Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1910-11-18
INDIAN AGENTS
RAID SALOONS
TWO SLEUTHS CHOP WAY INTO
SECRET CELLAR UNDER BE-
MiDJl RESORT.
SALOON MAN ATTACKS AGENT
Barrels of Liquor, Beer and Wine
Destroyed-Owners ignored the
Governments Order to Close
Drinking Places.

Bemidji, Nov. I'm a bold ex-
petition against two Bemidji saloons
which had ignored the governments
order to close, agents of the Indian
bureau faced a shotgun in the hands
of one Of the liquor men who mo-
ment before had hit Agent Matulys
on the head, knocking him from a
high platform, where he landed on a
broken beer bottle, inficting a deep
cash on the leg.
The Indian agents drew their re-
volvers and proceeded with the de-
struction of liquor valued at several
hundreds of dollars by the saloon
keepers. In one place the agent dis
covered secret room in the basement
built Of cement and filled with whis-
trap door was the only entrance. The
agents crawled through this door and,
with axes, smashed several barrels
Of whiskey and casks Of wine.
Raid Downtown Saloon.
Special Agent Matulys led the raid
and the first place entered was Dudley
& Mahan's, in the heart Of the bust
ness district, well equipped and do
ing thriving business.
r. E. Brents, who has charge Of
the Indian bureau sub-agency in Be-
midi, was in the expedition. He ap-
preached Mr.. Dudley and told him
three warnings from the government
had been ignored, reminded him he
had opened his saloon but recently,
after having once been closed by the
government, and that upon telegraph
ic order from W. E. Johnson, head of
the Indian bureau, he should be COM
PEELED to destroy his liquor stock.
The work of destruction began at
once Barrels were broken open,
casks dumped and bottled goods
smashed. The lot comprised two bar
rels of whiskey, two barrels of alco-
hol, eleven cases of bottled goods,
three case of bittels, ten gallon key
of whiskey, four cases of fancy whis-
key, four case Of champagne, six bar
rels of wine.
Second Saloon Raided.
From the Dudley & Mahon place
the agents marched on the Lake Shore
saloon of Louis Anderson, on Second
street Anderson had no resistance
to offer and after taking a drink Of
his own whiskey turned the place over
to the government agents, who quick
ly destroyed five barrels of Whiskey,
ten case of bottled whiskey, two cases
Of rock and rye, two gallons of wine
and ten gallons of gin.
Another interesting development of
the day was the closing of the Mark
ham hotel bar. The Markham is the
leading hotel here.
Efforts to reopen the bar will be
made Agent Brents in charge of a
squad composed of Agents Way,
Quinn, Memo, Kolberg and Patton,
have gone to Park Rapids. At KEEL
liner where Mayor Magill, who is
agent for the Hamm Brewing Com
accent a, carload of beer consigned
from that brewery, has ordered the
beer reloaded and it is thought this
will save the seven saloons there as
hong as their present supplies hold
out.
The saloonkeepers at Bagley whose
supplies were destroyed are highly
indignant and probably will seek re-
dress in the courts inasmuch as they
were licensed to do business as late
as Nov. /, at which time they were
given both a state and government
license.
Federal Indian Agent Coming.
Brents and a squad of deputies re-
turned here from Park Rapids, where
they destroyed the liquor of four sa-
looms, and announced that w. E.
Johnson considers the situa ton in this
territory so important that he is COM
ing for personal investigation From
other sources it is also learned that
Commissioner of Indian Affairs Alb
bolt, of Washington, who desires in
formation first hand, will come to
Bemidji.
Bemidji saloonkeepers find new
hope in the coming of these officials
for they believe it possible that by CO.
operating with the government in an
effort to keep liquor from the Indians
they may be permitted to renew their
business and dispose Of the liquor
which they now have on hand. After
stating that his men discovered more
than 5000 gallons of liquor, Special
Agent Brents said: There is abso-
lutely no truth in the report that the
saloons of Bemidji are to be closed by
either myself or my deputy special of
ficers of the Indian department..
have no order from Washington to
close the saloons of Bemidji now or
any other time"
Shipments Order Is Good.
ut should be understood, however,
that the order restricting shipments
holds good over the entire territory
prescribed. The two saloon keepers
whose stocks were demolished in
Bemidji had disobeyed our orders.
The men had agreed to close and ship
their stock out of the dry zone. This
they did not do.