St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-01-24
THE SWAI>soA CASE.
Chief Clark Answers the Charge
of Deiay-The Druggists Yer

sion.
Secretary of State Hans Mattson adj
dressed an open letter to Mayor Smith,
printed yesterday, in which he said that
the fact upon which his charge of police
neglect was based in the case of Mai.
Swanson had not and could not be de-
nied-"namely. that. in spite of the in
jured mans entreatieS 10 be taken
home, the driver of the patrol wagon re-
fused to do So until he had first taken
him to the central station for orders,
which made a cruel, unnecessary drive
in the cold for the mangled old gentle
man of over mile Counting both
ways"
Mayor Smith briefly replied, referring
Mr.. Mattson to the report of the chief
of police made to him, and also
the report of Druggist Becker,
where the major was carried
after being injured by the cable cars.
Both reports are lengthy. The giSt of
the chiefs is that there was trouble in
the calling of physician, Mai. Swain
son refusing to accept the services 81
any except DR.. Boeckman. a special
call was received at 1853 p. III, and the
wagon was at once sent to Becker'S drug
store. Those present, including mum
Der of the majors friends, will say that
he was carefully covered with blankets.
The regular driver being at dinner, q
new man was on the wagon, and he
drove to the central station, where the
chief himself ordered the injured man
taken home. From the time of receiv-
ing the call until the wagons return
was one hour and five minutes. The
distance cartwright and Minnehaha)
is two and half miles, and OH the way
out the wagon was compelled to travel
slowly. There could have been no de-
lay. During $50 the central station
wagon has taken to homes or hospitals
IT'S injured persons, of which number
So were accidents, and this is the first
complaint. just why some of the nu-
merous friends of Maj. Swanson, who
were present with him during the half
hour he was in the drug store, did not
call carriage and have him taken
home, instead of calling the patrol
wagon, is not explained by any of The
open letter writer's" 1t did not make
over ten minutes delay driving to the
station.
A Becker states that the major was
brought into his store about II IN. DIR.
Ritcbie examined the limb, said it was
broken and asked who his family physi-
clan was. The druggist himself went
to Dr.. Boeckman in the next block, who
said the major would have to be sent up
to him. In the meantime, at the re-
quest Of the major, a telephone message
was sent to DR.. Richardson, who replied
that he would go to the residence (he
was told the patrol wagon was coming).
DIR. Richardson went to the house,
and, the wagon not putting
in an appearance. he went TO
the hospital, as he told me later. The
blame lies entirely with Dr. Boeckman in
not attending to him. Maj. Swanson
was nearly three-quartvrs of an hour in
my store waiting for DR.. Boeckman.
Dr. Richie suggested the patrol
sleigh. When placed in it the major
was covered with blankets. He
did not object to the patrol
sleigh, wanting to get home. 1t
was 80 or o'clock when DR.. Ohage
got to SwainSon;s home. Swanson told
me that the car man had motioned him
to get Oh the Car, aud then started up.
Mr.. Bell. son-nlaw of the majors,
said DR.. Richardson had not been gone
over three minutes when the patrol
reached the house, the doctor starting i'm
mediately upon receipt of the telephone
message. l he delay at my store was
occasioned by waiting for physicians,
and not by delay of the patrol sleigh.
which was there at O'Clock, called at
1855"