The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-09-30
SELF-:MADE REFORMERS
... PLAN WAR I. . ON VICE
COMMITTEE OF PUBLIC SAFETY
IN POLITICAL MOVE. -
With Police Record Good and Petty
Crimes scotched Wherever They
Crop Out, the Self-Appointed Guardi-
ans Threaten Renewed "Activity ~
in Endeavor to Embarass City Ad-:
nlinistration. ~. = s,~a~ .-.

Again the shadows and byways that
cover petty crime are to be subjected
to the searchlight of ''reform'' or
ganizatlon and a general crusade
against vice has been announced.
The searchlight is to be manipulated
safety. which several months ago
threatened to startle the entire state
by it's expose Of conditions in Minneap-
oils and then arrested a few resort
keepers and failed to convict about
This Organization is composed chiefly
Of an attorney, liquor dealer and a
private detective, the latter composing
the entire executive department. The
other members have always failed to
appear in the imelight. The object of
ter members, is to reform the. city.
They claim to direct their shafts at no
vice in particular, but to strike at
crime wherever it appears. ..
After the arrest and conviction of
the few resort keepers last winter the
public safety committee retired for
the time being. -ss..~,'&.r s..>''
+ To Embarrass Administration. ~
! Members of the police department
were never consulted when an arrest
was to be made, and for this reason it
was generally believed that, the pur-
barrass the present city administration
and to cast discredit on the police de-
partment.
The mayor and police, however,
seemed to suffer little and now that an
other crusade is about to be started
they feel that the records of police
work for the past year and a half will
answer for the condition; of the city.
The campaign against vice of all kinds
has been even and consistent at all
times, they, say. and one by one, the
punished and compelled to stop. their
vicious practices. r-,~. ~. - 80. =.
Altho no special work has been. done
during the last few weeks, the work
done by the police in keeping the city
clean is a fair example Of what has
been done. since January, 1905, Gam
bling houses, blind pigs, resorts and, or
ganized gangs of thieves and roughs
have received their usual attention in
police. court and heavy penalties have
been imposed. H.
Blind pigs at III Washington av.
enue, Washington and Forty-second av.
enues N, and at the Scandia and Globe
hotels have been raided and broken up
Some of these places were running &c
quietly and cautiously that expert work
was required to bring them into the
dragnet.
Gambling has abated to such an ex-
tent that little work is required to keep
the SPECTATORS Con the rum yet a
careful watch has been kept on all
suspected places and one raid was made
two weeks ago. A colored gambling
house on Bridge square was raided and
the proprietor was fined in police court.
Before paying the fine he promised to
keep out Of the gambling business. here
after.
Disorderly houses have been prompt
~ raided, and six persons have recently
been arraigned in court for keeping
these places. Two of these places were
saloons raided Friday night. One was
Bob Salter g place, which has caused
trouble for the police for many years
and the other was the saloon conducted
by Dan Haley at 2l6 Third avenue S.
The police have tried to keep women
out Of all drinking places and whenta
party Of women were found in these
saloons they were promptly arrested
and taken to Central police station.
In the regular criminal investigation