St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-04-03
MR.. BAbB'S BABBLE:.
His 0beSeneSS Makes a Little
Talk at Washington,
D. c.,
Which Should Call Forth a
Vigorous Reply, But 1t
Doesn't.
The Grand Jury Meets and
Threatens to Take a New
Departure.
Various Matters Likely to In
terest Readers Of Flour
City Events.

The outlook for another violent rupt
ure in the God-like retrenchment and
reform party which now misgoverns
Minneapolis is very promising. Now it
is known that the Republicans have
not trusted each other, and private
spies, i'll the persons of private detec-
tives, have been hired to watch the
movements of those members OF the
Republican party who were supposed
to be liable to Jump over the traces and
TO have mind of their own, and an
opinion they were not afraid to express.
The information which apparently
comes from the highest ScOurce was tel
egraDhed to the Journal yesterday from
Washington. Mayor Babb, i'll an inter
view with the correspondent of that
paper, in speaking of the late trouble
in the police commission, when Com
missioner GjertSen was I'm the MINOR
ity," said:
II mad to appear to be very angry at
GjertSen. 1t was necessary for me to
1t was the only way to bring GjertSen
to time. There were many things about
that whole affair that the general public
does not understand. For two months
we employed man from outside the
city to look after Mr.. Gjertsen and his
anti-Catholic colleagues. This man got
in with them and knew every day what
Gjertsen did just as well as did Gjertsen
himself. 1t was amusing to hear Cert
sen stand up and deny things that we
knew were true. We paid this man
well to look after Giertsen and his
friends, but it was necessary to the
good government of the city to do this"
Police Commissioner Gjertsen was
found at his place of business by
GLOBE reporter last evening and said:
Il want to give this story of the mayors
a chance to digest before | talk about
it. 1t is very probable that L will give
Mr.. Babb a chance to prove his state
mentS."
"Well, Mr.. Commissioner" said the
reporter, 1.-The statements made by the
mayor certainly place you in very
peculiar position. Won't you say some
thing in regard to them?"
"What do they say"
swell, the interview says in pretty
strong terms that you are liar and
that it was found necessary fol- the good
Of the city to import private detective
to keep tab on you. The people will
naturally be interested in any reply you
may make"
"I'll make a reply" answered the
commissioner, clenching his hands.
''But | want little time to think about
it. won't say anything for publica-
ton now, but come and see ME to-mor-
row. Perhaps | will be ready to talk
then. But l tell you frankly that ]
won't say word about it now."
In antl-Catholic circles last night it
was said that Mr.. Gjertsen had never
been identified with their movements,
but on the other hand, before the cleo
ton, Mayor Babb had been intimately
identified with them, and had made
many promises of what he would do in
recognizing their efforts in case he was
elected. Enoch Ray. the present
license inspector. was the choice of the
"anti'' element of the Republicans for
chief of police, and, although in his in
terview Mayor Babb does not say so in
so many words, he is quoted as saying:
"Did you know how near Enoch Ray
came to being chief of police of Min
neapolis shortly after my election. No?
Well, I'll tell you about it. About two
months after my election and just be-
fore l went into office, Commits
sioner Baker came to me and
said that the commission proposed to
elect Ray chief of police at the very
next meeting. He asked me how |
thought l would like Ray, and | an
SWered that he was a very good man,
but that l had some Ole in view who
would be better suited for the place. He
wanted to know who it was, and ] told
him that it was Winn Bracketr. Baker
thought that he would not accept, but
told him that | knew better, so Mr..
Baker called on Bracket and found out
that he would. The other members of
the commission agreed to the change,
and a written contract was at once
drawn up and signed by Bracket and
the commission. This contract made
the election of Bracket &sure thing
few weeks later, so he sold out his drug
store and in other ways prepared for
the change. But Ray came near going
in. Enough members had decided to
vote for him to elect him. Ray knew
the situation, and probably expected an
election"
The publication of the interview Gre
ated something of a sensation in politi-
cal circles last evening, and the reply
of Mr.. Gjertsen will be looked for with
interest.