Born in Chicago, Frank Magie came to Duluth in 1893.  He served as a deputy sheriff for 21 years and first became a candidate for sheriff in 1914, being defeated by a small margin.  He was elected sheriff in 1918, in which capacity he served until 1931.  The Duluth News Tribune newspaper on March 18, 1947, described his tenure as "adventure-filled."

While in his deputy sheriff/sheriff positions, he was wounded in a gun battle with a prisoner and made headlines in 1930 when he refused to give up his office to his successor Emil M. Erickson.

In November 1930 Sheriff Frank L. Magie contested Emil M. Erickson’s right to the office of sheriff on the ground he was not a citizen and contended that Erickson was born in 1886 and his father was naturalized in 1908, when Erickson was more than 21 years old. 

The sheriff’s department is to the county what the police department is to the city, the bulwark between the law-abiding and lawless element.  In addition, however, Sheriff Frank L. Magie and his deputies, pictured above, are the arms of the court, delegated to see that court orders are obeyed.  The officers are delegated to special duties.  Some are assigned to clerical work in the office.  Others are outside workers, who pursue and arrest those suspected of wrongdoing.  Still another department has charge of the prisoners after they are taken, such as the jailors, watchmen and cooks.  Each of the four local courtrooms also has a bailiff, recruited from the sheriff’s office.  Sheriff’s headquarters are established in Duluth and on the range. 

The Duluth department is pictured above.  Its members are, left to right:  Front row: C.A. Monroe, Frank Hoppe, Joe Allen, Frank Heidman, Michael Boyle, George Brown, Sheriff Frank L. Magie, A. W. Gasper, Frank Doudt, T. J. Hanifen, Nellie Gullingsrud, Ivy H. Eklund, G. F. Magie, George Mallory.  Back row-R. T. Serrurier, John Murphy, R. W. Smith, Frank Carlson, Robert Wendlandt, Albert Hanson, C. E. Browne, J. R. Burdash, James Dunbar, Stanley Legeske, Jr., G. A. Hoel, Capt. D.E. Stevens, Bert Duff, S.W. MacMillan, Sam Altman and J. C. Brown, chief deputy.

Source:  Duluth Herald, dated Friday, September 28, 1928.

An excerpt from a newspaper article states: “Sheriff Magie maintained a guard of deputies in his office through last night. The vigil has been continued since last Sunday night to forestall any attempts to take the office by force.”