St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-11-24
LONG MINDED PLEAS,
In Which the siokening Details" are
Again Brought Before the Police
Commission.
Police Clerk Stevens and Alderman Sly
the Stars in stage-ike Pro-
ceedings.
The Former Gives Synopsis of all the
Direct Testimony Taken Against
Himself.
Mr.. Sly Sails in Somewhat Savagely
With His ssRemarks''--Awat
A Verdict.
The Minneapolis Police scandal

The Minneapolis Police Scandal.
The police commission convened yester-
day morning for the final bout in the police
investigation catch aS-catch- wrestling
match. No witnesses were called. Moth
ing was done but summing up the case.
The city attorney had nothing to say, and
no member of the commission, except Aid.
Sly, took an active part. After listening to
Aid. Sly and defendant Stevens, the COM
mission adjourned until Wednesday morn
ing at 10 O'Clock, when verdict will be ar
rived at.
Aid. Sly, taking from his pocket q few
notes. began his address as follows:
/ have some few remarks to make. Tt has
been my aim, and also that of every member
of this commission, that Mr.. Stevens be given
fair and impartial trial. i ask in view OF
some exceptions that Mr.. Stevens may take
to my remarks that / be excluded from the
commission in the final decision.
Mayor Pillsbury was opposed to excusing
any member of the commission, and on a
vote Aid. Sly was not excused.
MI. Sly then resumed:
You know that have been unable to secure
my witnesses, whom / had subpenaed
People have said to me that they could give
most damaging testimony against Mr.. Stevens
but that they would not come before the
commission on account Of public nOtOriety,
and also on account of Stevens intimidating
tactics. Every witness who did testify had a
natural fear of him. Carrie Moore said
before coming into this room that she would
not say one word unless she was
assured of protection against Mr..
Stevens. If Stevens is acquitted she ar
gued, any of us who testified against him will
be run out of town., and this was the case
with every witness subp9naed, and many of
them did not come at all. There are thou
sands of witnesses, both female and male, in
Minneapolis who could testify against his
matchmaking schemes, and would say things
against him were it not for the fear they enter
tain for him. Under these conditions have
labored
UNDER GREAT DISADVANTAGE
in getting witnesses to appear. In regard to
the Tanners l have very little to say. But
will say that / believe the money was paid
just as stated by the witnesses. If not, why
all this secrecy? And it went for the purpose
that Tanner supposed, and not as stated by
the defense. 1t does not appear on any of
the records of the fair that the money was
spent at the fair. Mr.. Stevens spent half of
his time in Tanners place. He was familiar
there, and was on intimate terms with the
girls. Has any member of this COM
mission doubt of that? James slo-
rah testified that Stevens was time
and again seen peeping over transoms
and through keyholes. What was all this for
if not for Matchmaking purposes? Again, he
was on such familiar terms with the girls as
to call them Maggie % Ray and Jenny"
AS to the SIS Mrs. Tanner swore she paid
him, believe he took the money. Mr.
money from any keeper of houses of ill-fame,
from any inmate or servants of such houses.
nor from the owner of such house, for any
purpose, unlawful or otherwise. The COM
mission after that statement had been made
adjourned for dinner. In the afternoon he
saw Joseph Lee and then changed his testi-
mony, confessing that he had accepted $50
from Mr.. Lee for getting tenant, adding
that that was the only time he had taken
money. A fine spectacle! The police clerk
of the city, under pay of the city, acting in
the capacity of real estate agent. AS police
clerk he had under his control the matter of
allowing the house to run as a house of ill
fame. He would not permit Mr.. Lee to rent
it until the $50 was forthcoming. Stevens
got the money and then allowed the house to
run two months.
CARRIE MOORE
testified that she paid Stevens different sums
of money, and he has produced no testimony
beyond his own denial to prove that she did
not pay him money. Belle Clarke, Carrie
Moore's housekeeper, swore that she saw Car
rie Moore pay Stevens money. And that Car
RE Moore did pay him money five different
times there is not a doubt in my mind nor in
the mind of any member of this commission
She paid him $25 at one time, and in amounts
ranging from $40 upwards on four other oc-
casions, That is the testimony, and uncon-
tradicted.
AS to Miss Watson'S books, every charge
pertaining to the municipal court appears on
the records of that court just as recorded in
her books. The dates and amounts CORE
spond. Why should not the books be as reia-
IL T. IL
''aibi'' on Sept. 5, Mr.. Stevens has brought
in an array of reputable witnesses to show
that he was in his office between the hours
of 1880 and s in the evening,
and that he went from there to Fraternity
lodge of Odd Fellows. One witness testified
that he remained in the hall during the entire
evening, and others testified that he was not
there but short time.
HOW LONG WOULD IT TAKE
Mr.. Stevens to go from the city hall to Annie
Watson's house and get the $50 on that night?
Not more than twenty minutes, and ten
minutes would suffice. / have not the least
doubt that he went there and got the $50, and
every dollar she claimed to have paid Stevens,
I believe he got. Lou Pierce also swore that
she saw Watson pay Stevens money She
walked through the parlor when she was pay
ing it.
Mr.. Stevens says he sent a certain official
to Annie Watson's house on Sunday night,
and that he stayed there thirty minutes, dur
ing which time Mr. Stevens and Mr.. Rine-
hart kept watch from the opposite side of the
street. This official is said to have found
Miss Watson, Lou Pierce and Mr.. Harris
looking over those books. What in the name
of common sense would Lou Pierce be look
ing over the books for? She cannot read nor
write. She doesn't know from bull foot.
A great expert bookkeeper, she!
AS to Mr.. Reeves expert testimony I will
L r~%lxN 49,.
testify as to items written in the book over a
year before whether the items had been writ
ten with the same pencil or not, nor can he
tell whether they were written at the time
other items were written or not.
will not refer to some things l have in my
notes. If there is a God in heaven he may
register my record on these things. believe
charges made against him.
Mr.. Sly also reviewed the testimony adj
duced by the defendant, and referred to the
character OF several to show that Mr.. Ste
vens had not proven his case by reputable
witnesses as he claimed.
MR.. STEVENS ADDRESS.
Mr. Stevens, upon Aid. Sly's concluding,
slowly rose from his seat, pulled off his
coat and adjusted his eyeglasses with tech
nical precision. He had promised his friends
that his summing up of the case should be
comprehensive. 1t was nothing if it was
not exhaustive. He occupied over two
hours and half in its delivery. 1t was
review of the testimony from the beginning
to the end. embellished with frequent
minute explanations. He unrolled his man
uscript and read:
Mr. Mayor and Gentlemen of the Police
Committee; After many days of patient in
yestigation, in which, with one exception
($l,, of+ tod ,hr1i Of
new trinity-three in one and one in three
judge, juryman and prosecuting attorney.
you have all seemed as willing to give me all
the necessary time for my defense as you
were anxious that all charges against myself
and others should be thoroughly ventilated
we find ourselves face to face with the evil
dence, and the time has come to sum it up
and Await your decision. / think Won will