The Saint Paul globe., 1902-04-17
BIC MITTS AT WORK
Unsuspecting Victims Are
Being Fleeced Almost
Every Day.
CROOKS OVERRUN CITY
Police Sometimes Demand the Re-
turn Of Money Taken, but No
Arrests Are Ever
Made.
CROOKS oVERRUN CITY

Despite the recent and often issued or
ders of Mayor Anles to his police depart
ment to purge the city from big mitt''
men, 1t is apparent that Minneap polls ;s
. again In possession of that class of graft
ers They operate SO close to police head
| quarters and are so bold in their work
as to lead the average citizen to believe
tf1at Minneapolis has either a very un-
sophisticated police department or some
sort of protection is being doled out to
the big ritts'' and skin gamblers. who
row nave complete possession Of thescity
Ole o. Holton, of Dawson, Mimi, came
to Minneapolis last Tuesday and purchas-
ea ticket to Norway from a local steam
snip agency. During the afternoon ne
was accosted on the street by dapper
looking fellow, who struck up an ac-
quaintance with him forthwith.
The stranger found out from Hslton
that he was going first to Stoughon, Wis,
before going to Norway and said "Why.
m going to Stoughton, too. l have a,
store there and am down to Minneapolis
buying goods"
We got store up here" said Mr.. Big
MItt. and maybe you'd like TO go up and
look at scme samples Of clothing" sIIol
ton said he hadn't thought much about
buying any more clothing, but might if he
got a good bargain.
SO they strolled for a joint on Second
street between Second and Third avenues
When the pair entered there were two
| others sitting at table with a big pile
oI money and poker chips. The "cappeF.'
paid little attention to the inside" men,
put went through the foTmalities Of show
ing his goods. e.
..,S Suddenly the inside" men said:
tie game" We'll, we don't mind lie
explained to Holton confdentially that il
was easy money, and before Holton
knew II he was in a frame"
He had something over $50 in his wallet
and he carefully and stingily stripped off
a $40 note and the game started. He lost
| the $50, and was induced TO try again
he had his poclletbook in his hand, when
the door opened and in walked the "pro-c
prietor" of the place, as he explained as
ne entered. Holton says one of the men
money.
Holton thought it over and went to see
=. M Paulson, of the A. E. Johnson &
Co., steamship ticket agency Mr. Paul
son went to see Superintendent of Police
Ames, and told him what he thought of
the police department and the city admin
lstraQon; The upshot of the matter
Louis Hansen with Hoton to the Sec
! ond street joint, and there Holton point
ed out the trio who had done him out
OF nus money. After a whispered con-
Versat1on between the detective and the
big mitts" Holton was handed $40. Yes
terday Holton again visited police head
quarters and demanded the rest Of his
money returned to him. Another de-
teCtive was dispatched by Chief Ames to
the Second street joint. Then Holton was
given another $15, and he left apparently
satisfied.
It was only a few days ago that a
Scandinavian boarding house keeper was
appealed to by one Of his boarders, who
had just arrived from the woods, to as-t
sist him in getting back $45 which he lost
In Washington avenue joint. The
Woodsman had been attracted into a
store at 3S Washington avenue south to
view the disgusting pictures on exhibit
ton there. He says he thought he might
as WelI make a day of it, SO he took in
the whole show which extended into the.
4 extreme end of the store. He liked to
! play cards, and believed that he himself,
was a fair gambler, and that every other
man was the same. He dropped $45
before he had been there thirty minutes
Then he looked up his boarding house
keeper. The latter went with him to the
joint, but got no relief. 20
Ed Wilson and Link Crossrnan UP to
within a few days ago have spasmodi-
calIy operated a joint at Seventh avenue
south and Washington, where the
pilates" and spindle have been rum
ming. Wilson is the same man who was
convicted in the courts about year ago
for running the plate game and who
escaped with a fine Of $50
The town is ful of thieves of all kinds
Expert safe blowers, night and day
pF'owlers, pickpockets, and grafters Of all
kinds are making Minneapolis their home,
| and it is even said that some of the best.
of these have been imported from Kan
sas City, st. Louis and other towns but
by whom, nobody, not even the police.
seem to know.