Great Falls daily tribune., 1919-03-09
his MIDDLE NAME
| MAY BE ROGERS
If "J' Stands for Rodgers, 1t
Explains Why Ryan Was So
Booked by Police.

David J. Ryan. alias Dave Rodgers, is
candidate on the citizens labor ticket
before the coming primary for the office
Of mayor. This story has nothing to do
with the citizens labor party, for 1t
would be the same story if there had
never been citizens labor party. This
story is to make clear that the ~ in
Ryan's name stands for Dave Rodgers.
Whether his christening as Dave Rods-
ers' had anything to do with his decision
to run for mayor is a matter that Will
be left to the conjuncture of the reading
public. for it is within the pale OF pos
sibility that Dave, no matter whether
one adds Rodgers or Ryan, concluded,
as result of that christening. there
was something the matter with the Great
Fails police department and that he was
the one to repair the trouble. That Ger
tainly would be uncharitable of Dave.
however. for without question the po-
lice department threw a blanket of CHAR
ity over him when they enrolled him as
Rodgers, for even those unfriendiy 10
the police department would never ac-
cuse them of knowing David J. Ryan, the
present leader of the new party.
On March f. about $40 in the evening
way they write paid obituary notices for
fellow to read while he's living. but
there is no charge being made to Dave
for this-was standing on the sidewalk
in front of the L. & /. saloon building,
allegedly in the act of committing
nuisance when along came patrolman i;
f. Greer. The act Of Ryan didn't appeal
to the patrolman as one that ought TO
be tolerated on a public street and he
tapped the alleged offender on the arm
and, fitting the situation and the words
on the front of the building TO the oc-
casion. he remarked. in substance ~
& l will go to the station and see the
jailer.' And they did.
At the jail they received courteous
treatment and charitable consideration.
for Jaier James II. Dibb enrolled Dave
as "Dave Rodgers" tho it is not claimed
that the jailer didn't know Ryan
merely that when he was asked his
name he said ''Dave Rodgers" and 1t
was so written Greer says he didn't
know the man he arrested and who Is
now a party standard bearer. captain
Fred Locher. when asked about the case
| said the city editor Of this paper ought
to "come down and run the police sta
ton" and some other things, none OF
which explained whether he knew that
that either had middle name. and as is
customary in court procedure, the cap
tain having refused to plead in the case.
a plea of not guilty will be entered and
it will be assumed he didn't know that
Ryan was Rodgers or Rodgers was Ryan
nor that either had been arrested. or
that Rodgers was not. in fact, Dawes
true cognomen
Now Magistrate George Raban enters
his plea He says that Ryan called HIM
on the tclefone the day following the
arrest and told him there was man
ramed Dave Rodgers, whom the magis-
trate says Ryan claimed was friend.
and for whom Ryan asked the consider
ftion Of having the ease postponed. This
was a right the magistrate vas willing
to grant and did grant and the case was
set for the following dPy but Rodgers
came not nor did Ryan. the intercessor
call again TO Intercede The bail OF 81
cash which had been put mp was forfeit
Ell and later Ryan laushingly told the
police magistrate that he was one and
the same person as Dave Rodgers and
that he had used tbat name for the fun
Of it and then thot he would carry the
Joke a little farther. So there is no need
to enter a plea Of not guilty for Rodg-
ers. as he admits it and the magistrate
makes his own plea. so all connected
with the case except the captain have no
reluctance in entering pleas IN the case
incidentally. it will be interesting in
this connection to know that some
months ago after certain members of the
force had allowed a we'll known police
character to be registered under IN as
sumed name after arrested, aitho the
officers knew her true name. that thiei
Marcus Anderson stated that be was not
in favor Of that procedure and he has. on
other occasions taken the position that
it was the registering officers duty to-
register the arrested person under his
true name if it were known, and the
chief is recognized as not needing any
help to run the police station. when
he's there.