A story that highlights the problems of patronage. This is what the Progressives were trying to eradicate with civil service reform.
- Click here for the story.
After entering office, Ames consolidated his power over the city's police department (the one area of city government which the mayor had full control over). He fired nearly half of the city's officers and replaced them with political allies and henchmen. He installed his brother Frederick W. Ames, "a weak, vacillating individual," as the city's police chief. Norman W. King, a gambler and underworld figure, became the city's chief of detectives. Medical student and confidant Irwin A. Gardner was put in charge of the city's vice squad.[1]:344–345[6]
Ames and the Minneapolis police began operating as an organized crime syndicate, extorting protection money and "fines" from illegal businesses of various kinds. The money collected was turned over to Ames and divided between him and his associates. Minneapolis was promoted as an "open city" to criminals across the country and criminals were released from the city's jail. Illegal businesses such as opiumjoints, gambling parlors, and houses of prostitution blossomed, many in the Gateway district. It was speculated that women were setting up candy stores to run a legitimate business to children and workers out front, but providing the services of prostitutes in the back.[1]:345–346[7]
After a year in office, Ames' organization began to swirl out of control. Ames was drinking heavily and the various police and politicians under him began to fight among themselves, withholding money from Ames or developing their own extortion schemes without his approval. Attempts by the Hennepin County sheriff to crack down on the widespread criminal activities were quashed, but even average citizens were aware of the city's descent into corruption.
