The Duluth rip-saw. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1917-19??, 1919-06-14

There is great indignation in Proc
tor over a clubbing that chief of
police Palmer gave Ingworth Erick-
son early in the morning of Satur-
day, May "a.
Erickson had just started down the
street for lunch, after playing in
the orchestra for dance at I. o. o.
F. hall. He was roughly grabbed on
the sidewalk by Palmer and, when
he tried to explain that he had no
part in an alteration between some
boys in front of the hall, the burly
chief Of police cruelty smashed him
over the head with his club.
Erickson practically was knocked
senseless. Several bystanders pro-
tested against Palmer's brutal action.
He told them to mind their own busi-
ness and he would attend to his.
Erickson was taken home. A lump
as large as ones hand swelled up on
the injured mans forehead, over the
left brow. He was in such pain and
state of collapse that DR.. Guilmette
was summoned. He found his patient
in such a condition that hypodermic
opiate proved necessary.
Sunday, morning, Erickson still was
out Of his head. He remained in bed
for three days and was kept from his
work as a machinist in the shops for
an entire week. Ten days after the
brutal clubbing, marks made by chief
Palmer were plainly in evidence and
Erickson declared that his head both
cred him considerably.
Monday, June 2, committee,
Messrs. W. A. Newman and LIE Roy
Chadwick, from Proctor Lodge No.
615, International Association Of Ma
chinists, sent communication to the
village council, narrating Palmer g
peculiar action and requesting that
Erickson be reimbursed for loss Of
seven days. time in the sum of $40.SS.
The communication was referred to
the committee on police, trustees Sam
Thomas and Dan Mckenzie, for in
vestigation and report.
Ingworth Erickson is secretary of
the Machinists' union. He has lived
in Proctor for many years and is
highly respected. He is Industrious,
of exemplary habits and, when his par
ents died, he kept up the home for the
welfare of a sister and brothers. He
entered Uncle Sans service in June,
1913, at Camp Grant, becoming a mem
Der Of the Eighty eighth, or Black.
hawk, division. From Camp Grant he
was transferred to Camp Macarthur,
Texas. He attained the rank Of cor
poral and was mustered out the first
of this year. He then returned to his
home and work in Proctor.
Bruce A. Palmer became chief of
police in Proctor some weeks ago. The
trustees knew nothing about him per-
sonally, but took the word Of others.
Palmer formerly was employed in
various lumber camps in northern Min
nesota. He posed as a real estate
agent for a time, with Hibbing as
his headquarters. Coming to Duluth,
he wrestled with Old Bill Booze for
several months and finally secured a
place on the Duluth police force un-
der the complacent McKercher. - -:
When Old John Barleycorn selected
Oliver as his place Of . summer resi-
depce,, Palmer quit Duluth and at.
tanned the rank Of police captain in
the 'bibulous burg across the river.
When the steel plant region went dry
and took Oliver with it, Palmer came
back to Duluth. He again took serv-
ice. on, the police force under Big Bob
McKercher. After the spring election,
he took hint that his time might be
short, therefore bluffed his way into
a berth at Proctor. Wrestling with
Old Bill Booze. and imposing on help
less citizens seems to be his pleasure
up there. -'.A-l' -.-' .'' ~
F A Rip-saw inspector recently called
on Ingworth Erickson at his home. He
proved to be an earnest, clean-cut
young man and modestly told the story
Of the unexpected clubbing given him
by the burly Palmer.
"I play the drum in local or
chestra,' said Mr.. Erickson. "Shortly
after ] a. m, Saturday, May "a, I left
I. @. OF. hall where I had been play
ing for a dance all the evening and
started down the street for a lunch
before going home, ~ ''S " =.
"I understand that some boys had
been engaged in an alteration IN front
Of the hall just before I came out but
] had no part in it. As + went down
the hill, chief Palmer came up, A few
steps in front Of. me there was young
man and Palmer grabbed him roughly
by the collar, without any preliminary
questions, kicked him, threw him Sff