The Mankato free press., 1918-07-05
Were Acting Under Orders Of
Gov. J. A. A. Burnquist
CLASHING WITH COURTS
Two Saloons At Blooming Prai-
rie Shut Up Shop Last
Evening

first time in the history of the state
military law overruled civil law in
Minnesota last night.
Armed with orders from Governor
Bunquist, Adjutant General Walter
F. Rhinow, commanding a detail of
fifteen soldiers of the First Mime
sofa infantry, came to Blooming
Prairie tonight and closed three sa
looms.
Patrons of one saloon were elected
forcibly by the soldiers.
At p. IN. yesterday General Rhi-
now and aide, Lieutenant T. Glenn
Harrison, and the fifteen soldiers
left for Blooming Prairie from St.
Paul by motor. The men arrived at
S:45 p. m.
Five minutes later General Rhinow
delivered the governors orders to
the three saloonkeepers, p. F. Cog
gins and his associates in the action,
George E. Thomas and w. r. Carroll.
Two Saloons Were Deserted.
The general gave the saloonkeepers
ten minutes in which to clear their
places of customers, and stated that
the soldiers would eject all patrons
VINO had not left at 9 p. m. Thomas
and Carroll did not argue and when
the soldiers appeared at 9 p. m. they
found those two saloons deserted.
81 am here under orders to close
your saloon" General Rhinow said
to Coggins.
81 have the authority of the court
to keep open," Coggins retorted.
"And l have orders to close your
place." General Rhinow replied.
There were about fifty patrons in
the saloon at the time. Some
grumbled and protested, but most
left. When the soldiers retured at
9 p. m. few hangers on still clus-
tered about the bar. The soldiers
seized them by the shoulders and
forced them out. All three saloon
keepers were given an hour in which
to prepare their places for permanent
closing.
There Was No Interference.
Hundreds of townspeople and farm
ers who had driven in in their auto
mobiles were grouped about the sol
diers as they went about their work,
but no attempt was made to inter-
fere in any way.
For the most part, the crowd
laughed and joked with the guards
while they were showing out some of
the frequenters of the Coggins sa-
loon
The order sending General Rhinow
and his men to this village tonight
furnished the first occasion for call
ing into service the new motor re-
serve. The six machines in which
General Rhinow, Lieutenant Harri-
son and the soldiers started on their
100-mile ride this afternoon, were re-
cruited from South ST. Paul
One Car Breaks Down.
One machine was -ilminated by tire
Another, driven by Lester Hills, South
st. Paul, crashed into tree while
rounding a curve near Farbault at a
high rate of speed.
but none seriously injured Two fresh
machines were recruited from the Fari-
bault branch of the motor reserve Cen
eral Rhinow and Lieutenant Harrison will
return to st. Paul early tomorrow.
The fifteen soldiers, commanded by a
sergeant, will remain on guard over the
three saloons indefinitely. If necessary,
re-inforcements will be sent them, Gen
erall Rhinow said last night. The fifteen
guards seemed to have the situation well
in hand last night, however
n,
for E. G. Gaggart obeyed the order of
the Safety commission issued May A.
which ruled that the four saloons in
Blooming Prairie should open at 9 a. m.
and close at p. m. The other three
saloonkeepers who disobeyed the order
are the ones affected now.
The town marshal, c. T. Lund, Jr.,
and Mayor H. III. Wilberg remained aloof
from the proceedings as far as possible
They were in a quandary as to whether
their duty lay in obeying the court or
der, to let the saloons operate. or in
abiding by the Public Safety commissions S
mandate to close them. They decided to
leave the matter in the hands of the
governors special executives.
Sheriff Not In Town.
Sheriff William Leeby of Steele county
did not appear in Blooming Prairie all
day, it was reported by village officials.
AT Owatonna, the county seat, a tele-
phone call ELECTED the information that
he was "out of town.
The sheriff refused to enforce pre-
N.ous order of the Safety commission to
close the saloons until state officials
office
Adjutant General Rhinow chose his
detail from and B companies of Min
neapolis
Citizens Complaint Cause of CLOSING.
The Blooming Prairie case first came
into prominence several weeks ago, when
formed the Public Safety commission
that excessive drinking and consequent
law elations were a menace to the COM
munity and detriment to maximum war
prosecution the commission ordered the
saloons to keep open only from a. M
to 5 p. M.
Following this an order was issued di-
recting that the saloons, in addition to
the shortened hours. sell liquor only over
the bar, and none to be taken from the
premises.
Governor Assumes Responsibility.
Governor Burnquist assumed full re-
lSDOnSibiitY for the order sending the
national guard to Blooming Prairie to
>close the three saloons which had been
re-opened following the decision of Judge
F. N. Dickson of the Ramsey county dis
trict court.
In taking this responsibility, the gov
ernor declared that he was merely exer-
cisipg the authority vested in him by
the constitution of the state to use the
national guard to suppress lawlessness
within the state.
He declared that the constitution gives
him the supreme power to enforce the
statutes of the state and maintained
that the saloons at Blooming Prairie, be-
ing open in opposition to the order of the
Public Safety commission, were violating
the law of the state.
Not Safety Commissions Act.
The Public Safety commission did
not issue the order to have troops sent
to Blooming Prairie" Governor Burnquist
said, II issued the order as governor, un-
der the authority given me by the con-