Albert Alonzo "Doc" Ames (January 18, 1842 – November 16, 1911) was an American physician and politician who held four non-consecutive terms as mayor of Minneapolis, Minnesota. His fourth term was marked by multiple prosecutions for

political corruption Political corruption is the use of powers by government officials or their network contacts for illegitimate private gain. Forms of corruption vary but can include bribery, lobbying, extortion, cronyism, nepotism, parochialism, patronage, influen ...

extortion Extortion is the practice of obtaining benefit (e.g., money or goods) through coercion. In most jurisdictions it is likely to constitute a criminal offence. Robbery is the simplest and most common form of extortion, although making unfounded ...

, and

racketeering Racketeering is a type of organized crime in which the perpetrators set up a coercion, coercive, fraud, fraudulent, extortionary, or otherwise illegal coordinated scheme or operation (a "racket") to repeatedly or consistently collect a profit. ...

in a scandal which was publicized nationwide by

muckraking The muckrakers were reform-minded journalists, writers, and photographers in the Progressive Era in the United States (1890s–1920s) who claimed to expose corruption and wrongdoing in established institutions, often through sensationalist publ ...

journalist A journalist is a person who gathers information in the form of text, audio or pictures, processes it into a newsworthy form and disseminates it to the public. This is called journalism. Roles Journalists can work in broadcast, print, advertis ...

Lincoln Steffens Joseph Lincoln Steffens (April 6, 1866 – August 9, 1936) was an American investigative journalist and one of the leading muckrakers of the Progressive Era in the early 20th century. He launched a series of articles in '' McClure's'', called " ...

in a 1903 article in

McClure's Magazine ''McClure's'' or ''McClure's Magazine'' (1893–1929) was an American illustrated monthly periodical popular at the turn of the 20th century. The magazine is credited with having started the tradition of muckraking journalism ( investigative, wat ...

titled ''The Shame of Minneapolis.'' Ames was found guilty of corruption, but after a successful appeal and multiple

mistrials In law, a trial is a coming together of parties to a dispute, to present information (in the form of evidence) in a tribunal, a formal setting with the authority to adjudicate claims or disputes. One form of tribunal is a court. The tribunal, ...

the charges were dropped. Erik Rivenes, however, has called the downfall of Mayor Ames, "one of the greatest political scandals in Minnesota history."

Early life and military service

Ames was born in Garden Prairie, Illinois on January 18, 1842 to Dr. Alfred Elisha Ames and Martha A. Ames. In 1852, Ames' family relocated to near

Fort Snelling Fort Snelling is a former military fortification and National Historic Landmark in the U.S. state of Minnesota on the bluffs overlooking the confluence of the Minnesota and Mississippi Rivers. The military site was initially named Fort Saint An ...

in the

Minnesota Territory The Territory of Minnesota was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from March 3, 1849, until May 11, 1858, when the eastern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the state of Minnesota and the w ...

. At this point the area was still largely undeveloped (they were only the seventh homestead claim made in Minneapolis). Ames attended local public schools which were partially run by the federal government. While attending high school in 1857, Ames became employed as a "

printer's devil A printer's devil was a young apprentice in a printing establishment who performed a number of tasks, such as mixing tubs of ink and fetching type. Notable writers including Benjamin Franklin, Walt Whitman, Ambrose Bierce, Bret Harte, and Mar ...

" and a

newspaper carrier A paperboy is someoneoften an older child or adolescentwho distributes printed newspapers to homes or offices on a regular route, usually by bicycle or automobile. In Western nations during the heyday of print newspapers during the early 20th cen ...

for the ''Northwestern Democrat'' (one of the first newspapers in Minneapolis). After graduating from high school in 1858, Ames pursued a career in medicine. Though he received much of his experience and training by observing and working with his father, he attended some classes at

Rush Medical College Rush Medical College is the medical school of Rush University, a private research university in Chicago, Illinois. Established in 1837, it is affiliated with Rush University Medical Center, and John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County. ...

Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

and received his

M.D. A Doctor of Medicine (abbreviated MD, from the Latin ) is a medical degree, the meaning of which varies between different jurisdictions. In the United States, and some other countries, the ''MD'' denotes a professional degree of physician. This ge ...

on February 5, 1862. Albert Alonzo Ames

After graduating with his M.D., Ames returned to Minneapolis intending to start his career as a doctor. After the outbreak of the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

and tensions with the

Dakota people The Dakota (pronounced , or ) are a Native Americans in the United States, Native American tribe (Native American), tribe and First Nations in Canada, First Nations band government in North America. They compose two of the three main subcultur ...

began to flare up, Ames enlisted in the 9th Minnesota Volunteer Infantry Regiment as a

private Private or privates may refer to: Music * "In Private", by Dusty Springfield from the 1990 album ''Reputation'' * Private (band), a Denmark-based band * "Private" (Ryōko Hirosue song), from the 1999 album ''Private'', written and also recorded ...

in August 1862. Two weeks later, Ames was transferred to the

7th Minnesota Volunteer Infantry Regiment The 7th Minnesota Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment in the Union Army that served in the Western Theater of the American Civil War. Service The 7th Minnesota Infantry Regiment was mustered into Federal service at Camp Release, Fort Sne ...

and promoted to assistant surgeon. He served with the 7th Minnesota during the

Dakota War of 1862 The Dakota War of 1862, also known as the Sioux Uprising, the Dakota Uprising, the Sioux Outbreak of 1862, the Dakota Conflict, or Little Crow's War, was an armed conflict between the United States and several eastern bands of Dakota people, Da ...

and was present at the execution by hanging of 38 Dakota warriors at

Mankato Mankato ( ) is a city in Blue Earth, Nicollet, and Le Sueur counties in the U.S. state of Minnesota. It is the county seat of Blue Earth County, Minnesota. The population was 44,488 at the 2020 census, making it the 21st-largest city in Mi ...

on December 26, 1862.Erik Rivenes (2018), ''Dirty Doc Ames and the Scandal that Shook Minneapolis'', page 19. Ames then served in several battles in the western theater of the Civil War. In July 1864, Ames replaced Lucius B. Smith as surgeon of the 7th Regiment, after the latter was

killed in action Killed in action (KIA) is a casualty classification generally used by militaries to describe the deaths of their personnel at the hands of enemy or hostile forces at the moment of action. The United States Department of Defense, for example, ...

during the Battle of Tupelo. He was promoted to the rank of surgeon major before mustering out of service in August 1865.

Medical career

Following the war, Ames briefly returned to Minnesota to work in the medical field with his father. His popularity among Civil War veterans was such that he was elected to serve in the

Minnesota House of Representatives The Minnesota House of Representatives is the lower chamber of the U.S. state of Minnesota's Minnesota Legislature, legislature. It operates in conjunction with the Minnesota Senate, the state's upper chamber, to write and pass legislation, whic ...

in 1866 on a "soldiers' ticket." In 1868, he decided to move west to

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

. Once there he joined the newspaper business, becoming managing editor of the ''Alta California''. Ames remained in California until 1874 when he was summoned home due to his father's death. Ames took over his father's medical practice in Minneapolis and developed a reputation as a kind and sympathetic figure. He was well known for treating the poor at no charge and for answering calls at any time of the day. He also served as a firefighter. In 1886, when Minnesota's deadliest ever

tornado A tornado is a violently rotating column of air that is in contact with the surface of Earth and a cumulonimbus cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud. It is often referred to as a twister, whirlwind or cyclone, although the ...

devastated both St. Cloud and Sauk Rapids, "Doc Ames" arrived at the scene in order to treat the injured. This brought him to nationwide attention.

Political rise

Ames became active in the city's Democratic party. He served on the Minneapolis City Council in 1875–1876 and was named the city's health officer in 1878. He was elected the city's mayor three times in 1876, 1882 and 1886. His first term was described as "an indifferent success" but his second and third terms generated accusations of corruption. Ames was not as successful with his attempts at higher office. During this era Minnesota was heavily dominated by the Republican party and thus Ames faced difficult odds for most state offices. In 1877 he ran unsuccessfully as lieutenant governor. In 1886, he ran for governor but narrowly lost to Andrew Ryan McGill. The narrow margin of victory sparked controversy over who was the actual winner, and the election was contested until Ames decided the effort was not worth the time. He also ran unsuccessfully for a seat in the

United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the Bicameralism, bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Artic ...

and, at one time, had been under consideration as a candidate for the vice presidency. Ames was instrumental in the creation of a veteran's home in Minneapolis. He initially promoted the idea at the state's Democratic convention in 1886. Despite losing the election, the Republican administration accepted his suggestions and authorized the construction of the Minnesota Veterans Home. Ames later served there as a surgeon. After being defeated in an election for park board in 1888, Ames took a long trip to Europe. Upon returning home, Ames gave an

anti-Irish Anti-Irish sentiment, also Hibernophobia, is bigotry against the Irish people or individuals. It can include hatred, oppression, persecution, as well as simple discrimination. Generally, it could be bigotry against people from the island of Ire ...

