davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Duluth rip-saw. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1917-19??, 1922-01-07
BRAINERD SPORTS ARE BUSY
Call There for Order-Peterson Boasts Of Biggest Booze
Plant in County-DeRoscher Has Tiger Den.

\ sort of clearing house for bibulous
boys. Bill and Bud, after getting their
orders, take their Henry Ford, go to the
still, get supply Of kill-em-quick and
then deliver to individual customers and
stock up the distributing stations in
and around Brainerd. ut .a. .-.....
The Cosmo pool hall is run by Greek
who likes American money, but not
American laws, customs and traditions.
One Col Peterson flaunts the Vol
stead Act and boasts that he has the
biggest booze plant in Crow Wing
county. He also proudly tells how his
speedy car has outdistanced the Indian
agents the few times they have chased
him. The sheriff Of Crow Wing county
and the police authorities of Brainerd
do not seem to pay much heed to Col.
Peterson. He is credited with getting
alcohol from Duluth, reducing it with
water and selling it for Sc to 81 a
| quart. srt
Poker is played these winter days in
DeRoscher s pool hall. The tigers den
| is in back room. A Greek flunky
takes the soaks to the basement where
The vends booze at 25 cents snort OF
SIS bottle. 49,,
A Polish chap, said to he a black.
smith in the N. p. R. R. blacksmith
shop, brags about the high grade stuff
| he sells. Some of his customers think
he makes it in his own still and ther
colors it.
The Duluth rip-saw. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1917-19??, 1922-01-07

CROSBY, Jan Especial to the
Rip-saw. Jack Watts boasts to his
friends and customers that he has the
entire police department "squared, /"
hence the lack Of interference with his
illicit booze business.
Jack Watts runs his blindpig in a
shack back Of his Brother Eds black
smith shop. he formerly was trapper,
but he now specializes in trapping
thirsty mankind instead Of muskrats,
mink and the oderifefous skunk
Jack caters to the business men and
he says that the members of the police
force come to his groggery because it
is quiet and secluded. You can get
what Jack calls "real ryeo for "a a
quart and 25 cents for big single
drink. Watts brags, in fact, about how
big drink he gives for a quarter.
Colonel Christensen, despite his sug-
gestive name, runs " Raisin Hello in
shack near the livery barn in Crosby.
The boys 90 there to smoke and those
who have a thirst and the price to
quench it, buy moonshine whisky at "a
quart and Is cents a single drink.
Messrs. Bjerkland and Quinlaven
have centrally located pool room
where they sell pool, cigars, soft drinks
and, so it is alleged, moonshine whisky
at SO quart and Is cents snort.
Madam Bjerkland is credited with sell
The Duluth rip-saw. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1917-19??, 1922-01-07

BRA1NERD, Jan. 3.-(Special to the
Rip ip-saw.)-The New Year has come
and gone, but local sports and lawless
folk have not surprised the world to
any extent by swearing off from their
evil and illegal practices. Real Ameri-
canism is below par with the gamblers,
moonshiners and blindpiggers.
The Cosmo pool hall seems to be a
storm-center and headquarters for
those who make, sell and drink illicit
booze. There are floor walkers in the
place who sell moonshine whisky from
off the hip. Those who desire more
than a simple snort take dive into
the basement and then, soon afterward
come to the surface with 3. bottle. II
makes travelled people think of fishing
for pearls in the Indian ocean.
Those who wish to WOO Lady Chance
go upstairs where there s a poker game
The door is kept locked and those wh'
seek to enter must give the knock.
e., "Who's there!" cries-a voice with
in after you knock.
! You then have to qualify before the
door is opened.
A Rip-saw inspector who took a look
see into that den a short time ago saw
q noker table, men sitting around i
and cards and money ON it. ts q
Bill Gray and Bud Fleener come t.
the Cosmo to get their orders for moon
shine whisky. The Cosmo seems to b
The Duluth rip-saw. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1917-19??, 1922-01-07

