St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1959-09-11
Report On ST..
Paul NAAcP
Mass MEETING
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what happens and that's why put
it to you-are we going to have
law enforcement IN our area or
aren't we and it's as simple as
that.
Mr.. Louis Erwin: You stated
! there are known narcotic users
and pushers, known prostitutes
and hoodlums, all l want to know
if you know this Jimmy, what is
the Police Department doing about
it?
Mr.. James Griffin: That's a good
point. The policemen are not the
prosecutors. They arrest a man
and they are brought to court and
jury made of people like here in
this room decide these cases. Now,
If a man is arrested he is brought
to Jail. The case is brought to the
city prosecutor-if the prosecutor
thinks he has a case to go to court
on a misdemeanor he is sent to
court. If it's a felony the county
attorney takes over and If he
I AAAAAAhS NAAaN a CdSC-I NE
doesn't have a case sometimes he
goes before a grand jury for an
indictment and on many a time
these cases brought to the public
are before grand jury that are
made up Of cross section of the
community anywhere from twenty
eight to forty people sit in on a
grand jury. II they turn back,
no bill, there's nothing we can do
about it. Just because I know that
your doing something the burden
Of proof is on the prosecutor he
must prove It. If you don't have
enough evidence to prosecute the
case you can't get 1t. You must
realize these fellows in this bus
iness-they learned by the trial
and error method. A hoodlum on
the street knows more about it
then you do.
Do you know why? He has
learned by experience and he knows
this. A lot of these fellows go to
the penitentiary, St. Cloud, Still
water, Red Wing and any other
penitentiaries they get real wise
and the first thing you can tell a
fellow has been arrested before
I know a few years ago use to
be jailer sometimes and a fellow
would be picked up and brought in
there. For the first time he is
brought in that cell he'd pace up
and down. Do you know what he
would say? When is the lieutenant
going to talk to me? How long
am going to stay? But when you
arrest one of those old pros he
took that mattress-he shook it |
out, slapped it down and laid |
down.
Reverend Walter Battles: Mr..
Chairman, may have six minutes. |
Ladies and gentlemen have asked |
for six minutes-as you know I'm |
minister. A minister is mercy
not a policeman but mercy. Yet |
then anything else in the world.
Christ is the master of mercy
May inform you first, as to what |
policeman is. From the bible
I'm forced to say this because my
message on Sunday night on VIM
IN at ten o'clock was Give Thee |
On Their Peace. Ninety percent !
of this congregation here tonight |
are citizens I actually believe. We
didn't have to go through this long
discussion to bring out nothing. It
hasn't solved one thing yet. It |
might have created a little more
animosity and I trust and pray
and hope that you won't go out
and take vengeance in their hands
because of the animosity we Great
ed here, on the police side and on
our side. Mr.. Proetz, know you
won't because I know you person.
ally and think you know me.
Let me read to you what the
policeman is. I'm concerned what
one may call me because I'm called
the worse already. May I inform
you that there hasn't been a per-
son I've seen in the twin cities who
tries to do as much as I've tried
to do for the city. We have three
school buses to take the children
home from church-and these cars.
am doing that myself. Sacrificing
my automobile, my clothes, my
everything-my food to help this
place. I came here thirteen years
ago to get my standard training
and go back to Mississippi, my
home to help where I was needed
but in school right here for several
years found out and I mean right
here and I'm trying to help.
I'll read from the 18th chapter
Of Romans, first seven verses. Let
every soul be subject up to the
higher powers for there is no
power but Of God. The powers that
be are ordained Of God. Whosoever
therefore resisteth the power, re-
sisteth the ordained of God: and
they that resist shall receive to
themselves damnation for rulers
are not a terror to good works.
A policeman wouldn't object
wouldn't arrest you II you were a
good person. I noticed in the state
ments tonight that you citizens put
up a distinguishing mark between
good people and bad people. We
all must admit there are some
bad people but the hardest thing
in the world for human beings to
do Is to find themselves admitting
that he is what he is and then
profit from the bible Instead of
doing something about it we try
to cover 1t up with a new suit an
automobile or something called a
complex. The complex is still there.
Get rid Of the thing and Wen have :
a clear conscience.
May read further: For he is a |
minister Of God to they for good
but If thou do that which is vile,
be afraid; for he beareth not the |
sword in vain: for he is the minis
ter Of God a revenger to execute
wrath but also for conscience sake.
Don't be subject to high powers
because you're afraid you'll get
! branded or beaten but for nor-