and

anti-Catholic Anti-Catholicism is hostility towards Catholics and opposition to the Catholic Church, its clergy, and its adherents. Scholars have identified four categories of anti-Catholicism: constitutional-national, theological, popular and socio-cul ...

interview that outraged Minnesota's large

Irish-American Irish Americans () are Irish ethnics who live within in the United States, whether immigrants from Ireland or Americans with full or partial Irish ancestry. Irish immigration to the United States From the 17th century to the mid-19th c ...

population and made Ames multiple lifelong enemies. When asked for his, "views about Ireland", Ames replied, "Well, they have changed. When I left I was prejudiced in favor of

Home Rule Home rule is the government of a colony, dependent country, or region by its own citizens. It is thus the power of a part (administrative division) of a state or an external dependent country to exercise such of the state's powers of governan ...

, but now I do not think the people of Ireland are capable of ruling themselves... I have had plenty of opportunity of studying the Irish question, and I am convinced of one thing, that Ireland is priest-ridden... They are bowed down by superstition and ignorance, and this is to be found wherever the priests are. The priest power of Ireland does not want the people to be educated." After Ames' comments resulted in a firestorm of outraged denunciations by Irish-Americans who had formerly supported him, the Genial Doctor claimed to have received five death threats in letters which promised Ames the same treatment given to Dr. Patrick Henry Cronin. The letters came, Ames alleged, from Roger Vail, the editor of the Minneapolis-based '' Irish Standard'' newspaper, on behalf of the

Irish republican Irish republicanism () is the political movement for an Irish republic, void of any British rule. Throughout its centuries of existence, it has encompassed various tactics and identities, simultaneously elective and militant and has been both w ...

Clan na Gael Clan na Gael (CnG) (, ; "family of the Gaels") is an Irish republican organization, founded in the United States in the late 19th and 20th centuries, successor to the Fenian Brotherhood and a sister organization to the Irish Republican Bro ...

organization. In response, the Doctor made a lifelong enemy out of Vail, whose ''Irish Standard'' responded by reprinting editorials from Ames' many critics among the Minnesota press, who argued that the letters were almost certainly manufactured, "by Ames & Co." After losing an independent campaign for mayor in 1898, Ames devised a new strategy. In the 1900 primary election for mayor, he exploited a newly adopted rule which changed the city's primary elections to an

open primary Primary elections or primaries are elections held to determine which candidates will run in an upcoming general election. In a partisan primary, a political party selects a candidate. Depending on the state and/or party, there may be an "open pri ...

(allowing voters to vote for candidates in either party). He campaigned for votes as a Republican (knowing the competition was limited) and narrowly won the nomination. He went on to win the general election in 1900. Between his underhanded election strategy and accusations of corruption in his prior administrations, Ames was described as "damned politically, socially and professionally" when he entered office in 1901.

"The Shame of Minneapolis"

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 his political allies, henchmen, and criminals who purchased their badges. As police chief, Ames appointed his brother Colonel Frederick W. Ames, who despite being "a weak, vacillating individual," had recently commanded an entire regiment of Minnesota soldiers during the

Philippine–American War The Philippine–American War, known alternatively as the Philippine Insurrection, Filipino–American War, or Tagalog Insurgency, emerged following the conclusion of the Spanish–American War in December 1898 when the United States annexed th ...

. Norman W. King, a gambler and underworld figure, became the city's chief of detectives. Medical student and confidant Irwin A. Gardner was made a special policeman, worked as the Mayor's

bagman The term bagman (or bag man) has different meanings in different countries. One group of definitions centers on the idea of traveling. In British usage, "bagman" is a term for a traveling salesman, first known from 1808. In Australian usage, it ...

, and was also put in charge of the city's

vice squad Vice Squad are an English punk rock band formed in 1979 in Bristol. The band was formed from two other local punk bands, The Contingent and TV Brakes. The songwriter and vocalist Beki Bondage (born Rebecca Bond) was a founding member of the b ...