ably, the district court is an available
recourse. '1m .tss #4g u asr-@s
There is an inclination on the part
of these pioneers, patient and long suf-
fering, unlearned in law and inexperi-
enced in big business, to fear that the
railroad administration lawyers are be-
ing too much influenced by investiga-
tions made and testimony worked up
over a, period of more than two years,
by partisan investigators for the gov
ernment, in expectation of using that
one-sided evidence in stubbornly fought
actions at law, and not in mutual
adjustment between man and man.. out
side of court.
Untutored as they. are in most cases,
these claimants feel and believe that
there is distinction between stern
lawsuit and friendly adjustment.
These fire victims read the papers,
therefore they say that, if the U. s.
government can give red Russia $780,
100000 purely as charity, then the
railroad administration can afford to
pay out $20,000,000 in half,loaves to
pioneers who were chopping and blast
ing out homes in Minnesota IS hard him
terland, a part of the United States,
when, without real warning, holocaust
beyond the power of man to stop, con-
sumed all their earthly possessions and
500 of the lives Of their loved ones
almost in the twinkling of an eye.
That feeling is strengthened by per
sonal knowledge, seehng, belief and
even able court decisions to the effect
that said holocaust had its chief origin
in Illegal fires originating with the o.
s. railroad administration.
If these hinterland farmers are com,
PEELED to take many quarter loaves, as
they did in war times, and if they get
to milling around, holding meetings
comparing notes and organizing 1O(
per cent instead of SO per cent as al
present, they are likely to make some
radical changes on the political map
Not only can the women vote now, but
all the fire victims, with their friends
and sympathizers, control enough votes
to play havoc with quite stretch Of
territory on the map Of politics.
The various lawyers for the fire suf
ferers are singing rather low Just now
They are, in fact, ingauite a tight box
They must please theif clients and they
must not displease the government law
yers They also wish to get their many
cases settled up as quickly, cheaply and
to as good advantage as possible.
The Rip-saw always has felt that
since the state of Minnesota fell so fal
short Of its duty and opportunity any
The Duluth rip-saw. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1917-19??, 1922-01-07
POKER ROOM IN SARATOGA
HOTEL RAIDED BY POLICE
John Winter DalEes With Moonshine Until Judge Funck
Gives Him Workfarm Sentence-George Weisel Falls
Into Laws CIutches-Art Shales Takes Tumble

The Yankee Club is the latest wrinkle
in the field of sport and easy money
by the lawless gambling route.
Colonel Claudos, alias "0audie the
Creek" who maintains shrine where
sporty nen can woo Lady Luck, is the
daddy Of the Yankee Club. ..r..
If yen gain entrance to Col. Clandos'
gambling den in the basement of No.
307 West Superior St., you either must
be member of the club or be spon-
sored by member. Even then, you
must have ticket to secure entrance
to the underground den where the
sports shoot the festive crap and play
the great American game Of poker.
Suppose, dear old reader, you are a
member of Col. Claudos' Yankee Club
and you have friend you wish to take
down there for bit of gambling on the
green, as the poets say. Or, suppose
you have sucker whom you desire to
take down there so that Claudos and
his .tinhorn helpers can scrape off his
scales, 50 to speak. - ~.
10 get your sucker down into the
den and up to the skinning table, you
must get a card signed by Col. Gandos
and, on that card, is your name. If,
Afterwards, that sucker proves to be a
Rip-saw inspector or sleuth for Lieut..
Barber's cleanup squad, the clever
fingered Col. Claudos can hold you
responsible for his i'll luck and ban you
from future access to his underground
premises, or such other penalties as his
cunning brain may devise. h
The preyious issie offs the Rip-saw
siaSed that there was a door between
Col CIaudos' poker den and the. Collins
Lsnch basement. The head-sawyer
misunderstood the inspector. There is
no such door There is ventilation
register between the den and a wash
room, but the door to the latter now is
kept locked nights, therefore no one
can stand in there and hear Col Claudos
and his patrons when gambling on the
green.
Saratoga Poker Den Raided.
Senator Ribenaek and AL. Polinsky
control the building in which. Col.
Claudos maintains his shrine for those
who seek to woo Lady Luck and those
two eminent citizens are the beneficial
ries of the high rentals secured from
said building, including Col. Clandos
gambling den. p
Senator Ribenack and associates also
are reputed to own the Saratoga hotel.
On Thursday night of last week, the
police inconsiderately raided poker
game that has been running night
and day for some years in said Saratoga
hotel. y
Five gamblers were arrested and
taken to headquarters. A lawless
young chap took the onus of being the
keeper of the den. He also did a grave
injustice to Darby O'Brien by using
his name. The same little louse on
the body polite was up once before
for gambling. No one around municipal
The Duluth rip-saw. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1917-19??, 1922-01-07
JACK WATTS RUNS BLIvDPIG
Crosby Tapper Catches Thirsty Christensen Runs
"Raisin Help- Mrs Bjerkland and Old Rosie Are Ac-
tive-Doc Peterson Has Rabbit Lake Still

