Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1907-07-10
LAKE LILLIAN PICNIC STAND
RADED BY SHERIFF july 4

Gus pace to keep up. The steamer
out on the lake entered the race,
blew its whistle continually and
made for the north shore. One of
the principals made for the woods
when he saw what was coming.
The sheriff found Signal at the
platform stand, read his warrant
to him, and informed him that he
would search the premises if neces-
sary to find the intoxicants. Mr..
Signal then showed the way to the
other stand. One Frank Lof of At
water and Mrs. Signal were busy roll
ling the kegs away into the woods.
The sheriff told them that he would
take possession. Mr.. Lof, how
ever, would not listen to the sheriff
and acted ugly. whereupon the
sheriff laid him low with well-di-
rected blow behind the ear. Out
side of this there was not any at
tempt at violence. Seven half-bar-
rels were found and confscated, a
beer pump and nineteen beer glass
es. The kegs were labeled "malt"
but the sheriff s posse sampled the
stuff and declared it had the intoxi-
eating quality of good beer. The
next difficulty was to freight the
spoits to Willmar. Filing johnson
with team was secured to haul it
in. He secured a wagon and with
detective Brandt as guard pulled
the load to Willmar. He stopped
to feed his team at Andrew Ander-
sons place, and the barrels in his
wagon were the object of a great
deal of interest to tho>e attending
the church picnic near by. The
load also excited no little interest
when it arrived at Svea, where an
other church picnic had been in
progress. The load arrived at Will
mar at one o'clock at night. The
family Of Filing johnson, who had
been with him for a ride, was taken
home in the auto, and the sheriff
with his deputies and prisoner
struck thru the woods to the from
50 church, where they awaited the
return Of the auto. They arrived
at Willmar at nine o'clock p. m.
The loss of the "booze'' was a
serious handicap to the festivities
at the Signal place, and nothing in
teresting developed during the
evening. The reports that a larger
quantity of beer was secured and
dispensed after the sheriff left are
unfounded. A small quantity had
been stored at the creamery several
miles away and was divided up and
utilized but no attempt was made
to sell the stuff.
John Signal was arraigned at ten
O'Clock Friday morning before
Judge Muller of the municipal
court at Willmar. He pleaded
guilty of maintaining an unlicensed
drinking place and was fined $50
and SIG in costs. He has arranged
for the payment of the fine. The
amount exceeds by a good sum the
costs of the raid to the county.
Mr.. Signal stated to the Tribune
last Monday that while his forced
trip had its unpleasant features,
he enjoyed his automobile ride i'm
mensely.
Sheriff Bonde has been receiving
numerous messages of appreciation
from the Lake Lillian community
for his decisive action in breaking
up these public drinking bouts. By
far the larger part of the popula-
tion here is opposed to the drinking
evil, but until now the tough ele-
ment has held sway and none of the
people down there have cared to in
cur the unp1easantness of making
trouble for them.
Later Since the above was writ
ten Mr.. Signal has changed his
mind about paying his fine and has
retained Atty. T. o. Gilbert to pre-
pare papers to appeal the case tc
the district court. The fine not
having been paid he was committed
to Jail yesterday and is awaiting
the arrival of friends to secure bail.
some time amongst her children