. Mayor Ames and the Minneapolis police began operating as an

organized crime Organized crime is a category of transnational organized crime, transnational, national, or local group of centralized enterprises run to engage in illegal activity, most commonly for profit. While organized crime is generally thought of as a f ...

syndicate,

extorting Extortion is the practice of obtaining benefit (e.g., money or goods) through coercion. In most jurisdictions it is likely to constitute a criminal offence. Robbery is the simplest and most common form of extortion, although making unfounded t ...

protection money A protection racket is a type of racket and a scheme of organized crime perpetrated by a potentially hazardous organized crime group that generally guarantees protection outside the sanction of the law to another entity or individual from viol ...

and various "fines" from the city's illegal businesses. The money collected was turned over to Ames and only small fees were given to his associates. Minneapolis was promoted as an "open city" to criminals across the country and criminals were released from the city's

jail A prison, also known as a jail, gaol, penitentiary, detention center, correction center, correctional facility, or remand center, is a facility where people are imprisoned under the authority of the state, usually as punishment for various cr ...

. Illegal businesses such as

opium Opium (also known as poppy tears, or Lachryma papaveris) is the dried latex obtained from the seed Capsule (fruit), capsules of the opium poppy ''Papaver somniferum''. Approximately 12 percent of opium is made up of the analgesic alkaloid mor ...

joints,

gambling Gambling (also known as betting or gaming) is the wagering of something of Value (economics), value ("the stakes") on a Event (probability theory), random event with the intent of winning something else of value, where instances of strategy (ga ...

parlors, and houses of

prostitution Prostitution is a type of sex work that involves engaging in sexual activity in exchange for payment. The definition of "sexual activity" varies, and is often defined as an activity requiring physical contact (e.g., sexual intercourse, no ...

blossomed, many in the Gateway district. It was speculated that women were setting up

candy Candy, alternatively called sweets or lollies, is a Confectionery, confection that features sugar as a principal ingredient. The category, also called ''sugar confectionery'', encompasses any sweet confection, including chocolate, chewing gum ...

stores to run a legitimate business to children and workers out front, but providing the services of prostitutes in the back. 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 Hennepin County ( ) is a County (United States), county in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 1,281,565, and was estimated to be 1,273,334 in 2024, making it the List of counties in ...

sheriff to crack down on the widespread criminal activities were quashed, but even average citizens were aware of the city's descent into corruption.

Prosecution

In April 1902, a grand jury under the leadership of foreman Hovey C. Clarke began an investigation into the Minneapolis city government and its officials. Clarke was a respected and successful citizen who singlehandedly took on the case, dismissing the county's prosecutor when he was unwilling to attack Ames. Clarke paid private detectives, both locally known men and others from out of town, to investigate. After obtaining enough evidence to indict two of Ames' henchmen, they were convinced to

turn state's evidence A criminal turns state's evidence by admitting guilt and testifying as a witness for the state against their associate(s) or accomplice(s), often in exchange for leniency in sentencing or immunity from prosecution.Howard Abadinsky, ''Organized ...

and provide information on others in the organization. By June 1902, indictments has been made against Fred Ames, Gardner and others. Before he too was convicted, Ames fled the city after announcing he has been hired to run a hotel in West Baden, Indiana. He attempted to stay in power from Indiana, but finally announced his resignation as mayor effective September 6, 1902. As his former allies were tried and indicted, Ames remained on the run. In February 1903, he was arrested at the house of Episcopalian clergyman Rev. C. H. Chapin in

Hancock, New Hampshire Hancock is a town in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 1,731 at the 2020 census. Hancock is home to the Welch Family Farm Forest. The main village of the town, where 213 people resided at the 2020 census, is ...

. Despite a "strong fight on the part of the fugitive," Ames was

extradited In an extradition, one jurisdiction delivers a person accused or convicted of committing a crime in another jurisdiction, into the custody of the other's law enforcement. It is a cooperative law enforcement procedure between the two jurisdic ...

to Minnesota and put on trial for receiving a bribe of six hundred dollars from a prostitute. Based on the testimony of his co-conspirators, including his

Irwin A. Gardner, Ames was found guilty and sentenced to six years in the Minnesota State Prison at Stillwater. The sentence was overturned on appeal and, after two additional trials ended as

, all legal action against him was ceased.

Personal life

In April 1862, Ames married Sarah Strout, the daughter of Captain Richard Strout, who had helped to raise the 9th and 10th Minnesota Infantry Regiments. Emery Washington, a family friend, later recalled, "Richard Strout's family consisted of his wife and one daughter, the latter a handsome girl. I remember as well as though it were yesterday the day she was married to Dr. A. A. Ames. I was at the house when they returned from church, and I remarked to Capt. Strout that I had never seen a finer looking couple... A few weeks after the wedding Dr. Ames went to war with his company."