ing the moonshine when her husband
is absent.
Madam Rosie, the notorious Austrian
dame who has been arrested, fined and
jailed so many times is alleged to be.
at her old tricks of splitting on the
American flag by breaking the Ameri--
can laws to get the American dollars.
A feather bed and the baby buggy are.
two of her favorite places for keeping
her stock of rotgut.
A local Finnish pool hall is credited
with running some fierce poker games.
p. A. Peterson, at one time known
as horse doctor, is wintering in the
summer home ON Rabbit Lake Island
that belongs to the banker at Guyana.
1t is alleged that DR.. Peterson has q
still on the island with which he makes
some horse liniment for which the
thirsty soaks on the Cuyuna iron range
pay good money for refreshmeEt pnr-
poses. Stranger things have happened.
in Grow Wing county.
Indian agents, prohibition sleuths,
the county sheriff and his deputies and.
even the police authorities could give.
real Americanism big boast in Cros-
by and on the entire Guyana range. The
alien Austrians, however, seems to have
more influence than Uncle Sam and
Jake Preus when 1t comes TO suppress
ing the lawless booze business.
The Duluth rip-saw. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1917-19??, 1922-01-07

thing secured from the federal govern
ment will be just like money found in
the road. A deadlock between the
claimants on one hand and the railroad
administration on the other will be
very undesirable. A rule of reason
seems applicable. -.
Settlement checks are coming steadily
to Cloquet. A few payments have
been made in the Moose Lake cases.
The first one was in favor of John H.
Michaelson, of Kettle River. His check
came on Friday Of last week. His
claim was for $500.
About 1000 questionnaires have been
filed from the Cloquet zone. Lawyers
have estimated that there would be
2,100 to 2,200 Cloquet cases. Over
$2,OOO,000 has been paid out at Cloquet,
but the Northern Lumber Co. got
81 1,426.2S and the Cloquet Lumber Co.
received $653,000. s.s ....-.. < =
Messrs. Baldwin, Baldwin, Holmes &
Mayall state that all of the territory
has been zoned in which SO per cent of
the losses will be paid. It also is stated
that the so per cent settlement in the
500 Line or so-called Moose Lake cases
applies to only something over 1000
cases that were tried in the local dis
trict court.
Messrs. Baldwin, Baldwin, Holmes G
Mayall now have twelve field men,
called adjusters or investigators. Others
may be added later. A clerical force
of half dozen, supervised by Mr.. Sam
Coulter is maintained in the railroad
administration 8 office in the Fidelity
building. These offices expect to
turn out about 40 questfonnaires every
other day from this time on. Mr..
| Holmes recently stated that he had been
agreeably surprised by the high per-
centage Of honesty shown by claimants
| in making out their questionnaires. His
faith in human nature has been
strengthened and augmented thereby.
Ouestionnaires in the 500 Line cases
| in Carlton county now are steadily COM
| ing into the offices of Messrs. Fry
berger, Hoshour and associates, attor-
news for the government. The 1000
| eases Of Dodge & McClearn and asso-
ciates, litigated in the local courts, will
be settled as rapidly as possible. These
| offices in the Lonsdale building now
have three claim men, three cruisers
and two stenographers in addition to
Messrs. Fryberger, and Hoshour. One
claim in this group at Kettle River, in
favor of Wilson 6 Martilla, lumber
men, amounts to $11s,000. Nearly 100
claims at Palisade have been settled. So
for, there have been no court claims in
ithe Palisade group.
The Duluth rip-saw. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1917-19??, 1922-01-07
OFFER DISPLEASES FIRE SUFFERERS
Terms Settlement Claimants Hold Meetings
Two Thousand Quesonnas File From CquetKte River Man Gets
the First Check in 500 Line Case-Lawyers Work Busiy.

