Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, N.D.) 1909-1915, 1911-03-10

smoothly and efficiently brought a.
! bout condition where practically no
public official whose duties brought
him into a clash with lakbreakers
could survive politically unless he
winked at the working of the machine,
sold himself to the corrupt ring and
added his political strength to the
power of criminality at the head of
which and standing guard at all times
was the Honorable John F. Cowan.
The worst and most virulent form
of the disease which attacked our civ
ic standards became evident upon the
surface of things during the past sum-
mer. That was the heyday of the
system. In control of the city was
the partner of the judge. Vice -four
ished, thirty blindpigs retailed booze,
disorderly houses Haunted their ad-
vertisements in our faces and invaded
our residence districts, night was turn
ed into day and the money of the city
|
tenn.
AS usual things went too far for
even the dulled conscience of our city.
Quick, sharp, and vigorous action was
taken. Offenders were brought to the
bar of justice The outside of the sys-
tenn was laid bare. In line with the
commands of the men higher up our
chief of police assisted in protecting
the law breakers. Every obstacle was
thrown in the way of law enforcement
Nevertheless justice was begun. Truth
took f1at-footed stand at that time
and has been standing pat on this
, subject right along. In that affair last
, fall ecery claim we made was borne
out. Every charge we made was sbs-
tantiated. We pictured a criminal
com abr cction here to defeat the law;
and THE courts dragged out this Grim
inal combination under the fire of ex-
,, animation. We stated that the law
was being openly and VIGOROUSLY and
fiagrantly violated. We stated that
conditions called for concerted action
on the part of citizens. The courts
showed that the law was being openly
and VIGOROUSLY and dagrantly violat,
ed. The need for concerted action
y was plain to all men. The fight was
. organized to give Devils Lake and this
' community clean administration OF
. justice.
y What did men find when they really
. went into the fight and an organiza
:, ton of citizens took up the matter:
y They found that though they nigh
~ drag to Justice dozen piggers each
day, though they moved the grass o.
criminality each week, on the morrow
sprang up a dozen more law break
ers, on the following week the gras!
S of crime was high and rank as ever
- There was a cause for this. The,
- soon realized that it was not the poo
. pigger who was the backbone Of law
7 breaking. They found that The Rea
y cause Ol the trouble WAS JUN +
u COWAN and his ieutenants. How
II did they find this out? They saw il
e the evidence against piggers and 9th
y er law breakers frequent instances
y where Judge Cowan himself took par
u in the breaking Of the law. They say
l. where he compromised himself an.
l. put himself where he could not en-
Ii force the law when the matter wal
+ brought before him. They found tina
- the law breakers relied upon him t.
u prevent justice coming home to them
T. They found that he delayed the ad
% ministration of justice till it was mex
to impossible to convict a law-break
II er. They found that he talked ant
y worked and planned and schemed a
Il gainst their efforts, that at every turn
i and twist Of the fight his hand wal
!, raised against them. They found tina