The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1937-02-25
Questioned
The Legality
OF Machines
Special Meeting of Council
Called To Define
Status
LEFT TOGO. ATTORNEY
Mayor Ordered Pin Ball Ma
chimes Closed Pending
Investigation
LEFT TO co. ATTORNEY

the council, held last week Wednes-
day evening in the Community Club
rooms, at which the legality Of pin
ball machines operating in this
city was discussed, Mayor Melvin
IIintzen, upon advice Of County At
torney Burns, ordered the machines
out of operation. This action was
given Saturday morning pending
an investigation by Sheriff McIn-
tee.
The special meeting Of the Coun-
Gil was called following written
complaint against the machines.
This complaint was signed by four
individual citizens, Rev. p. ]. JAN
sen, Rev. Charles Busch, Rev. M. l..
Brann and Rev. ]. F. Schumacher,
and was made to the Mayor. These
machines were licensed under Or
dinance, Chapter 203.
On November 10Th, 1895, the or
dinance defining the machines to
be licensed and stating penalties,
was published in the Herald, to be-
come effective on December 18th,
1885. On December 14th licenses
were issued for a number Of the
machines. At the time the ordin-
ance was drawn up 1t was under
stood that q part of the license
fee was to go to the fire depart
ment to finance the 1889 state
convention.
Following the complaint made to
the Mayor the special meeting OF
the Council was called for the pur-
pose of ascertaining the legality Cd
the machines in operation. The
question Of legality was based on
the automatic payoffs. Being un-
able to come to decision as to the
status of the machines, 1t was de-
cided by all interested that the
matter be left to County Attorney
Burns for decision. Besides the
Council, the City Attorney, the Ma.
yor and City Clerk, the meeting
was attended by the compliments
those who had machines in their
place Of business and the prophet.
ors Of the Herald.
Mayor Hintzen made a trip to
st. Cloud Friday to get the advice
of County Attorney Burns, and was
informed that the Sheriff would
make a trip to Sank Centre to In.
vestigate. Then came the Mayors
order to disconnect the machines
We were informed Wednes-
day afternoon by the Mayor
that a number of those, who
had machines in their places of
business, asked to have them
reopened providing they are
operated according to the or
dinance. This was done at
meeting held in the city hall
Wednesday afternoon. The Ma
yor and the City Attorney were
invited to attend this meeting.
The City Attorney advised the
Mayor that it would be alright
to reopen the machines provid-
ing they were opened in accord
ance with the ordinance which
means that they VIII have to
be operated without the auto
matte payoff, and according to
law. Mayor Hintzen stated that
he will appoint three men as
an investigation committee to
see that the machines do oper-
ate according to the ordinance.
The three men he will appoint
will be known to no one, so
that they will be free to go
about and make Investigations.
The following is the advice Of tn
City Attorney to the Mayor In thi
matter:
February "a, 1887.
M. +. Hintzen, Mayor,
City Of Sank Centre,
Sank Centre, MINI.
Dear Mr.. Hintzen:
You inquire whether pin ball
machines, which have no automat
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