St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-04-09
HOW 1T STRIKES PEOPLE.
Interview With One of the Leading
Saloon Keepers in the City.
He FayOrs High License and Also Endorses
Mayor O'Brien.
Comments on Fire Bugs, the Police, and
City Affairs Generally.

| VI InO 0LOBE Reporter yesterday dlteIuoou.
| II think the traffic should be regulated, !"
was the reply; ''the recent demonstration at
Market hall looks like business; it is about
the only sensible move that has been made.
Idon't believe in graded license; the exper
nment has been tried in Iowa, and has prove
failure.''
| Reporter-ssIn what respect2'
Mr.. Donnelly-''I will explain. For in
stance man taking out license in Iowa
was given the privilege to sell beer, ale and
native wines; in fact, every sort OF beverage
but spirituous and fermented drinks; the re-
suit was, big temptation was
given the dealer to sell whisky and other fer
mented drinks, under cover OF his cheap Ii
| cense. You can see for yourself the PERM
cious result OF the system. So far as st. Paul
is concerned, think high license would
have tendency to shut off a great many OF
the the outside saloons, where poor grade OF
liquor is dispensed to the working or labor
ing classes, whose resources are limited, and
they are therefore practically barred from the
reputable resorts"
Reporter-''I don't quite understand
YOU"
Mr.. Donnelly-"Well, will explain; for
instance, respectable dealer in the central
part of the city cannot afford to injure his
patronage by catering to class of trade that
makes his establishment resort for idlers or
loungers who, while they have means of their
own, still by their presence drive better and
respectable class of patronage away.
Reporter-''By the way, Mr.. Donnelly,
| aside from the temperance question, you
should be in a good position to appreciate
the recent talk about attempts at incendi-
arism and the general growl about the alleg-
ed mismanagement of municipal affairs"
Mr.. Donnelly-"This is where / think the
public and the press are weak; why, just look
at it; within the past few months st. Paul
has had over score of incendiary fires and
not single frebug has been apprehended.
Look at that fire ON Sunday night; 1 mean
the burning of Capt. Bressett's house "a more
dastardly crime or villainous piece of work
has never been perpetrated in any civilized
community. Just look at the circumstances
there was Bresett down town; it was his
night on; he had charge of the entire police
force of this city on that night; what
did his duties consist of;
they involved the welfare and safety, for the
time being, of the entire community. Here
was an officer attentive to his duty, and the
city slept in safety. Look at the reverse; he
| leaves at home his wife, defenseless
woman, verging on to fifty years of age, and
residing in what is regarded as the high
toned and respectable portion of this city.
| During the night an enemy,
| worse than the vulgar midnight assassin,
invades the sanctity of his home, and while
his wife is asleep the match of the incendiary
is applied, with what cruel result is known.
Now then, Mr.. Reporter, why don't you
| newspaper fellows ventilate this thing
here is man whom everybody knows
is the victim to the meanest kind of persecu-
ton, from parties who dare not show their
hand, but like the lurking awssssin
infict their stabs in the dark.
What is the city coming to9 think little
of the Cincinnati business might go long
way towards squaring matters"
Reporter explain Yourself"
Mr.. Donnelly-"We as a matter of fact,
to get down to the bone of the thing, if / had
plenty of money | should prefer standing
a trial for murder before the state court
than to be tried for counterfeiting before
the United States court; l think
Iwould get off great deal easier.
Speaking of the Bressett matter, this very
day well-known citizen informed me that
he was afraid this was not the end of it; it
is the town talk that his house was burned
out of pure spite, and there are men in st.
Paul who do not hesitate in saying that there
will be more trouble in this direction yet.
Oh! you can smile, but 1 tell you that no less
parsonage than the leading insurance man
of this state told me that if something was
not done to put stop to the attempts
at incendiarism in this city the
insurance companies would be compelled to
raise the rates beyond any reasonable limit
and perhaps withdraw. The same gentle
man was in Chicago at meeting Of the I'M
dcrwrighters few weeks ago, when an effort
was made to raise the risks in this city, and
it was owing to his efforts alone, in explain
ing the position of the law abiding element
of the city, that the rates were not raised"
Reporter-'Do you mean to imply that the
administration of local affairs is responsible
for this?'
Mr.. Donnelly-" Ask me something easy.
In the first place l want to say good word
for Mayor O'Brien and Chief Clark. | adj
mire these gentlemen for their stalwart hon
esty, and steadfast adherence to principle.
But | don't think the police officials have
pulled together since DR.. Stewart was mayor;
there has been a lack of conference and dis
cipline; the department has been weakened
by petty chickering's and jealousies; private
grievances have been allowed to creep in and
interfere with the discharge of duties, to the
detriment of public welfare"
Reporter ''You think then, that the police
force is controlled by local political in
fluences.''
Mr.. Donnely-''W don't say the po-
lice force exactly, so much as the parties who
are instrumental in their appointment"
Reporter ''What would you suggest as the
remedy"
Mr.. Donnelly-sI believe the appointing
power should be taken away from the pot
house politicians and strikers, and given
either to the governor, or the judges of the
district COURT This, believe,
would afford solution of the
difficulty and do away with one of the worst
evils that the city government has to con-
tend with. Talk about the enforcement of
the ordinances, it is all bosh; look at the
law prohibiting the carrying of concealed
weapons; anyone with grain of sense
knows that any well posted
police officer can collar a dozen violators of
this law on his beat any day of the week,
and the characters will be all well known,
too.n
Reporter-''Do you carry gun9"
Mr.. Donnelly-'I haven't got to that stage
of the game yet, bu6 just the same, 1 deem
it necessary to keep in my house shot gun
loaded with double BIS, and 1 think I am
fully prepared to protect myself against the
intrusion of fire-bugs or any other midnight
vermin.''
Reporter-"In conclusion, Mr.. Donnelly,
strictly on the dead, what is your idea about
| the maYor's enforcement of ordinance No.