The Duluth rip-saw. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1917-19??, 1918-11-30
BIG CHIEF OF POLICE
GRABS JOB IN ST. PAUL

Uul1Cu W dIICSG GuCM LUZ 1dSL uIlV-
ing but that he gave up the chase
when the woman got out at her
home.
Two responsible men have
made solemn declaration that the
woman was out joy-riding with
the chief, not with others, and
that he came into headquarters
greatly agitated just before he
protested to get the information
over the telephone. The poor boy
was supposed to have smothered
himself with gas because of his
wife's fragrant infidelities.
Perhaps the chief will be will
ing to tell what he was doing at
the Neva, near headquarters, last
New Years night. Perhaps he
can explain why an aged mother,
out on Woodland avenue, COM
planned because she was kept
locked in the attic with, as she
alleged, "That McKercher in the
house with my daughter at all
hours Of the day and night. - j..
Perhaps the Big Chief can prove
to the public that he has not re-
Gently been visiting an immoral
woman at a house ON Second St.,
within a block Of the Central high
school.
The sports about town also tell
an interesting tale about McKer-
cher visiting lady friend at the
noted Central hotel.
When it was understood that
McKercher would get the SLIDER
stein appointment as successor to
chief Troyer, some of those op-
posed to him raised the question
as to his morality and, among
other cases, cited one in which a
certain Polish woman, at that time
living on Fifth St., was credited
with being the mother Of an illc-
Ultimate child whose father, the
critics maintained, was no one but
R. D. McKercher. The allegations
did not prevent McKercher's ap-
pointment and he also made no
public denial Of the charge.
It also has been charged that a
young woman who eventually re-
moved to Minneapolis was the
mother Of a child by McKercher.
What became Of the youngster has
not been fully explained but there
are those who declare that it went
to the Children's home and was
adopted from there.
McKercher has neglected his Of
flee. When wanted, he has not
been available. His favorite hours
have been those in the dark, deep,
silent watches Of the night.
The Big Chief spent months in
paving the way to run for sheriff
but his rotten record compelled
him to give up that idea, after
burning up many barrels Of city
gasoline.
Guarding the ore docks took en-
tirely too great a proportion of
the big fellows time and those
best in a position to know believe
that he received fully as much for
that stunt as from his city salary.
McKercher has been brutal in
his treatment Of prisoners. More
than one prisoner in the city Jail
has been man-handled by the big
bruiser, as he boasts and as promi-
nent authorities can testify. Some
Of the third degrees imposed by
Duluth present chief Of police
have been disgraceful exhibitions
Of mans inhumanity to man. E
McKercher has been particu-
larly notorious because Of his COM
placency with blind pigs, bootleg
gers and blockade runners. There
is grave reason to believe that he
not only has permitted heavy vic.
lations of the dry regulations, but
has profited from them in various
ways. H.@% = 90. @.>gSs -.
Less than two years ago, Nc
Kercher paid about $4,000 for a
mammoth Marmon car. Purchase
and possession Of that car was a
scandal in itself. A few weeks
ago, that same car, after long and
severe use, was sold to an alleged
Austrian blindpigger at Hibbing
for $4,000, "A profit Of $4OO over
the first cost, to say nothing Of
nearly two years of use.
The Big Chief then bought a
maroon Marmon car for $4,000,
A few days later, he sold it for
-