St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-04-18
HOSs TRADES.
Investigating the Way Horses are
Bought and Sold in the Fire
DEPARTMENT.


Bought and Sold in the Fire
Department.
The fire department committee Of the city
council met last night to investigate the al
legged crookedness in horse flesh matters
Nicholas Hardy was the CONF planning witness.
The following is an abstract of the testi-
mony:
Mr.. Hardy said there was insufficient no.
tice given of the sale of the condemned
horses, and that some of them were as good
as now in the department.; that in relation to
the purchase Of new horses the committee
gave him no show, though his horses were
better than those they purchased, and that
they refused to give his horses even a trial;
t at he was told by one Burton that the pow
ers that were wanted was $3.50 out of the
seller for every horse they accepted;
was asked to keep still about
this talk afterwards by Com
missioner Schliek on two occasions. He
asked DR.. Berkman, the veterinary surgeon Of
the department., why the commissioners
didn't give him a sight, and he said they
didn't think his horses were heavy enough
and they wouldn't have them; one horse
condemned from No. steamer was better
than the new roam bought of Chas. Brown,
better mover and quleter
horse; he offered to put the horses he had
for sale to any test Of service or weight and
if they were beaten by anything he would
give them to the city; only he and Jim
Murmane we're the bidders present at the
sale of condemned horses; he was told of
the sale by the doctor and Schlicl. He didn't
tell any one he would give the parties 1926 fee
l, H., ~
he would make it right with the old man"
Geo Wentworth knew the condemned
grey team, and offered Schliek $3.50 for them
in the street the day before the sale: he re
ferred him to the doctor. The next day he
went to the doctor and found the five horses
had been sold. He should have considered
the gray team cheap at $500, and considered
their sale had been Improperly ADVERTISED.
Schliek told him he offered too much for the
horses at the time he made the offer, but
didn't tell him they were to be sold next
morning.
Mr.. Mulligan, driver Of hook and ladder
No. 2, testified that the Bohn horses bought
were driven three weeks before one of them
baked, but that he wouldn't do it when a
span of leaders were ahead of him; had
driven in the Brooklyn fire department fiji
teen years, and knew good horses; ne was
consulted about the Bohn horses and pre-
ferred them to others offered the department
at the time of their purchase. One of
Bohn's men had told him one of the span
would balll.
Commissioner Prendergrast was on the
horse committee; Doctor Berkman did not
advise the commission to buy the Hardy
horses; the doctor said test them if YOU want
to, but after that, relying on his judgment,
the commissioners did DOT care to.
Tom Davis wanted one of the condemned
horses for 1925, but conld get no chance to
buy the animal.
Chief Black said. the Bohn horse, who
baked, was high strung and nervous, and
was laid up with a sore foot, having stepped
on himself. Some most nervous horses
at first made the best horses finally in the de-
partment. This horse had been hitched up
beside number of green horses, which
might account for his baking. He wss
giving good satisfaction lately, aud the Bohn
span was the best span in the department.
Capt. P. Berkey thought the highest price
could have been got from draymen and
truckmen by putting up the condemned
horses at auction on short time advertise
ment.
G.. Bohn, of the firm of Bohn & Co., who
| sold the city the Bohn horses for $3.50, said
they were selected each from separate span,
and neither of them ever baked when in
| his ownership.
He considered the span worth $500 to-day,
and would be glad to take them back from
the city at what they gave, but had not yet
paid. When he sold them he had not work
for all his teams, but now he bad plenty.
He had never had fees mentioned to him in
their sale and DR.. Prices was his veterinary
surgeon. He had examined the horse
claimed to balll and found that It'll had been
burned on the back at the Buford fire, which
he thought accounted for all its actions.
Jacob Bowerman had sold two horses to
the city for 500, never heard anything about
fees and produced his bank hook to show
what he did with the money.
John Wagner sold two horses to the city
this spring for 5000 and no mention was
made of a fee; didn't know of the sale of
condemned horses.
Charles Brown sold nine head of horses to
the city for 81 200. He couldn't wait for ''nO
funds'' in the treasury and Mr.. Schliek paid
him 81, 100 in a check and SS6 a few days
after so that he could go after more horses,
and he receipted the bill He under
stood Schliek was authorized to do this by
the commissioners as they wanted the horses,
which suited them, for immediate use on the
new engines. He couldn't wait for the
money then from the city, and it was OWN g
him 81, 425 now for horses, which was not to
its credit as paymaster. He never heard
of any fees or paid any fees on his horse
sales to anyone whatever.
James Murnane offered 800 for seven
condemned horses and bought five for 1926;
paid all they were worth; had sold two he
couldn't use for 1878, and the city could
have the three others back for $3.50. He
had offered them at that price to Hardy, and
he wouldn't give but $40.
Chief Brck recalled-Said the horses sold
were unfit for fire work, and were on the
doctors list after every fire, thought they sold
well; and Chas. Brown, recalled, said that
DR.. Berkman had tried to have him buy the
condemned horses which he did not want, or
bring parties to do so.
Commissioner Delano said the commits
sion had authorized Schliek to purchase the
Brown horses snd agreed to reimburse him
when the city could pay the bill.
Ed. Hembeck, Schliek's book-keeper, pro-
duced the day book on which he himself on
the dates in question, charged Schliek with a
check of 81, 100 and $SS in cash.
Adjourned to 7:30 next Monday evening,
to complete the hearing.
Sixth Ward Street Tniunction.