St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-10-02

the strong and pOwerful: it Is the coyote
waiting on the mountain lions pleasure for
his dinner; it is the dog, fawning to ones
face and swapping at ones heels; 1t is in
fact band of thieves and assassins organ
lied for public plumber, and, like the paid
braves of Italy, careless whether they rob
under the banners of Democracy or Repub-
lcanism.
Ever since the great fire Chicago has been
more or less in the hands of these men.
They have influenced all the local elections
of that city subsequent to the retirement of
Mayor Medill. They put in Office Hold
on" Colvin. of whose public career as chief
of the municipality nothing is now remem-
bered save the corruption that prevailed
and the drunken jest at the expense of
King kalakaua, when guest of the city.
that the id niger had better go wash
himself" They elevated men to the local
bench who were practically pledged to do
their bidding. They elected county COM
mssioners who winked at the theft of
million dollars alone in the erection of the
architectural cripple which disgraces the
block just south of the Sherman house.
They called paupers to sit in the council
and the paupers waxed fat on
bribery and started gorgeous gin mills. or
sought wider fields of usefulness" in con
greSs' halls" The police force was their
tool, and at the bidding of the leaders the
Jimmy Carroll band of deSperadoeS walked
the streets of Chicago in security and spent
in Mike McDonald's store the sums they
realized by frequent raids on banks and
safes. Joe Martin SWindled countrymen
on the streets and at the hotels, aud the
HankinSeS and Dowlngs welcomed them
to the brace games of their gambling bells.
The Hatch house gang, on the North side.
and the crowd about Nike Corcorans
saloon fixed conventions, bought ]uries and
corrupted the ermne. Even the board of
education did not escape. and new ap-
pointee, who is now and has been for years
an hOnored journalist. was. on TAX
ing his seat, offered by his prede-
cessOr the use of four young
women whom the retlring member had
secured places as teachers On condition of
the sacrifice OF their honor Pat O'Neill
throve on the South siGe, and dying, left
his mistress and his family to fight over his
property. Dave Thornton boosted that
since the fire a key had never been turned
in his notorious House OF David" Billy
Whelan doffed the bartenders apron and
the title of the ''MockiHg Bird to sit in
the council as the representative of the
millionaire taxpayers Of the First ward.
Ed Cullerton reversed things by going to
the council first and buying a saloon after
wards. He is still an alderman, as is his
colleague DemostheneS Hildreth whose
precpitate retreat te Canada some
years ago is still remembered. The
county commissioners with Van Pelt
at their head and Harley as
their pet contractor lived like the lilies of the
field. for they toiled rot, neither did they
spin. Saloons. gambling houses and bagneS
flourished, garrotng was nightly occur
renee, and seated like so many satans on
their thrones above this mass of human
phoSplOrescent corruption, the bosses levied
blackmail and tribute. and grew in wealth
and power.
Two years ago, however, the people
rose in their might. Luther Latin Mills
was tumbled down from his high place as
states attorney. and an honest Democrat,
Julius Grinnell, succeeded him. while the
law Office of the city came under control of
the able and upright son of eS-
United States Minister Wasbburne. These
men resolved to show the world
that Democracy meant honesty and good
government. Under their Influence and
determined policy Mcdonald was forced
out of the gambling ,aspess, and the cleo
ton cases were prosecuted, while the
thieving i'll the police courts received a sud-
den and salutary check. Bus it was fierce
battle. Men who were thought to be
in the way were dealt with summarily by
1.-THE gang" In 1.-The Store" one night, III
rear room, was found man lying inSen-
sible with a Ratchet cut in his forehead.
and supposedly dead. He had fallen down
stairs and struck against box at the foot
of the flight. Dr.. Tabor, who was sum-
moned, saved his life. but not his reason.
Another obnoxious person met his fate in
the knocking Bird's'' saloon. He
was in poor health and the as
sault killed him. Pete Hansbrough, clerk
of the North side police court, died of
''dropsy' while awaiting trial for compile
ity in the election frauds. Clingen, who
stole thousands at the South side police
court while acting as clerk, died suddenly
and mysteriously only few weeks since.
The Carroll gang no longer infeSt Chicago,
and the good work of the fearless Demo
Gratis now in office still goes on, but no
effort toward publication can ever remove
from the great city the stain of the destruc
ton of her greatest lawyer and most emf
nent citizen.