The Duluth rip-saw. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1917-19??, 1919-06-28

After kidding himself for several
weeks with the idea that he still was
q member of the Superior police force,
George o 'Brien, the so-called Raftllng
King, handed in his star to Capt. Os-
born one day last week.
O'Brien had been a member Of the
department for about three years when
he drew black bean from the mayor 8
box that removed him from the force.
He made a bluff at reporting daily for
service but finally threw up his hands
and admitted defeat.
O'Brien had a fine old father and
mother but he early acquired an ap-
petite for booze and that queered him
in due course. With limited education,
a naturally mean makeup and the de-
generating influences Of the Bad
Lands, the unfortunate fellow fell an
easy victim to Old John Barleycorn
instead of making success as an
officer of the law.
O'Brien was one of the bunch that,
after being laid off the Superior police
force by mayor Baxter, yelled loudly
about being denied hearing before
the police commission.
That yell was 80 per cent bluff and,
had the demand been granted, most II
not all of the discharged policemen
would have been found guilty Of
enough Irregularities to send them pack
ing.
Had the bunch really and truly
wanted a hearing, they could have de-
manded it of the commissioners and
secured it. Aside from not being
longer needed on the force, they would
have been found unfit, for there was
any quantity Of goods on most OF
them, if not every single one.
In O'Brien g case, there was enough
against him to load dray wagon.
After an investigation before an i'm
partial board Of police commissioners,
Superior's rafting king would not
have lasted as long as SNOWFALL in
the lower regions.
After poor Alice Powers was COM
PEELED to quit Superior's underworld,
where she had reigned as popular
queen in Belle Klein 8 old place, she
retired to st. Francis hospital for
treatment of loathsome disease that
was slowly eating her life away.
Alice Powers had been the "woman y
Of AL. Powers, former Superior
saloon-keeper. When friends passed
the hat to pay her hospital bills, the
sporty patrolmen on the force declined
to contribute any money.
"We protected her while she was in
business and that's all we can afford
to do. for her," they said.
AL. Powers finally paid the bill, be
it said to his credit, but that's an
other story.
George O'Brien has wife and fam
ily but, under the blighting influence
Of Old John Barleycorn and the under
world folk, he assumed to rattle of
various belongings of Alice Powers
telling how she was sick and needed
the money.
There is nothing in the rules of tn
Superior police department that com
pels a patrolman to rattle off dia
mond rings, watches, graphophones
fur coats or cut glass lamps for wor'
out redlight ladies, but O'Brien, prou
of his title of Rafting King, pulle'
off stunts Of that kind.
Those of both high and low mora
endeavor bought rattle tickets freel.
on Alice Powers watch, diamond ring
graphophone, fur coat and $50 cut glas
lamp. The Rip-saw inspector has n
proof that the money ever was turne
over to poor Alice and he has bee
unable to find anyone who won thos
articles. Who got them or what bt
come Of them, is shrouded in dar
doubt.
Frank Fischer is credited with POI
sessing the $50 cut glass lamp. b
claims to have paid $40 for it.
whom the money was paid, why q
where it went, affiant knoweth no
Perhaps rafting king OBrien know
but he might not wish to tell and,
he did say anything, his word woul
not 60 very far.
For some weeks at one time, rafflin
king O'Brien, was very busy at sellin
tickets on an automobile. When an
where the rattle was finally pulle
off, remains in deep doubt. Who q
the automobile, or what became Of
the Rip-saw inspector has been unabl
to find out. Whether or not the ca
was a noted 'Stevens Six" also hs
not been ascertained by the busy il
spector.
Instead of carrying wash-water fl
his wife or trotting his children q
his knee, O'Brien spent time and ski
in rafting off Mrs. Vehlie's nois
green parrot. She conducted The Radi
son hotel at one time She also W,
arrested and compelled to loop the loo
several times in municipal court. 81
now is reputed to be in Oliver. Pc
sibly "Terry" Naughton can supp
her address to any inquirin' friend
But that's another story, too.