As stated in the previous issue of the
Rip-saw, the local lawyers for the U. S.
railroad administrat tion have Offered a
settlement of claims for fire damage
in five additional zones.
Zone one gets an offer of 50 per
cent for claims of $4,000 and less, as
at Cloquet and in the litigated Moose
Lake claims. Zone two is offered As
per. cent for claims of $25, 5000 and less.
In zone three, the offer is 35 per cent.
Zone four gets 30 per cent and zone
five 25 per cent.
Many Of the claimants in these four
zones feel and believe that they are not
getting offers proportionally as good
as those made to Cloquet and Moose
Lake. There is dissatisfaction and
several communities already have held
public meetings Of protest. 1t is un-
derstood that other communities will
follow suit.
Although it may not be warranted,
there is feeling and belief among the
claimants that the U. s. railroad ad-
ministration is, unconsciously perhaps,
drawing away from what the fire vic
Tins expected would be broader, more
sympathetic and liberal settlement of
their losses. .n -
|. Many of the victims are in real dis
tress this winter. Several cases of dire
destitution have been reported. These
poor victims of an Act of God, if not
locomotives of the U. 8. railroad ad-
ministration, have stuck to their hinter-
land farms, working, waiting, and hop
ing for at least partial rehabilitation.
These Unexpectedly low offers now re-
veal danger of tempting them to risk
everything on the turn of a card by
going into court for whole loaf, if the
government refuses to give them half
loaf or nearly that.
These hinterland farmers got the I'M
preston from solicitor general Nc.
Laughlin g position, when here in the
fall, that the lines would not be SC
tightly drawn in settlement between
man and man, as would be the case in
claims settled by stubbornly fought ac.
tions in court. Being good sportmen
and needing ready money, most of the
claimants made up their minds to ac.
ceut half loaf, but few of them de-
sired or expected to take anything much
| less.
It is presumed that the government 4
representatives feel they. have carried
out the spirit of the governments plans
and that anyone not satisfied has ex
peeted too much, does not understand
: and accept the situation and, presum
The Duluth rip-saw. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1917-19??, 1922-01-07

correctly, the cleanup squad is doing
good work. One good stunt was find.
ing the booze under several feet of
ashes and cinders in the furnace room
of the Globe hotel, not the Home hotel,
as the daily papers reported it, at 1922
w. Superior st. Lawrence Bennett
had to take the brunt Of that offense.
A primitive pump was used to draw the
booze up from the deeply hidden barrel.
After cleaning up the Globe hotel, the
officers might profitably have visited
Evelyn's dive and dump at or near 900
Garfield Ave. 1t is said that a hard
and bloody fight was pulled off there
Christmas Eve.
Rip-saw inspectors have reported that
the Orpheum hotel, right across the
street from the police station, shelters
six blindpigs. If reports are true, the
police have caught only three of them.
Another place nearby, quite popu-
lar resort, is reported to have done
mighty we'll at selling booze during the
holidays. The coal bin is said to have
given the dope a very fine flavor.
Colonel Snyder is reported to feel
peeved because his Ryan hotel at 527
W.. Superior st. was not mentioned in
the previous issue of the Rip-saw. He
also runs the National hotel at No. 526
across the street. A poker game is
said to run in room 10. Jack Bennett,
the chap who is alleged to have so sue
cessfully "bonded'' moonshine, once
occupied room s. Col. Snyder's place
was not mentioned last time through an
oversight.
"A correspondent claims that he once
was skinned in poker game run in Pc
terson 5 soft drink parlor off the Lake
avenue viaduct and near Michigan St.
He complains because the authorities
have not crimped that poker game.
The Duluth rip-saw. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1917-19??, 1922-01-07

