St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1959-09-04

I dare say on that corner of Kent
and Rondo everybody around that
corner isn't alright either and
there's some bad fellows on that
corner. There are some pimps
there are prostitutes there are
narcotic peddlers, some hangers
on and people who violate the law
of the land.
When lived at 5S7 Rondo some
times they would wake up my wife
and children with their vulgarity
all the way from that corner and
this word NJ F that we use among
US, that is a standard word and
they always want to call some
body that. Now, that's some of the
things on our side of the fence.
Now, some of these policemen
might feel prejudice. Look, every
body is not free from prejudices.
We're not free from prejudice our
selves. I'm not free from it-I
have prejudices. These men have
their prejudices but there is one
thing that you must realize that
Police Department is as strong
as the community behind II. When
a hoodlum gets arrested and every
body rears up about that fellow
and after all you're not handling
Sunday School people. Some people
you can say, what's his identified
ton - ask him what his name is
and he'll comply and some fellows.
If you talk nice to them they think
you're showing weakness and some
fellows only understand good hard
talk.
Now, I'll make a quotation from
Captain James Sheehan who wrote
a book on police work. He said
the first rule a hoodlum under
stands is on the end of that club.
There's a lot Of truth in that"
I'm a minority just like the rest
Of you. had made Sergeant four
days and a colored fellow was
brought into the place charged
with driving after revocation of
his license. II was a court order
the police had nothing to do with
it. He came up before me and ]
asked him-What's your name ? He
said you're so CD. smart you
ought to know. I said let's start
all over again. said I'm just here
just trying to do a job like every
body else, I'm trying to do my
job. I just want to know your
name. He claimed he was being
Disseminated against because he
was arrested for driving after re-
vocation Of his license so I said
once more, what's your name and
where do you live.
Then he gave me the same an
swer and called me the favorite
expression the boys use. He was
hot headed - so I'm not perfect
either so kinda lost my temper.
I reached across there and grab
bed him and I said, now listen
fella, what do you think you're
doing and I talked a little rough
to him and he gave me his name
and address and he talked just as
nice as he could be.
He was the kind of individual
who thought when I was talking
nice to him that I was showing
weakness. BY talking a little rough
to that individual he figured that
I'm a strong man so he came
across.
Now. maybe there was a mixed
couple involved - maybe that par
ticular officer doesn't like that
there's a lot of us that don't like
it. Lot of us don't like to see
it the other way around-so that
officer made a mistake.
If that officer made a mistake
there's no reason to riot. They
should have marked the time OF
that incident and brought it to
the attention of the proper author
tiles. realize a lot Of times that
the people talk rough to these
guys. Sometimes they don't lust
use the proper language but wher
that happens you don't take the
law into your own hands bring
that to the proper authorities.
Now, there's another thing. We
don't want anybody to call us
names. I don't like it. I don't like
anyone to call me niger or any
thing like that and neither woulc
you. We have a Mexican Police.
man and I heard these fellow.
calling him greasy wetback. Now
hat isn't right. Now, we're the
first ones to boiler when someone
Jumps our back but say thi,
hing has a pendulum that swing,
both ways. The police are not al
ways right-the people are not al
ways right but we have to NEE
this thing half way.
About that corner - Anvon,
can drive by that corner on a no
hight on Friday or Saturday nigh
and see all those people gathered
here and when you come to max,
hem move-make a massive NOV,
they make federal case of it, ant
what happens? The so called gooC
people and citizens-when the,
have an arrest out there they com
nit the crime of silence. I WASH
there-I didn't have anything to d.
with it. Do we want law enforce
ment or don't we. I raise this cues
ton here tonight Do you wan
law enforcement in our area o
don't you and it's as simple a
that, it's as simple as that. Eithe
we're going to have law enforce
ment or we're NOT
Now, in this particular area
lot Of - you know Lee Gary. He
man sixty-seven years old. !
couple colored fellows beat hin
within almost an inch of his lif
so some Of these fellows haven
a heart of gold.
Some Of these fellows have lar
ceny in them. I don't say all o
these sluggings were committe,
by colored people and they prob
ably weren't but there also hay
been a few. Now, there's only on
way to stop this in the community
You have to get down to har,
police work. Now, we haven't an,
Dick Tracys down there and n
Sam Spades-the only way to d
this work is to get out there an
get a few knocks and get a few
insults and brother there, I'm tell
ing you, it's a tough thing t
question a fellow on Kent and Ron
40 That's a tough job and
wouldn't want it. It's really a toug
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