The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1920-12-24
Much Talk, But No Action
Was Taken Todoy
WAS VERBAL SPARRING
This Was Featured At Mornings
Meeting; Business Is
Considered

Councilmen, now that the clean.
up has been started in Mankato by
Sheriff Anton Osten, have opened
their batteries on bootlegging and
gambling in this city. A spirited
discussion was staged at the meeting
of the council this morning.
Mayor Waters still maintains
that Mankato has the best police
force Of any city in the United
States. The argument was started
by Councilman w. r. Hammett, and
this is about the way the talk lin
ed up:
Following the usual routine OF
business, w. r. Hammett said he
was about to start something, and
he was right. Within the last
month there has been an awful
wave of moonshine and drunkenness
going on about our streets, and
am sorry that it has become nee
essary for people from the outside
to take steps to stop it. Right here
| go on record as being opposed to
noonshine, gambling. slot machines,
and the whole works. If we can't
do something about it, it is time
someone did, and 1t begins to look
as If it were being stopped" said Mr.
Hammett.
Zone night not long ago two men
were taken from a house. They
were taken to the police station, and
/ was instrumental in getting them
there. One man was using the most
vile and vulgar language one could
ever hear and one had to be car
ried. These men were let go with
out any punishment or fine what
ever They should have been brought
before the judge and censored and
fined" Mr.. Hammett declared. When
asked who they were he said one
understood, and the other man lives
here IN town, fellow by the name
of Hall.
Mayor Waters then spoke up
and said that many men get under
the weather" bit now and then.
A few days ago a man came here
from Mapleton, another from AM
boy, and 1t is up to the chief of po-
lice whether or not they are to be
brought before the judge"
Students Were Drunk.
O. G.. Olson said that he has tried
to get matters remedied also. He
said that he understood that two
students became intoxicated recently
and were expelled from the institu-
ton they were attending. Certainly
in case of this kind something
should be done.
The mayor suggested that " would
take an outsider to get bcstleggers,
and that it was up to the federal
authorities any how to do this. for
it is almost impossible for a police-
man to get one. He said. Every
body knows who the police are and
are on the lookout for 'em."
Answering the mayor, Mr.. Ham
NETT said that there is talk afoat
to the effect that certain police
man" tips bootleggers and gamblers
off to the fact that someone is on
their trail and to lay low. Nov
is that law and order?" asked Mr.
Hammett 81 do not believe in say
ing not to fine man living in an
other town. That is no kind OF talk.
If other. towns send their rowdiess
here and they get drunk and need
fining, why fine them"
81 say that our city will compare
with any in the United States for
cleanliness" said the mayor, but Mr..
Hammett did not agree with him.
In speaking of the special man
that has been on duty for a couple
of weeks, looking into the moon
shine and gambling proposition, F.
]. Mahowald said that he believes
man that is not known about town
would meet with more success. He
said that as far as actually having
seen gambling in process that he
had not even though he had wan
dered into places many times where
It was supposed to be in full swing.
Mr.. Mahowald said, there Ms place
posed to be a gambling joint, and
have spent evenings in there, but
they regard me as some sort of an
outlaw by their actions, and sit
quietly and innocently there until
leave"
"Gambling at Polchow's could not
be detected because the machines
were found under the counters, and
/ went in there time after time. and
saw nothing" said the mayor. "But
if there is gambling and Bookkeeping
going on in the city it should be
stopped.
"Yes and we should hop to it."
said Christ Steiner.
Stands BY His Police.
"The police have enforced the law
TO the lGULeT, there nave DeGu uO
hold ups, assaults, insulting Of wo-
men here for some time, and all
criminals have been caught" said
Mayor Waters. Continuing he said:
81 say that our policemen will equal
any in the United States in a city
of this size, and there amt man
in the country that can equal our
chief of police. They all have done
we'll"
When 1t was suggested that the
council get together and hire a de-
tectiye to investigate, the mayor
stated with conclusive decision that
they could not do thst-that public
safety came under the mayor. and
he alone had power to act. "Well.
the council is part of the cheese"
said Mr.. Mahowald well, If the
council wants to hire a detective,
and will vote on it. of course, I'll
hire one all right" said the mayor.
1t was Mr.. Hammett's opinion that
the damage has been done largely. !
Mr.. Steiner said that the council is
in favor Of UNFOLDING law and or
der.
'If the council wants to remove
all slot machines closed up that sell |
candy and gum, we will close them
up" said Mayor Waters.
well, If they would live up to |
the gum part Of it, it would be all |
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