, and then the
joke was on Sheriff Brott. The law under
which the seizure had been made was de-
clared unconstitutional, and he was
obliged to pay $1,000 for enforcing the
measure.
Later, when he seized a quantity of
liquor at St. Anthony, miscreants crawled
under the building in which it was stored,
bored holes through the floor and barrels,
and drew off all the liquor, for which the
colonel was also forced to pay.
A Founder of Towns.
1t was in 1862 that Colonel Brott, Col
onel John H. Stevens. Governor Ram
sey, Judge Meeker and Stewart B. Garvey
explored Lake Minnetonka, which had
been discovered the same year by Calvin
Tuttle.
Colonel Brott founded several large
towns Of Minnesota. among them Sank
Rapids, st. Cloud, Mile Laos City and
Breckenridge.
T When the colonel reached st. Paul in
1850 on the steamer Yankee, dozen
Sioux Indians rushed down the bank and
charged aboard. They had on their war
paint and were apparently thirsting for
blood. Colonel Brott reached for his gun,
but was informed that the Indians we're
u - H.