court could give his legal name. He
certainly was too much ashamed of his
real name to give it when arrested.
The lawless, lazy, loafing little lonse
who claimed to be running the game
put up 800 bail, which he forfeited
The four patrons Of the place put up
and forfeited SIS each. =
John Winter Enters Limehght.
John Winter has been breaking into
the hmelight quite regularly since the
previous issue of the Rip-saw. Soon
after that paper came out, this lawless
| alien reported to the police that some
one had left IS gallons of moonshine
whisky at his place at l10 First Ave
w. The authorities called for the stuff
and took it to headquarters. What
finally became Of it, affiant knoweth
not. Winter pretended to be much
mystified by the stuff, in two contain
ers, that so mysteriously appeared on
his premises. -. ,.., .-r
Those in position to know inform
the Rip-saw that Col. Swanson brought
that booze from the still in a Stude-
baker car and delivered it in Winters
| washroom for cash consideration of
$265. It. arrived at about 8 p. m. and
Winter did not inform the police, until
sometime later. It is understood that
the publicity given this lawles alien
by the Rp-saw so Jared him that he
suspected he and those containers of
booze were being watched, hence his
report to the police. y
Some days later, one Eva Burns was
picked up in an Intoxicated cord dition.
She confessed Mat John Winter sold
tklaa-ntA tAes4 Aspzs ts1ytsfSh
| alien was arrAsted and released on
5000 bail, he pleading not guilty when
arraigned. q
Winter first secured w. A. Pittenger,
| the eminent advocate and champion of
light wines and beer. for his lawyer.
He was easy, for Winter put up only $5
as retainer.
"Get Ben Goldberg, a real pinch
hitter, " said Winter g more experienced ID
friends.
4 Pittinger Is Thrown Down.
The next day Winter called up Pit
finger and informed him that his legal
services would not be required any
longer. Hon. Ben. M. Goldberg then
took the reins for the defense.
Pittinger met Goldberg in an office
building and the canny pinch-hitter got
in front of Winter and engaged Pit
finger in an earnest conversation
hoping to divert his attention so that
he would not see and recognize the
! evasive Winter.
! 1t is stated that Pittinger now is
complaining bitterly that some one has
double crossed him.
Winter came before Judge Funck on
Friday of last week. Mr.. Goldberg
presented an affidavit, signed by Eva
Burns, in which she swore that she did
not get the means for her drunk from
| Winter.
| On the witness stand, the woman
The Duluth rip-saw. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1917-19??, 1922-01-07

held to her original story that Winte
sold her the whisky with which she go
drunk. When confronted with n,
affidavit, made in Mr.. Goldberg's of
flee, the woman testified that shs
signed something, but she knew no
what, the document not being read Il
her.. =. ~ 4s-..
Mr.. Goldberg took the stand, him
self, and solemnly swore that the affi
davit was read to Eva Burns before
she signed it. The court seemed Il
take the. woman s word for it, for Johr
Winter was found guilty and given .
sentence Of IS days at Fred Ward 4
sheltering old workfarm.
Winter Talses A Stay.
Winter, through Mr.. Goldberg, ther
took stay OF 20 days. Judge Funcl
met that ante by raising Winters bal.
from $500 to $500.
That same afternoon, Messrs. Gold.
berg and Cohen presented an order tt
the clerk Of the municipal court fol
such part of the $500 cash bail as Nigh,
be left after paying all legal require
ments. Since the sentence was to the
workfarmI nothing can be taken out oi
the $500, therefore it is safe to assume
that Messrs. Goldberg and Cohen win
get all Of it. -
Whether Winter is going to jump
town, 60 to workfarm for IS days al
the. end Of his stay or appeal to a
higher court, has not been revealed to
the Rip-saw. Some remark was made
in municipal court about appealing
but that was taken as camouflage or a
bluff by those who heard it.
George weisel Gets Caught.
Another notorious, law-breaker who
got caught last week was George Wei.
sci. He was found guilty of illegal
sale of Illicit booze and sentenced to
Fred Wards workfarm for IS days.
When he took a stay of 20 days, his
bail was raised to $400. . Il
For some months past, this Weisel
has been selling pints in the st. Louis
hotel pool room, The Weisel supply
of moonshine has been sweet boon for
the sports who play the festive Rose
Garden.
Whom q rounder has wished to feel
funny or to get up his fighting blood,
ttep 4 - 4 aDfzis
hotel pool room, hunted up George
Weisel and exchanged coin of the realm
for a pint or two. ss-
Before locating in the st. Louis hotel