The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1913-02-26
RETAINING OF
FRAZER MAKES
ALDERMEN SAD
Have Not Forgotten His Record
as Prosecuting At VII
torney
CONVICTED SCHOOL =
BOARD GRAFTERS
Handled COrOners' Office Sean
dal in eos and TerrOrized
County Justices

Inc retaining or Allan II. Frazer as
special counsel in the aldern.anic
, bribery cases, because Of the contin.
ued illness OF Charles r. wilkins,
gives no comfort to the aldermen who
are awaiting trial. On the contrary,
quite the reverse. Mr.. Frazer's record
as prosecuting, attorney from 1893 70
1901 Is still recalled in Detroit with
something like awe, and the memory
OF his pitiless cross-examlnations is
still green.
While he was prosecutor, Mr.. Frazer
had charge OF two noted cases in the
annals OF Detroit-the school hoard
scandal Of about II years ago, and
the coroners' once scandal OF about
the same period.
The school board affair bore some
Ircsemhlan -te-the present ,age
against the aldermen. Members OF the
board were suspected OF being open
tn the offer of brides. A trap was laid
for them in the old FhEey house,
which stood at woodward and Gratiot-
ayes. A representative of a school
scat concern acted the part played
lately by Detective Brennon. He es
tablished his headquarters In a room
in the Finney house. and invited the
school inspectors to call on him for
their share OF the contract which they
were to deliver to him.
In the next room were Detective
Robert Palmer, now chief Of detec-
tiyes. and other officers, together with
stenographers. A section Of plaster
between the rooms was removed. SO
that every word spoken by the school
inspectors as they called on the seat
contractor could be heard.
When the evidence had been obtain
Cd in this manner, Mayor Pingree,
with the warrants in his hand, attend
ed a meeting OF the school board, and
il 4 speech which those who heard 1t
will never forget, arraigned the school
inspectors in terrible fashion, holding
4, reserve until the last moment the
names of those for whom he Geld pa
pers. II was a trying session, for no
one knew what names were on the
papers which the mayor held, and
those who had fallen into the net. blu.
who had been suspected Of crooked
dealings, trembled with the men VINO
had been caught.
OF the four men accused. one, Milo
II
One, Walsh, was acquitted. Two,
Lichtenberg and I.iphardt, were con.
victed by Prosecuting Attorney
Frazer.
The coroners' office scandal broke
rhen Mr.. Frazer proceeded against
Coroners Butler and Bittinger and
their clerks for holding fictitious in
quests. He proved one instance In
til IL - a.
o. child drowned at the Flats far
outside the jurisdiction OF the Wayne
county coroners. He proved other
cases in which the coroners had pre.
scented bills 10 the county for inqnests,
tIrors Tees and witnesses fees in
which no inquest, had ever been held.
NJ jury had even Deem impaneled, and
no witnesses summoned. 1t was a
long series Of petty gratis, but the
total sum was quite important. Cor
cner Butler and his clerk appealed 10
the supreme court, but again Mr..
Frazer won victory.
AS prosecutor, Mr.. Frazer was ter
ror to township officials, and succeed
cd in removing Is or more VINO were
sing their ofices for improper pur-
poses. A favorite mode for a country
Justice to make little money was to
send his oficers to bring in tramps.
a man walking the railroad tracks
would be seized brought into the
presence OF the justice.
You're vagrant.' the Justice
would tell him How do YOU plead:
The man would explain that. being
without money. he was trying 10 walk
70 the next town.
Guilty" the justice would say. and
commit the man TO the Detroit House
Ct Correction.
Then the county would receive a bill
cf expense for the serving Of papers
never served. for mileage never trav-
cIed, and for witnesses who did not
testify. Mr.. Frazer broke up this
practice so successfully that the JUS
tees have never dared to resort 10 it
since.
II was Mr.. Frazer who forced the
saloons OF Wayne county to pay the
$500 license demanded by the state
law. He found that many OF them
VI ere paying only $500 license for
the sale Of beer, and were selling wh!s-
~ on this license at a saving OF $500
a~yearN He obtained evidence and
III osecuted these men. with the result
that the liquor license receipts OF
Wayne county took a jump CT 100000
ar more In almost single year