St. Paul daily globe., 1891-10-16
Nepotism Seems to Have Been
More General Than 1t
Should.
Suspicion Abroad That Sew
eral People Shoot Wide
OF the Truth.
The Parker Divorce Case Has
the Sensations Extracted
From 1t.

The story came out last night when
Supt. Berry was being examined by the
inquiring committee. The moving spirits
have been Commissioners Allen and
Dahn. The former has five relatives
on the pay roll of the board, and it
tranSpires his son, seventeen years old,
and in charge of the boats at Lake Har-
rier, only received S1.75 day, whereas
the ambitious father thought he should
receive 81. despite the fact the previous
year man did the work for Sl.50 day.
Commissioner Dahn, it transpires,
recommended constituent to the super
intendent for position, also at Lake
Harriet. The man was given employ
ment, but he was not faithful. While
watchman he persisted in taking his
siestas with IA degree of regularity be-
meath the overSpreading boughs Of the
classic oaks. The superintendent dis
missed him from service. That is the
secret of the opposition to Supt. Berry
from these two quarters.
The investigation was continued to
late hour last night. Desultory testi-
mony was given by one Bishop, who had
been an employe of the board. He was
an eye witness. and he volunteered sew
eral days ago the startling intelligence
that he could prove that Supt. Berry's
son owned six teams that had been in
the employ of the board. Bnt he had
no proof further than that he had
"heard So" and he "never supposed it
was secret"
A. G. Berry, the son against whom
the multifariouS plants are recorded,
was also witness last night. He testi-
fed that he only owned two of the
teams in dispute-two out of the seven
ty-five and 100 teams that have been in
the employ of the board at time. Mrs.
White owns five of the teams, although
only four are now employed. He is the
only So day. Besides this, he is only
given employment six months in the
year. He found itimpossible to subsist
on his salary alone, and bought two
teams to sprinkle, and they are docked
for rainy days.
Supt. Berry's testimony was most in
tereSting, from the fact that Commits
riOner Dahn gave him scathing eX-
animation. There was the matter off the
skating rink privilege at Loring park,
and the hay that was sold from Lake of
the Isles, and alleged special permits
issued to men to drive on the boule
wards The scheme was utterly ex-
ploded. however.
Mr.. Berry testified that when he came
here, six years ago, the board was pay
ing man $3.50 each winter to take care
OF the skating rink and giving him all
privileges. The man made the people
generally children-wh came there
pay for checking rights for all wraps,
and charged them for the use of skates
in addition. Mr.. Berry thought that the
board could do better, and he urged
against making the children pay for
checking wraps. The board authorized
him to change the system, and the next
charge aud accept the perquisites as
compensation. This man happened
to be Mr.. Berry's son-in-law,
Mr.. Hobart, and this worried Mr..
Dahn. But the children got free check
ing privileges, only paying for the use
Of skates, while the board saved the
$3.50 a year. There was no manage
ment, and Mr.. Hobart retired, accept
ing a lucrative position in charge of the
Lakewood cemetery. Mr.. Berry's son
took the rink and kept it open to the
children, and all the remuneration he
received was the rental of skates, which
does not pay for the work and respect
able wages.
Mr.. Dahn quoted the ordinance regu-
lating parks with relish. 1t prescribes
that all fees must be turned over to the
secretary of the board. Mr.. Berry ac-
corded it might be good plan If the
board chose to hire men to care for the
rink. But, he submitted, the boa rd
would be out money in the speculation.
Then there was another little point
that a great deal has been said In cen
sure of Supt. Berry. Last summer, when
the sprinkling cart owned by the Lake
view cemetery broke down, Mr.. Berry
loaned the association one that belongs
to the board, for which he charged no
rental. Mr.. Berry explained that for
four years all the stone the board has
had crushed has been done by the Lake
wood Cemetery associations machine
free of charge. Not only that, but the
association had delivered the crusher,
and, after the superintendent had fin
ished using Ii, came after 1t again.
Furthermore the association donated to
the board thirty-Stven acres Of land for
park purposes. He didn't know its value
but Col. Kings land next adjoining had
been estimated at $500 an acre. He
didn't feel like asking rental for the
sprinkler under the circumstances.
And about the hay, MIR. Berry sold it
for S25, more than any one else would
give for it, because Of the restrictions
imposed. He would allow no team on
carried by hand to the street. Mr.. Berry
denied that he had ever given any one a
permit to drive heavy teams on the
parkways except teams in the employ of
the board that had to haul materials
to the park. Mr.. Berry said he had
never paid any attention to the owner
ship of teams, but always made it rule
to try and keep teams that did the best
service. He often experienced great
difficulty in hiring teams, and had sent
as far as Anoka for them.
Mr.. Dahn was astonished that park
policeman had been given free rent in
cottage at Minnehaha park, and thought
some one would be willing to rent it
and pay for it.
Mr.. Berry returned that the police
man was Obliged to remain at the park
constantly. and the board had given him
the use of the cottage for the very rea-
son that it didn't want strangers living
there.
Commissioner Dahn asked what the
man kept at Loring park to feed the
swans and ducks was paid. Mr.. Berry
replied S1.75 day. Mr.. Dahn proposed
that cheaper man could be secured,
whereupon he was informed that this
man was practical gardener, and has