The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-08-25
SEEK TO SHIFT
BLAME FOR JOINTS
County Commissioners Make a
Bluff at Prosecution of
Blind Pigs.

In an endeavor to shift the response
b1l1ty from their own shoulders for a
number of unlicensed saloons which
are said to be operating in the county
outside of the city limits, the board of
county commissioners yesterday adopt
ed resolution calling upon the county
attorney to notify the proprietorS of
all such places to stop business.
The resolution was introduced by
Commissioner Nash and was adopted
by unanimous vote of the board. 1t
called upon the county attorney to no
tify all such places in. Ramsey county
outside of the city limits to cease sell
ing intoxicating liquors at once under
penalty Of prosecution.
when that resolution reaches our
Office" said Assistant County Attorney
O'Neill, 1--WE will send it back with in
structions for the board of county
commissioners to attend to their own
business. or words to that effect"
Mr.. O'Neill says the resolution is
mere rot, and is only for the purpose
of relieving the commissioners of re-
sponsibility which they should Shout
der
THE commissioners are the eXecu-
tive body of the county, and it is their
business to look after such matters"
said Mr.. O'Neill. "Our office knows
nothing of any blind pigs in the
county, and even if we did we would
not proceed by informing them to close
up under penalty of prosecution. We
would go after them with warrants,
which is the only way our office has
any right to go after such places. If
Mr. Nash, or any other member of the
board, knows so much about these il
legal saloons, why do they not swear
out warrants for the arrest of the pro-
prietors. If they will do this our Of
flee will take the matter up and prose-
cute the offenders.
THE trouble with the commission
ers," continued Mr.. O'Neill, lis that
they want to shift the responsibility
for these places from their own Shout
ders, but they will have to take some
other means of doing so. Whenever
these places are called to our atten-
ton in the proper manner we will at
tend to them, but no attention will be
paid to any such resolution as that
introduced by Mr.. Nash"
In introducing his resolution Com
missioner Nash said he had been re-
liably informed that many hack loads
of people were in the habit of driving
out to the roadhouses at the different
lakes near the city and making the
neighborhood resound with their
drunken orgies. He said fights were
common, and he thought it was time
to call a halt on such proceedings.
1t was stated that these "joints"
were situated near the numerous lakes
some at White Bear, one at McCar-
rons lake, one at Lake Johanna, an
other in the woods near the cycle path
to White Bear, and number of 9TH
erS.
THE resolution is all a bluff" said
Mr.. O'Neill, "and is not worth the
paper it is written on. Such a resolu-
ton will receive no consideration from
our Office
Contracts for road work let yester-
day will result in decreasing the size
of the road fund between $4,000 and
$4,000. Contracts let by the board yes
terday upon the recommendation of the
road and bridge committee include
work on Smelling avenue, Lahore road,
Hudson road, Kettle road and Center
vile road.
An effort was made to have appro-
priations made for considerable road
work in addition to this, but the prop
osition was voted down.