From The Sentinel Feb. 1899

EDITOR SENTINEL:

Allow me to make a statement in your valuable paper concerning the arrest made one day last week by the village marshal.

I had been to Grantsburg buying some matches and sugar in the evening of the day the arrest occured. While in town I met an old acquaintance from Stillwater, who treated me on a drink or two, after which I went in to the store of A.E. Nelson and I bought the things I needed, and then I started homewards, going Pine street south.

Having arrived at the corner of Wisconsin avenue, I slipped and dropped the sugar bag, and the contents were scattered around me. While engaged in gathering up the sugar, the marshal came along, and not receiving the attention he expected, He placed me under arrest and with the aid of O.W. Anderson took me to the jail.

The marshal said he did not arrest me because I was drunk but because he was anxious to learn where I got the whiskey, which was not any of his business. He pressed me rather hard but was unsuccessful in his efforts.

I have proof to show that I was not more drunk than I knew what I was doing, and if we country people can not go to Grantsburg and buy our goods without fear of being arrested and fined, we would be better club together and send to the cities for the goods.

It is a well-known fact that a number of young men (and even older ones for that matter) of the village have time and again been drunk, but the marshal has never tried to arrest them, but as soon as a country lad shows up inside of the village limits then look out for the marshal's "argus ogon." If you will look over the records you will find that the majority of the arrests made during the past year has been country people because that bigheaded marshal thinks we country people are an easier match for him than the village people.

On this particular occasion I had bought my groceries and was on my way home when this brute apprehends me, grabs me and arrests me. If left alone I would have found my way home just as well as I found the way to town. Two prominent business men saw and heard part of the trouble and both admit that I was not very drunk, judging from my conversation with his honor, the marshal.

This man Dahlberg is a public nuisance and enjoys very little respect of the better class of Grantsburg citizens; but he seems to be upheld by a majority of the present "reform" board, and there must be some reason for retaining this man in office, much to the disgust of the people and taxpayers. More than half of the arrests he has made has been illegal, and it seems to be one of the sources of revenue for the village to pay our village attorney, marshal, etc. to have this man continually make illegal arrests.

In conclusion allow me to say that if Mr. Dahlberg ever puts his feet inside our premises, he will receive a hearty welcome, the consequences of which he will never forget.

C.O. Skog

Dated February 6, 1899