The Duluth rip-saw. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1917-19??, 1918-11-16

violators Of the liquor ordinance,
under the dry dispensation, ag-
gregated $4,000. This handsome
sum goes for the benefit of the
police fund.
In getting that huge sum in
fines it was necessary to arrest
owners of about $50 blind pigs.
Twenty automobiles were seized.
Of that number, a few were re-
plevined but a greater number
still is held by the police.
Opponents of prohibition loud
ly bemoaned that abolition Of the
licensed saloon would cut off rev.
enues badly, needed to run the
police department. Under license,
only sixty saloons were permitted
and each paid an annual license
of $1,000 year, aggregatlng
100000 a year for the support OF
the police department.
At the rate fines were collected
in the month of October, the an
nual profits to the city Of Su-
perior, primarily for benefit Of
the police department, any ex-
cess over requirements going to
the general fund, would make a
grand aggregate Of $168,OOO, al
most three times as much as un-
der license. ..
To the man who considers only
the dollar, this showing ought to
shout loudly in favor of prohibit
ton and strict enforcement of
the ordinances. ~...
Mayor Baxter certainly is hav-
ing a busy time at stalking blind
pigs and blockade runners. The
sport is becoming almost monot-
onous but Superior's chief execu.
tive does not permit himself
to get weary or grow negligent.
He apparently feels that his oath
of office means something, there
fore genuine enforcement Of the
ordinances are imperative on his
part.
Mayor Baxter is said to fully
realize that he has not reached
the bottom Of the illegal traffic
in booze and women but he hopes,
in time, to make his city as free
of illegal trafficking as is human
ly possible.
This week, August E. Holmberg,
a druggist on Tower avenue and
Twenty-first St., was arrested for
selling intoxicants by the drink.
bottle or gallon, from barrels and
kegs in his place of business.
Capt. Osborn detailed detective
Mead and patrolman Hawkins to
investigate. The officers declare
that business was going full blast
and that customers were so num-
erous that it was difficult to gain
access to the inner places Of bust
ness.
When the police arrived, they
allege, two Holmberg brothers
were busily engaged in passing
out the booze to customers. In
addition to the brothers, Mrs. A.
E. Holmberg and William Smith,
a clerk, were doling out the fire
water. Mrs. David Holmberg and
a Miss Hendricksen are represent
ed as being busily engaged in
washing and filling bottles to keep
business. going 'briskly.
The sextette was loaded into
the patrol wagon and taken to
headquarters. When arraigned
last Tuesday, they pleaded not
guilty and were released on bail
that aggregated $4,000. That was
put up in cash by August E.
Holmberg.
In the Konkel days detectives
secured very damaging evidence
against the Holmberg store and
building but, for some reason,
local authorities failed to arrest
and prosecute, although evidence
was ample to convict.
P. j. Hickey, residing near Du-
luth, after a trip to Iron River
with his automobile, was arrested
in Superior for conveying booze
into dry territory. Incidentally,
the Hickey automobile was seized.
About week ago, Mr.. Hickey
got back his machine by filing
a sympathetic affidavit. He set
up the fact that he is a farmer
in St. Louis Co., Mimi; that his
homestead, "Home Acres,'' was
destroyed in recent forest fires !;
that his automobile was all of his
possessions that escaped the
flames; that he went to Iron
River and brought back booze but
that he did not know he was vio-