The Duluth rip-saw. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1917-19??, 1920-01-24

| and that neither one was Wiling to
let him open up. He finally decided
that the two men were "passing the
buck" back and forth, therefore he so
worked it as to get them together. It
was at that meeting, the chief testi-
fled, that he had said he would rather
resign than to allow the so-called gam
bling king to run. The witness, how
ever, testified that chief McKinnon
said: "I would rather resign than to
stand in the way between the mayor
and his friends"
No evidence was secured from chief
McKinnon as to why, according to his
own statement, he did not prefer to
resign when gambling games were run.
ming under former mayors.
Value Of Testimony slumped.
On the direct examination of the
erstwhile gambling king, statements
were made that would have damaged
mayor Baxter had the witness been
other than former violator of the
laws and ordinances against gambling.
When Mr.. Hartley put the witness un-
der cross-examination, the latter be-
came very nervous and the value of
his testimony to the defense sadly
slumped when he admitted that he did
not believe mayor Baxter ever had in
tended to let him open his gambling
house but that, disliking to reply too
abruptly, the kindly and diplomatic
mayor had strung him along.
That admission showed the probable
motives back Of that witnesses testi-
mony, wrung from him in spite Of
himself. There was animus, presum-
ably, because official winking was not
given to disregard and violation Of the
laws against gambling.
Following that, the laundering Lead
er, the journalistic mouthpiece of the
gangsters and outlaws Of Bingoland,
came out with a special edition, head
ed with stud-horse type, bawling out
the name of the unfortunate witness,
greatly to his shame, disgust and bit
ter resentment. He felt as if he had
been stabbed by men he had essayed
to help. Bitterness against the blum
dering bunch will remain for many
long months.
."Shorty" Shea, another Bingoland
follower Of the blind Goddess of
Chance, was called by the defense. His
testimony was amusing to the specta-
tors, harmless to the mayor and quite
disconcerting to the defense.
Bill Miller, a discredited and dis
charged sergeant of police, bobbed up
boldly as a witness for chief McKin-
non. Before Bessie Rowan, an aged,
repulsive, sadly crippled prostitute,
left Superior between two days, as a
result Of mayor Baxter's activities
against Third street, it is alleged that
the African Jezebel made her will in
favor of Sarge. Miller in return for
personal and official favors he had
shown her.
Of course Sarge. Miller resented be-
ing discharged from the kindly old po-
lice force, through mayor Baxter's or
ders, but there g possibility that the
Third street favorite was even more
angered because his dusky benefactress
was summarily chased out of the city.
Rip-saw readers also viii remember how
Sarge. Miller was credited with pos
sessing a kindly and protecting feeling
for Marie Ve1ie, a prominent princess
Of the redlight realm, not only because
Of her personal charms and favors, but
because she relieved his dog by pick
ing the festive flee from Fido's hard
bitten back.
Sarge. Mil1er's Low Cunning.
While regular on the police force,
Sarge. Miller never was accused of
possessing too much knowledge of in
fractions of the law but, on the wit
ness stand, he professed to know that
one Mae Sullivan had been engaged in
low moral endeavor, in the redlight
lanes, and that, at some time in the
dim, misty past, he had suspicion
that she had been a "friend" of
mayor Baxter.
Anything that happened when mayor
Baxter was a boy had nothing more
to do with the charges against chief
McKinnon than the color and quality
| of chief McKinnon s undershirt, when
he was a barefoot boy, had connec-
ton with the case. The Bingoland
sports have been whispering around
for over year a mysterious story
| about Mae Sullivan and Fred A. Bax-
ter. The latter has told his version
Of the SANDER and it reflects on him
in no unworthy way.
Miller, with low animal cunning,
tried to link up Mae Sullivan with
mayor Baxter by telling how the noto-
rious redlight lady had called up
| "Fred" and asked him for protection,
when arrested, but the desired protec-
ton was not given.
Tried to Compromise Baxter.
Mayor Baxter's friends have known
of that incident for many months. The
woman called up long after midnight
and asked special consideration, but
she was told by the mayor that he
could do nothing for her. At the time
it was felt and believed that the call
was staged for the purpose of COM
promising, Framing" or even insult
ing the chief executive of the great
city of Superior. That lawless, man
nerless, shameless Bingoland bunch
will make use Of any dirty trick to
further their despieable ends.
| After making q number of such