Later life

After the end of the final trial, Ames returned to Minneapolis to practice medicine. He died quite suddenly during the night on November 16, 1911. His obituary in the ''Minneapolis Morning Tribune'' described Ames as a 33rd degree

Scottish Rite The Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry is a List of Masonic rites, rite within the broader context of Freemasonry. It is the most widely practiced List of Masonic rites, Rite in the world. In some parts of the world, and in the ...

Freemason Freemasonry (sometimes spelled Free-Masonry) consists of fraternal groups that trace their origins to the medieval guilds of stonemasons. Freemasonry is the oldest secular fraternity in the world and among the oldest still-existing organizati ...

, and a

Knight Templar The Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon, mainly known as the Knights Templar, was a Military order (religious society), military order of the Catholic Church, Catholic faith, and one of the most important military ord ...

. He was also a member of the

Knights of Pythias The Knights of Pythias is a Fraternal and service organizations, fraternal organization and secret society founded in Washington, D.C., on . The Knights of Pythias was the first fraternal organization to receive a charter under an Act of Co ...

. After a service inside his home by a Unitarian minister, his body was cremated in Minneapolis's

Lakewood Cemetery Lakewood Cemetery is a large private, non-sectarian, rural cemetery located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. It is located at 3600 Hennepin Avenue at the southern end of the Uptown, Minneapolis, Uptown area. It is noted for its chapel ...

. He left his widow a sum of $1,410.94 and a sum of $1 to each of his surviving children.

Legacy

More than a century after his death, the crimes committed by Dr. Ames during his last term as Mayor remain a well-known chapter in the history of

in the

Twin Cities Twin cities are a special case of two neighboring cities or urban centres that grow into a single conurbation – or narrowly separated urban areas – over time. There are no formal criteria, but twin cities are generally comparable in stat ...

. In his memoir ''Augie's Secrets'', Twin Cities journalist

Neal Karlen Neal Karlen is an American journalist, memoirist and author of nine books, currently living in Minneapolis. He is a former Contributing Editor for ''Rolling Stone'', former Associate Editor at ''Newsweek'', longtime contributor to ''The New York Ti ...

concedes that the power temporarily wielded in Minneapolis by

Jewish-American organized crime Jewish-American organized crime initially emerged within the American Jewish community during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In media and popular culture, it has variously been referred to as the Jewish Mob, the Jewish Mafia, the Kos ...

figures like

Kid Cann Isadore Blumenfeld (September 8, 1900 – June 21, 1981), commonly known as Kid Cann, was a Romanian-born Jewish-American organized crime enforcer based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, for over four decades. He remains the most notorious mobster ...

and David Berman beginning in the Prohibition-era gave a major boost to local

anti-Semitism Antisemitism or Jew-hatred is hostility to, prejudice towards, or discrimination against Jews. A person who harbours it is called an antisemite. Whether antisemitism is considered a form of racism depends on the school of thought. Antisemi ...

, for which Minneapolis became infamous nationwide. Karlen further argues, however, that the pervasive criminality during Mayor Ames' last term demonstrates that the city of Minneapolis was even more corrupt when Scandinavians and

White Anglo-Saxon Protestant In the United States, White Anglo-Saxon Protestants or Wealthy Anglo-Saxon Protestants (WASP) is a Sociology, sociological term which is often used to describe White Americans, white Protestantism in the United States, Protestant Americans of E ...

s were still running it.Neal Karlen (2013), ''Augie's Secrets'', pages 46-53.

References

External links

*(1881)
Albert Alonzo Ames.
History of Hennepin County and The City of Minneapolis. North Star Publishing. Archived at th

Accessed December 8, 2004. , - , - , - , - {{DEFAULTSORT:Ames, A. A. 1842 births 1911 deaths 19th-century mayors of places in Minnesota 20th-century mayors of places in Minnesota American Freemasons American political bosses American politicians convicted of bribery Anti-Catholicism in the United States Anti-Irish sentiment Catholicism and Freemasonry Former Anglicans Freemasonry-related controversies Mayors of Minneapolis Members of the Minnesota House of Representatives Minneapolis City Council members Minnesota Democrats Minnesota Republicans Organized crime in Minnesota People from Boone County, Illinois People of Minnesota in the American Civil War Physicians from Minnesota Rush Medical College alumni Union army surgeons United States Army Medical Corps officers 19th-century members of the Minnesota Legislature