Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1911-01-04
JAMES MERRlck, FORMER 20.
LICE SERGEANT, AND MARIE
OLIVER DRAW BILLS.
IN MINNEAPOLIS VICE CRUSADE
Woman Has Been Resort Keeper
Grafters Have Been Shielded in
Investigation, Says the Grand
Jury's Report.

Charging perjury OF Witnesses VINO
appeared before it. Joseph Schutta.
deputy sheriff, visited the house of
James Merrick, and Of Marie Oliver,
with bench warrants.
James Merrick, former sergeant of
police, was dismissed from the force
Thursday by Chief Corriston with no
explanation given further than that it
was for "the good of the service"
Merrick is said by his family to have
gone to Chicago.
Marie Oliver was keeper of a resort
at BIG Hennepin avenue. She was one
OF the women who was called to the
office OF Chief Corriston after the pub.
lcation of the letter from the Mime.
apolls Ministerial alliance charging the
city administration with lax admins
trat1on Of the laws; and declared there
was no graft in the city so far as she
know. Merrick and the Oliver woman
are said to have made contradictory
statements.
A third development was the an.
nouncement of Chief Corriston of the
suspension Of Edwin Bevans, patrol
sergeant. The chief would not explain
but said Bevans had been asked for
some explanations"
The grand jury, which had investi-
gated the alleged protection of vice in
Minneapolis, reported to Judge Holt
that the reason it had been unable to
lind Sufficient evidence to warrant re-
turning more indictments was that
many of the persons subpoenaed had
left the city suddenly, and because
there was concerted perjury on the
part OF many who testified.
1t was expressly stated in the report.
however, that the grand jury believed
protection had been accorded dives
for consideration, but it did not
make any detailed charges of price
or methods.
The grand jury declared vice and
laWlessness' flourished in Minneapolis
until 1t was exposed by Minneapolis
newspapers about month ago.
Blame Put "Higher Up.'
The blame for this was laid covertly
at the doors Of Mayor Haynes and
Chief of Police Corriston, the report
stating the police force was sufficient
to maintain order whenever the mem
bers of the police became convinced.
that the administration demanded the
enforcement of the laws.
The report said both the mayor and
the police chief had been told repeat-
eddy that vice conditions existed. but
had refused to act without specific
complaints.
The breWeries were censured for the
influence they exerted over the entire
city administration. Through mort
cages and ownership or real estate
and bar fixtures they maintained an
influence over the city administration
which went much further than the
dictation OF the granting and transfer
of saloon licenses, it was said.
The grand jury recommended that
Thomas Garvin, former chief of the
so-called Purity Squad" and Charles
Hamilton, negro Deceive, be dis
missed from the force. Garvin was
deposed from the chieftainship of tbs
Purity Squad" nearly two months
ago.
Hamilton recently was promoted
from plain clothes detective to SER
geant of police by Mayor Haynes, who
wrote personal letter congratulating
the negro for his work.
Chief Corriston refused to saw
whether he would dismiss the two DO
lice officers or to discuss at all the
grand jury report.
The grand jury recommended that
its successor investigate every pur-
chase of real estate by every depart
ment of the city administration as far
back as possible. It commended the
present condition of the county Jail
and city jail and everything connected
with the workhouse, except the pur-
chasing of suppnes. 1t said the pur-
chase of supplies in the workhouse
should be systematized.