The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1902-12-26
HAD HIS ORDERS
Chief Bowen Only Carried
Them Out.
The Chief of Police Tells OF His Trip
to Oregon.--Will Enforce the
Saloon Laws.

Chief Bowen stated to Free Press
reporter that in whatever he did
in the Spaulding matter he acted In
good faith and according to instruc-
tions. He did not use the warrant
and requisition papers as CLUB to
force a settlement from the Spauld-
ings.
Mr.. Bowen states that when he
went to Oregon he hsJd with him
only the summons and complaint in
the civil suit of Ch4s.H J. Macbeth
against Mr.. and Mrs. Spaulding and
others. After he got there he received
the warrant and requisition by mail,
with instructions from the county at
torney not to bring either Mr.. or Mrs
Spaulding if the lstter's condition
was so bad that she could not be
brought back. Mr. Bowen found Mrs.
Spaulding sick and unable to make
the journey, so the warrant was not
served nor was the governor OF Ore
gon asked to honor the requisition.
Mr.. Spaulding was informed by Mr..
Bowen that he possessed the warrant
and requisition papers, and was told
that the latter had not been honored
as yet by the governor, 80 that they
were of no effect. He told all this to
Mr.. Spaulding before the latter paid
over the s64O in trust to secure set
Element.
Mr.. Bowen retained the money until
Thursday, when he turned $500 over
to b. L. & j. W. Schmitr, attorneys
for Mr.. Spaulding. taking their re-
ceipt for it.
Mr.. Bowen said that he had not yet
heard anything from the state officials
beyond what has been published in
the papers. He did not make a settle
ment of the matter, and only brought
the money back in trust pending the
making of settlement between the
parties. Mr.. Spsulding, of course
must have known that Mr.. Bowen
could ask the governor of Oregon to
honor the requisition and that he
could then serve the warrant unless q
settlement had been made. The fact
that Mr.. Bowen was carrying out in
structions in whatever was done is the
most important feature of his state
ment.
Mr. Bowen was shown the recent
interview with Mayor Petersen, pub
Iished in The Free Press, regarding the
conduct of wine rooms and the en-
forcement of the laws regulating the
closing of the saloons nights and Sun
days. He stated that the mayor had
put the matter correctly when the
latter had said that he and the chief
had talked the situation over on sew
eral occasions. However, the mayor
did not instruct him to enforce all the
laws. There are cerain statues that it
would be difficult to enforce. such as
that requiring that all horses be
hitched when left in the street. 1t
would be impracticable to enforce
that to the letter. The police have
been too lenient about this. They have
made it practice to call peoples at
tention to the ordinance instead Of
making arrests. Other ordinances
also, have been violated. The polic'
know this, but have gotten along thu
best way they could. 1t is hard to ar
rest people for leaving their horses
unhitched, for instance.
In regard to enforcing the laws reg,
Mating saloons from this time on
Chief Bowen said: "All 1 have tc
say to you on this subject is, watci
the saloons closely. There will b
an improvement from now on. dom
think that there is woman of public
notoriety in the city today. We have
stopped boys under age from playing
pool, and are going to see that this
law, also, is enforced. If there ar
any violations of this law, it is be
cause the proprletors do not know tn
age of some of the young men VIII
patronize their places.
81 am SO heartily sick of my jo
, as chief of police that can hardl
{ wait for May 1st to come, when Cal
step down and out. Whoever is elect
ed, don't want him to come and in
suit me by offering me- the positio
again / would have quit the jo
long ago if I had seen anyway cles
to Go it. I have got enough to liy
on without holding the office of chic
of police. l had rather be beggar
the street than chief of police. but
am going to do the best I can while
continue to hold the Office -
Mr.. Bowen called upon 81.
Schmitt yesterday afternoon and il
formed him that when he went to Or
gon he knew nothing of the procee'
ing being merely collection dea
When he found out the facts,
would have nothing to do with it. al
would not serve the criminal pape
upon Mr.. and Mrs. Spaulding.
MIR. Spsulding's suggestion that I'll
matter be settled, he accepted $500 al
expenses of the trip from him in tru
to procure settlement of the civ
suit
It appears that the complaint in t
civil suit goes on the assumption To
Mr.. Spa ding was the owner of e
South Broad street property on Sci
10Th while the criminal complaint
lege that on Sept. 18th he disposed
the property when he did not own
There is serious conflict betwe
the two complaints in this regard.
County Attorney Wilson. when as
al ohout tho mattar today said tn