The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1913-12-19

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regard. The chief CT Police, how
ever, at a. meeting at which him
self. Mayor Meyer and myself were
present called att ntion to the fact
that he had seen party coming
out Of drug store on Sunday whom
he strongly suspected Of having pur
chased bottle" He followed the
party and accused him of having
purchased liquor but the party made
a strenuous denial I was instructed
by the mayor to give the druggist
in question severe warning which
did. He, however, denied the
sale. The chief of police was or
dered to keep close watch of drug.
stores and to give orders to all
policemen to do the same. This
produced no results and at sub,
seQuent meeting the chief of police
asked permission to employ a plain
clothes man for this purpose which
request was granted by the mayor.
No evidence, however. was obtained
upon which we could take action.
Claims He Concealed the Evidence.
Now comes Captain Buyer and
claims that during this time he had
evidence that a man had obtained
a bottle of whisky of a druggist on
Sunday, and he must admit that
he carefully concealed this impor.
tant evidence from the mayor, city
attorney and chief of police. At
policeman and he violated his oath
of office in hiding this evidence.
Should the mayor for such a rank
breach of duty revoke his appoint.
ment, would the captain complain?
The Peter kIages Case.
Then the captain comes to the
Peter Klages matter. Under former
administration the captain had some
personal trouble with Peter Klages.
From personal spite the captain had
Mr.. Klages arrested for allowing
his minor son to work in his place
of business, although it was admit
tcu tHdt MI. hidScS iidu III lucd tudI
he was doing wrong. Mr. Klages
paid fine of $50. / was at the
meeting of the council this spring
when Mr.. Klages applied for a re-
newal of his liquor license. There
was no opposition or objection from
any one and the license was grant
ed in consequence. The above is
the captains case. ! want to call
his attention to the following facts,
every one of which | know he will
be honest enough to admit.
Gas soon as Mayor Meyer assum-
ed office h. made an executive or.
der that all slot machines must be
removed at once. The next day
from thirty to forty slot machines
had disappeared and have not re.
since.
Closed Saloons on Sunday.
Another order was made at once
that the Sunday closing laws must
be vigorously lived up to. From
twenty-five to twenty-three of tho
of the city approved
of the order. A few rebelled. Fur
Their orders were at once issued re-
specting the drawing of curtains,
etc., which at once compelled every
to live up to the let.
ter Of the law. From May LIST to
the present time there has never
been single complaint made to
this office that the mayors orders
in this respect were being disre.
garded by any one.
AT the same time an order was
made that every saloon must be
closed at eleven o'clock. Captain
Buyer is special policeman. Has
he ever reported to me that this
law was being evaded in the small.
est particular?
Opinion on Wine Room.
Some time after the mayor asked
me for :. written opinion on wine
rooms because the chief of police
had complained to him that one or
two saloonkeepers were using such
-oms. The parties accused showed
written opinions from some of the
best attorneys of the city that there
was no law or ordinance against
the wine room. This was true. But
| ruled and ruled correctly that the
use OF a wine room for the sale of
liquor was vocation of one of the
of the license, which stat
ed that it was reserved for one
certain room. After receiving my
opinion the mayor made an order
in the premises and no one claims
that there has been any violation
since.
Immediately after my appoint
ment the mayor instructed me to
bring about betterment of pool
hall conditions. In this respect we
have met with some hard luck and
opposition, but no one that visits
the pool halls of today will deny
that conditions have been improved
100 per cent. l have no opposition
to pool or billiard playing but the
fight against the evils of pool halls
will cease only on the day when
Mayor Meyer, Chief Klugherz and
myself walk out of office. Our
greatest weapons have not yet been
used; they are the revocation of
the pool hall license and refusing
to grant new ones.
There are laws against women of