The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1911-05-27
A,nsrican Associa tion
WANTS SHERIFF REMOVED
Continued from Page IL

mitted to his charge, and has habitu-
ally granted prisoners privileges un-
warranted by law: that he has
permitted prisoners, some of whom,
were charged with felony and others
of whom were serving Jail senten-
ces, to leave said jail at their
pleasure and return at their pleasure,
and has on numerous occasions suf-
fered prisoners committed to his
care, some of whom were charged
with felony, to escape from said
Jail, that he has permitted prisoners
to leave said Jail and roam about the
City of Bemidji, and to enter the
saloons of said city and drink; that
specific instances of such misconduct
and malfeasance on the part Of said
Sheriff are as follows, viz:
Case Of Matt Gallivan.
zone Matt Gallivan, bound over
10 the Grand Jury on felonious
charge, was, in the summer of 1909,
suffered to escape from said jail by
said Sheriff, and your petitioner al
leges that said escape was due wholly
to gross negligence on the part OF
said Sheriff and not otherwise; that
in the fall of 1909, one Frank King,
then serving a Jail sentence in said
Jail under Judgment of the Federal
Court, was permitted his freedom to.
leave and enter said Jail at his plea
sure and was permitted to enter the
saloons of said City ofaBemidji and
drink intoxicating liquor therein.;E
that in the spring of 1910, three
prisoners whose names are to your
petitioner unknown, at least one Of
whom was confined in said jail upon
a charge of larceny and who was
thereafter indicted upon said
charge, were permitted by said
Sheriff to escape from said Jail,
and your petitioner alleges
that said escape occurred in midday,
while said Sheriff was personally
present at said Jail and was wholly
due to gross negligence and careless
ness on the part of said Sheriff and
not otherwise;
Andrew Rusk Given Liberties. :
"That one Andrew j. Rusk,. COM
mitted to said Jail in the summer: of
1910 on a charge of larceny, and
afterward tried and convicted of the
crime of larceny in the second de-
gree and thereafter tried and acquit-
ted upon the same charge, was, dur
ing the entire period of his supposed
incarceration in said Jail, including
the period between his first and Sec
ond trial, permitted by said Sheriff
to enter and leave said Jail at his
pleasure, performing odd jobs for
said Sheriff upon the Jail premises
and at the farm of said Sheriff; that
one Sam Hayes sentenced by the Fed
O1 d OOu1I W oC1VS CcIm Ill Sd1u
Jail beginning in January, 1911, as
your petitioner is Informed and ver-
lily believes, was given his liberty
during the entire period of his sem
tence, permitted to leave and enter
said Jail at his pleasure and in con-
sideration of such favors performed
certain work for said Sheriff in and
about the jail premises and upon the
farm of said Sheriff.
Conduct Common knowledge.
"IlI. Your petitioner further al
leges that it is mattertof common
knowledge to the residents of said
county and especially to the inhab-
i+ants of said City Of Bemidji, that
ordinarily Imprisonment in said jail
is no Imprisonment at all; that the
prisoner who is confined in said jail
is an exception to the rule, and that
as a rule prisoners are not confined
in said jail according to law, but are
Bemidji, with the privilege of enter
ing saloons, where they frequently
become intoxicated, returning to said
Jail in an intoxicated condition for
their meals and lodging; that as your
petitioner is informed and verify be-
lieves, said Sheriff makes common
practice of working prisoners COM
mitted to his charge upon his farm;
that prisoners committed to said Jail
are given every opportunity to es-
cape and as a result frequently do
escape.
Asks Immediate Suspension.
WHEREFORE, Your petitioner
.prays that an investigation be had
of the charges herein preferred pur-
suant to the statute in such case
made and provided, and that said
Alvin B. Hazen be removed from the
Office of Sheriff of said Beltrami
county in the event such removal is
justified by such Investigation; that
in the meantime and pending such in.
vestigation, said Alvin B. Hazen be
suspended from said Office.
Dated May 26, 1911.
Respectfully,
VIGGO PETERSON,
Chairman Of the Board. Of C0un-