The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-05-12
AMES CASE COMMENT.
Former Mayors Conviction Doing
Much to Offset Previous Unfa-
vorable Advertising.
Outside Press Approves Verdict and
+ Expresses Hope for Common
surate Penalty.

| n 3 E
surate Penalty.
IT wide advertising as the home of po-
lice corruption was bad thing for Min
/ neapolis, the. conviction of DR.. A. "A.
Ames VIII go long way as an offset. All
4 over the country, the newspapers have
been announcing the verdict in their news
columns and following it by editorial com
ment. Up to date no paper has been re-
4 celved which voices anything but com
4 mendat1on Here are some sample editor
1al expressions on the case:
! Boston Herald-The conviction Of ex-
\ Mayor Ames of Minneapolis of having re-
i ce1ved $500 bride is something satisfac-
] tory. That was only a sample of his meth
/ obs, and his punishment will doubtless be
exemplary.
chicago News-lns a roundabout waysex-
Mayor Ames of Minneapolis has given the
cause of municipal reform quite boost
Chicago Chronicle-The only defense
i made by ex- Mayor Ames, of Minneapolis
charged with boodling,a is that he was
mentally irresponsible during the several
! years that, the corruption was in prog
ress. 1t cannot but be, deemed singular
that. in this. as in similar cases. the men
tai alteration did not affect the ability. OF
the accused to get every dollar In sight and
'Isalt ut carefully away. The insanity, in
other words. merely obscured moral per-
ception. but left the mind perfectly clear
as to financial results.
(. Boston Globe-Ex- Mayor Ames' alleged
pares1s IS 31ncipient-probably the kind that
would disappear If he should be shut UP
IN an asylum for year or two.
Sioux City JournaE'Doc' Ames says
MS conviction was the result, of news
paper. crusading. Probably the newspa-
pers will be willing to let it go at that.
Minneapolis views it not so much as a
conviction of ex-Mayor Ames as an ac-
lqu1ttal for Minneapolis
Bixby, in Nebraska State Journal-Dr
A. A. Ames, jolly ex-mayor and gener-
Gus embezzler of Minneapolis, is not
without friends in his dire extremity
tho he is unquestionably entitled to a
quiet home in Saltwater the rest of his
natural life. Testifying in his behalf
Dr. E. j. Clark gave 1t as his professional
opinion. which is the highest opinion
which he is capable of forming, that the
defendant was morally irresponsible for
his actions while serving in the capacity
OF mayor. That moral irresponsibility
was due to alcoholism. The doctor, be
1t said to his shame, has for many years
been much addicted to the flowing bowl.
He and Gambrinus were together from
early morning until the Waterman on the
tower announced the midnight hour and
AL is well" Per consequence when the
old man stole anything he didn't know
| 1t was stealing, but confused it in some
way as a mark of individual enterprise
and keen business saga city. It has already
been shown that the ex-mayor is a knave.
| and now his friends would make it APP
! pear that he is also a fool.
Nebraska State Journal-The defense set
up by the attorney Of ex-Mayor Ames Of
Minneapolis, accused Of high class DOODLE
ism, is 1ncipient paresis and insanity. But
the doctors will have to be careful in their
expert testimony, for it is pretty gen
eral superstitutfon that paresis is swift
sort Of disease and seldom remains in
cfpient long enough to have the patient
elected mayor four times. Perhaps this
IS a rare and beautiful variety of paresis
and should it turn out that way, doubtless
the governor In case the jury concludes to
put the ease in a cell where it could
be carefully studied by the profession,
will consider himself warranted in excus-
Ing the ex-n1ayor in the interests of med
1cal science. from most of the pains and
penalties of his sentence
Philadelphia Press-The conviction Of
ex- Mayor Ames. of Minneapolis for ac-
cepttng bride is another warning for
public OFFICIALS whose integrity Is not of
the unyielding kind. It is probably the
most significant lesson given in this way
Ex- Mayor Ames had a certain popularity
In Minneapolis. He had also covered up
his tracks so successfully that he felt
confident that no discriminating evidence
that jury would accept could be brought
against him. 1t was this confidence that
led him to return and accept trial after he
had fled from the jurisdiction of the state
and placed 1900 miles between him and
the scene of his crime. AS a result he Is
convicted, and it Is to be hoped that proper
punishment will be meted out to him. Two
or three of the officials who helped him to
| ov,1 ,.@1o
IN Jail, and with the ex-mayor there also
an impressive object lesson as to the pen
alties for grating will be given the
boodlers. Some of the evidence given
against Ames was of surprising char
acter. It was asserted by witnesses that
the most corrupt methods employed in the
Im1sgovernment of the city were suggested
and urged upon his subordinates by the
mayor himself This put the case in an
entirely different light, it having been
supposed that Ames was the willing tool
OF shrewder men who used him for their
purpose and let him profit moderately by
the result. II it Is discouraging to know
| that the moral sentiment is SO dormant
in an important city as to permit the ele-
walton of man of the type of Ames to
Its chief office it is encouraging to have
| it proved that the same public can be
aroused from that dormant condition when
the actual situation is brought to It's
Buffalo Express: "The conviction Of
former Mayor Aonzo A. Ames of Mime
apolis Of accepting brides from disorderly
women Is a fitting climax to the reform
movement in that city. The strength Of
the case against Ames was well shown by
the fact that the defense pleaded paresis
and temporary insanity Ames' rule in
Minneapolis was signalized probably by
the most barefaced crookedness of which
any municipal administration has been
guilty. The breaking Of the Doodle ring
came with the selection of a grand Jury
in April 1902 Many of Ames' underlings
were sent to prison and Ames fled to
New Hampshire, where he was arrested
| in February.
There is lesson in the conviction Of
these men for public officials. Municipa1
administration unquestionably is growing
better. largely thru the exposures of
crookedness in various parts of the United
States At the same time, grating con-
tinues in one form or another. New York
has had hard experience with dishonest
public servants. Chicago, Baltimore, St.
Louis and many other cities have been
| subjected to the graft system. 1t is a re-
markable fact that the great body Of peo-
pie will submit for an indefinite time to
dishonest administration Of office; that it
generally waits for some one man, who
seems more fearless than the rest, to
1 et ,k 40 49, TI-,,>