The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1909-10-14

reach an enormous sum each year.
This is said to be the argument which
invariably claims the ardor and dulls
the vision of the police after each
successive spasm of suppression of
vice." The waves of reform are in
termittent, but the tribute flows in
steady each week and in sums which
are declared to make the tribute from
the low dives of the west side rhich
caused Inspector McCann's q. all
look like beggar's mite. E- \
Crooks, thieves and other III
gered gentry make their headquA q.
in these districts and the consfA ?
hush money which they must give t.
the powers" to prevent molestation
every time they walk the street, even
when not plying their unlawful oc-
cupation, runs higher than in any
other part of the city. Aside from
this, according to the figures of po-
lice officer, the tribute which is turn
ed over annually from the business
conducted in the First ward totals
over $225.00O.
Assumption is that the big share of
this goes to the police. Michael Ken
ma and John ]. Coughlin, the two al
dermen, are the overlords of the ward
They hold their way through the First
Ward Democratic club, a quasi-fra-
ternal organization which collects no
dues from its members, but cares for
the sick, buries the dead and mans
the poll at elections. Each year comes
the First ward ball. That grand
event" supports the organization, also
the aldemen. Only an infinitesimal
part of the thousands of dollars taken
in at the annual all night orgy goes
to the necessary care of members. The
remainder is ungrudgingly left for
the aldermen and is their payment for
the political influence which they
have with city hall and police in be-
half of the denizens of the ward.
Inside explanation of how Aldermen
Kenna and Coughlin secured their
political pinnacle at the head of the
ward from which they are not toppled
by successive administrations was
given at the city hall today.
The First ward, comprising as It
does, business. factory and resort
district, is naturally an administration
ward, and as such should be controll-
ed directly by the city hail." it was
oo10. why 10 6O COuIFOll0u
dates back to 1898, when the Yerkes
ffty-year-franchise was up in the
council. kenna and Coughlin at that
time broke away from the gang and
supported Former Mayor Harrison
against the franchise. In return the
ward was turned over to them. Since
then they have gone along and no
mayor has taken it away from them.
II understand several Of Mayor Bus
.se's advisers urged him to take the
ward away from the two aldermen.
His conclusion is said to have been,
What's the use? You can't make q
flower bed in garbage dump and the
Republicans who would get 1t would
be just as bad and this administration
would have to be back of them, while
now it isn't"
"Let them investigate me II they
think I'm getting any of that $225, 900,
and the further they go the cleaner
they'll find me-" declared Alderman
Kenna. "I'd go out working on the
streets before I'd take any money that
came from those women down there"
The alderman was at his saloon and
just getting ready to start for an au
tomobile ride. Before him were spread
copies of all the morning newspapers.
He had glanced through all of them.
Monday is bad day for the MORN
ing newspapers and they just have to
get something to fill up" he explained.
"The man who figured out that $685.
900 must have been smoking opium,
for it's a strong pipe dream. If those
resorts in the south end of the ward
are paying anything they are foolish.
They are where the police put them
and where they are supposed to stay,
SO they can't get any protection for
their money. get down there once
in two years, just before my election,
when go in every saloon in the ward
not in the resorts and that is about as
much as I have to do with them. In a
ward like this the alderman is always
a target. Any one that wants to can
take shot at you and you are blamed
for everything that happens. I
thought the police had been doing all
along all these things that the chief
has now ordered. If they haven't
been enforcing such rules they should
have done SO, for they are the law"
Alderman Coughlin, the other repre-
sentative of the ward, did not appear
at his Office. during the morning.