The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1909-07-30
GUST POLICE Chief.
THAT is THE AIM OF ST. PAUL
ENFORCEMENT LEAGUE.
Proceedings Will Be Instituted Before
Attorney General Simpson Next
Friday; Parties Have No Faith in
the County Attorney; There'll Be
Something Doing in the Sanity
City From Now On.

ST. Paul, July 2s-The Law Enforce.
ment leagues charges against Chief OF
Police John J. O'Connor of alleged
neglect to enforce the liquor laws will
be taken before Attorney General
George T. Simpson next Friday
ID. w. Doty will act as special at.
tomey for the league.
Attorney General Simpson declined to
discuss the ease, saying:
1T would be manifestly improper for
me to say anything, inasmuch as
will probably be asked to act Off
cially"
1t is understood however, that when
a prima facie case is presented to the
attorney general, he is practically
without option in the matter, and
must, in the course of his usual duties
take the whole issue before the dis
trict court. There the evidence will
be heard and decision given.
Has No Faith in County Attorney.
Dr. c. w. Young says he will not
take any steps to prosecute violators
of the Sunday liquor law, against
whom he claims to have evidence, for
he has no faith in the present coun-
ty attorney" because, as he alleges, Mr.
O'Brien told him that it would render
him extremely unpopular if he started
a crusade against the liquor dealers.
Politics purely and simply is the
reason for his attitude" said the doe
tor today.
County Attorney Richard ID. O'Brien
on the other hand, says that Dr. Young
has never asked him to prosecute any
one for liquor violations, and says
that if Dr. Young's statement is true
he has the county attorney in the
same position as he says he has Chief
of Police John j. O'Connor and has the
same method at hand to GUST him
Mr.. O'Brien adds that his office is
continuously prosecuting violators OF
the liquor law, and that the evidence
in every case is furnished him by the
police department.
Statement From County Attorney.
The county attorneys statement re-
garding the matter is as follows: MIR
Young has been in my office to see me
my recollection.
The first time was when | had been
in office but about two months He
came to 90 before the grand jury with
about ten students of Hamlne uni
versity, each with pint of whisky,
NYrbi hn al ha1 oboc a1
in saloons or blind pigs on Sunday.
He went before the grand jury with
all his witnesses.
The next time was about four
months or more ago. He came in to
see me in relation to a saloonkeeper's
business card, which contained filthy
and vulgar writing on the back.
HE never was in my office, to my
knowledge, to ask for complaint fol
violation of the liquor laws or to re-
quest me to subpoena anyone to go be-
fore the grand jury.
'If he made the statement that | re-
fused to aid him in prosecuting VIC.
lators of the law, it is an absolute and
deliberate falsehood and statement
in my opinion, of the same weight as
all his statements which have APP
peared in the newspapers.
''Since / have been in office, no per-
son has in any way been prevented by
me from going before the grand jury
for any purpose, and if Young is SO
well versed in the criminal laws of this
state and if he is acting in good faith
in this matter, he knows that if he
cared to punish violators of the liquor
laws l could in no way prevent him
from going before the grand jury or
refuse to give him a complaint upon
any proper showing"