The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1918-01-05
BIG HARRY Sent N
70 JAIL ON PLEA
OF GUILY;ALS0
GIVEN { !, Y ! ! 500 !)( FINE i :;
Admitted He Operated Gambling
Joint: Mattila. Game Keeper.
4 Also Sent to Jail.
PRISONERS CAUGHT IN ACT
BY COUNTY AUTHORITIES
Held to ). Grand Jury. Decide to
1;.. Plead: Judge Stanton As
sesses Penalties.

Harry Gunsalus, alias "B.g Harry"
who has been running wide-open
rambling house in his block at the
southeast corner of Minnesota avenue
and Third street, was. this morning
sent to the: county jail for 80 days
by Judge Stanton In the district
court. The judge, in addition, fined
|Gunsalus 800, and in case the fine
rs not paid Gunsalus must serve an
other 80 days in the county Jail.
This is the first time within the
memory Of the "oldest inhabitant"
that Gunsalus ever received jail
sentence for running a wide-open law
violating place in. the heart of the
business district of the city Of Be
midi. - ~, - /
%s .si5...s Jail for s'Keeper." )"
I Nikolin Mattila was sentenced TO
pay fine of $50 and also sentenced
to so days in the county jail. II
his dne Is not paid he will continue
his t'stretch" 80 days longer. -
County Attorney Graham M Tor
rance represented the state IN the
prosecution and p. Russell looked
after The interests of Gunsalus and
Mattila. ..2a -. = .-,s r. '-'- =
Gambling Wide Open
The gambling joint conducted by
Gunsalus had been running wide
open. "A few weeks ago Deputy Sher-
siff Cahill and Acting Deputy Jim
Black. casually walked into the side
entrance, descended the stairway to
the basement, There were twOgamb-
ling tables going full blast with ten
gambling. One of the tables was
kept" by Gunsalus himself and the
other BY Mattila, who required an in
terpreter in. municipal court when
\ he and Gunsalus were held to the
grand jury, February term.
Fs IN the raid, the county officials al
SO sconfiscated two gambling tables,
quantity of poker chips and decks
+ Of cards used in gambling. -
+$g Gunsalus was charged with per-
mitting gambling to operate in prop
erty owned and conducted by him,
and tMattila was charged with oper-
zating gambling device. Both were
held to the grand jury:
s. Both Plead Guilty.
This morning, Gunsalus and Mat,
tila appeared IN district court anu
entered pleas OF guilty to the charg-
es. In mis- argument to the judge,
County Attorney Torrance stated that
when open gambling was eliminated
from Bemidji, Gunsalus kept open
and had never said he intended to
Quit. 1t was then the judge passed
sentence, imposing the fines and jail
term.
Gunsalus was granted a stay until
next Wednesday Wnen he will be-
come guest Of Sheriff Johnson,
while Mattila went to jail lmmedl-
ately after the hearing.
= ~ ri. Judge Stanton also entered an or
I der for the destruction Of the gamD-
] ling tables, the poker chips ana
cards.
5:.. Bootlegger "Gets His"
s8 Judge Stanton also heard the case
OF John Manville OF kelliher, who had
been arrested November 1 on the
gchargeof selling booze October 26
last. He entered plea Of guilty and
was fined $50 or 80 days in the
county jail.
Manville also got a second dose
when charged with running an un-
licensed drinking place. For this,
he received another fine of $50 or 80
days in Jail.
The court ordered the confiscated
liquor destroyed.
County Attorney Torrance repre-
sentsd the people in this case, also,
and Charles 'Scrutchin looked after
Manville.