The Wagner leader. (Wagner, Charles Mix County, S.D.) 1912-1912, 1912-02-16
SIOUX FALLS EX-CENSOR
is A UNIQUE CHARACTER
Clad in Bakers Suit, He Goes
About Seeing Where He
Can Do Good.
a HELPING HAND FOR ALL
(By A E. BEAUMONT, / n The Sioux
City Tribune.)

CBy A E. BEAUMONT, in The Sioux
City Tribune.)
One OF those rare characters who oc-
c~asionally push themselves put Of the
crowding mass Of humanity by sheer
force of their individuality is Richard
w. Dickinson. of Sioux Falls, s. D..
de has come more prominently into
notice recently by being appointed as
censor Of public morals for that COM
mission governed city and ~resigning
AFTER 10 days Of very active service.
he brought down upon himself a storm
OF criticism because he handled the
subject of immortality without gloves.
he issued a pamphlet in which he
called a spade a spade, and spoke of
the social n other evils in such I'M
vanished language that the pamphlets
Were promptly suppressed. The city
authorities decided in a hurry that the
censor's pamphlet must be censored
n Its circulation stopped.
But aside from his brief experience
IN attempting to regulate the morals
OF sioux Falls. h late public censor
Is a character worthy OF a place in
story If not in song.
For Dick" as he is known to every
one, Is a philanthropist of a type that
suggests Tolstoy if it be possible to
imagine a Tolstoy with no book edu-
cation and limiting his philanthropy to
MS nome town n those with whom he
comes In personal contact man of
large heart. broad mind, noble pres
ence and an originality that singles
MIN out ron his fellow men. Ec-
centric he may be in many things, but
none who know him well will tolerate
his being called a mere crank.
That he is fearless and determined is
shown by the way he set about
improving the morals of his home city.
he issued orders to pool hall pro-
prietors, setting forth what would and
would not be allowed ia the ON
duct of their business; to druggists
concerning the sale of liquor; to dance
hall proprietors and young people who
attend public dances: to proprietors of
moving picture shows; to boys and
girls who were allowed to attend some
OF these places of amusement nor be on
the streets after hours, and to the
women Of the underworld whom he
gave Is days to find some honest en-
ployment of get out Of town
His Uniform.
Dick needs no uniform to dis
tinguish him as an officer Of the law.
His ordinary costume is more striking
n distinguishing h any blue coat
helmet attracts attention so readily as
MS strong and kindly face and broad
brow with hair brushed traigh back
n never confined by a hat or can
unless temperature far below zero
makes 1t absolutely necessary.
HIS white a goods trousers are
tucked into a pair of heavy cowhtde
boots. Over all he wears a sort of
mantle of white reaching just below
the knee. This is the costume in which
he piled his trade Of baker. and he has
ever since considered IL appropriate for
All occasions. Whether at home, on
the street or in church or theater he
appears in the same odd dress.
His line head Is a study for sculptors
n one OF them, H. Daniel Webster. of
New York, while visiting in Sioux Falls,
bust. ~
Dick" was a baker boy in the city
OF London when he learned his trade
working Is hours a day in a bake shon
n often falling asleep at night on a
pile OF -four sacks, from sheer ex-
haustfon.
How He Started.
He started his bake shop business in
Sioux Falls in a little wooden building
on a side street remote from the bust
ness center. But he made better cream
puffs and cooked finer meats than any-
n else, and SO Sioux Falls found the
way to his door. Then he began to
serve little bakery lunches, and soon a
Inc OF people were standing In his
doorway waiting for a chance to sit al
n of the half dozen little tables and
partake of the things he cooke ed. He
sold large roast meat sandwiches to
school children for their noonday
lunch, and frequently refused to a
the nickel or thrust some dainty into
the bag with the sandwich.
As he p~rospered and his business
grew, he fed crowds of people daily. |
but his kindness never faltered. his
desire to help others never waned.
have seen a dog on a cold winters day
trot up to Dicks cafe and standing
on his hind legs tap or the plate glass
window with n of his paws. Almost |
Immediately Dick came out with a
large ham bone well covered with
meat, which he gave to the hungry |
canine.
I have seen him step out Of his shop !
on q cold day when the ground was
covered with newly fallen snow and
give a peculiar whistle. Immediately |
from all directions hundreds Of spar
rows came iocking to his feet to pick
up the crumbs that he scattered |
among them. He has fed these birds
as much as four loaves Of bread in a |
day when the covering snow prevented
them from getting at their usual food
supply.
Short Changed Himself.
Dick was generous to a fault and his |
friends frequently called his attention
to the fact that he had given them
too much change. For answer he told
them to run along and forget II IF the
purchasers were little children, or
those who showed signs of poverty,
they always got more from Dick than
Ney called for, and frequently the
nickel or dime was handed back with
the purchase.
With all his liberaiity he ~prospered.
He was an enthusiast on h subject
Of pure food and when people learned
that he never served them anything
hut the best and cleanest they iocked |