The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-01-03
STIRUP
PROVES
TAME
Former Police Officers Tiet-
gems, Bayard and Konen
Make Statements
GETS AN ONYMOUS LETTERS
Commissioner of Police Dahl
receives Several Dirty"
Letters Through Mail

The looked for stir-up before the city
| commission over the police shakeup,
which resulted in the resignation of
former Night Captain Fred Tietgens
and the relieving from duty of PATROL
| men Nick Konen and Sam Bayard,
came off rather tamely this morning
and closes the incident for the present
at least.
The three former police officers APP
peafed before the commission and
simply made a statement presenting
their side of the matter. They did not
| ask the commission to reinstate them
4 although it was reported to be theif
| intention to do so with the exception
of Tietgens. who says that he would
not work under the present chief of
police in any capacity.
However tamely this part OF the
| shakeup may have gone off il is prob
able that there will be more fireworks
| in the next few days, Police Commits
sioner ]. II. Dahl stating that the
| three men under charges have in turn
made charges against other members
of the force which are being investigat-
ed and should they prove true other
dismissals are to be expected accord
| ing to Commissioner Dahl.
Gets Anonymous Letters.
Commissioner Dahl stated today
that he has been receiving numerous
anonymous letters since the police
trouble. arose which he characterizes
| as being most contemplate. He says
| that he believes these letters come
| from the sporting" element of the
city though none of them are sign
ed.
Il have received several very dirty
letters which are not signed" said
Commissioner Dahl today.
Officers Statements.
At the commission meeting this
morning Former Captain Tietgens was
/ the first to address the board. He
| stated that he wished TO make a state
ment to show why he resigned from
| the police force as his resignation
| might be considered by the public as
an acknowledgment of guilt Of charges
preferred against him..
II resigned" said Mr. Tietgens,
| simply because Chief Troyer wanted
to put me back on a beat and l did
not want to take a beat as it might
have been construed as an aclnowl-
edgement on my part of being guilty
of the charges made against me-
Sam Bayard stated that he did re-
main a little longer than usual on
the nights of December "a and % be-
cause of the intense cold. He said
that this occurred on only two nights.
Nick Konen then made a statement I
saying that he too remained in longer
than usual. II was sick with a bad
cold and told the captain when / went
on duty that / was not fit for work
and Mr.. 4Bayard and l then went to
the scale house on Front street and
built a fire and remained in longer
than usual. l was afraid of contract
ing pleurisy again and Mr.. Bayard
| covered my beat once or twice for
me. On Christmas morning when /
have been charged with remaining in
side from 4:S0 for several hours. i had
received permission to go to church,
which did. being in church from 5
to z O'clock"
The statements of the former off,
GERS were placed on the minutes of
the commission, but none of the three
men requested reinstatement.
Since the charges have been pre-
ferred against the three former off,
GERS the police have been very busy
and numerous arrests have been made
for resorting to rooms for immoral
purposes.
Commissioner Dahl stated today
that he would not vote for the rein
statement of any Of the three men re-
lieved from duty. They are good
friends of mine and gave me their
sioner hut | would resign the job be-
fore l would vote for their being put
back to work." said Mr.. Dahl.
The commission adjourned at noon
| today and as far as that body is con-
cerned the incident is closed unless
the three dismissed officers bring the
matter up again. Commissioner Dahl
said that there was nothing for him
to bring before the commission on the
matter, that he and Chief Troyer have
done what was their duty and that
ended the matter SO far as they are
concerned.
1t is reported that charges of in
toxication and other more serious
accusations have been lodged against
some of the officers still on duty
though Commissioner Dahl would not
state what the charges were and said
that they would not be given out
unless they were found TO be true af-
ter investigation.