St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-10-14
WHOSE OK IS GORED :?
fhe Park Board Investigation
Takes a Very Peculiar
Turn.
Commissioner Allen Found to
Be in a Sort Of Glass
House.
Relatives Of His Draw a Great
Deal Of Money Through the
Board.
VIM. M. Ridge Seems to Have
Married at Least Once
Too Often.

"People who live in glass houses
shouldn't throw stones" said spec
tator at the adjournment of the park
commission investigation last evening.
The animus of this is simply that
Commissioner Allen has beef quite
active in bringing about an investiga-
ton into the Journals prolific charges of
nepotism against Supt Berry. 1t was
charged that Mr.. Berry's sons own six
teams that are in the employ
of the board. The books show
that the teams are entered the
service ostensibly as the property of the
six men who drive them, and that these
men draw the money each month. This
was denounced as most reprehenSible,
and Commissioner Allen entered the
plan OF making a sensational exposition
with peculiar Zest. He volunteered his
aid to do the sleuth work, and he fer
reted out the evidence that was to as
tonish it not shock the city.
All Yesterday afternoon was taken up
In the investigation, and the end is not
yet i'll sight. Much of the evidence,
the major part, in fact, was purely ir-
relevant and immaterIal. still it was
waded through with stoical patience.
The drivers of the teams were ex-
amined. and they testified that the teams
were on the books in their names, but
that they did not own them. One driver
said that the Journals article was in
error in many essential particulars. He
denied ever hearing said that he had
drawn pay for time he did not actually
work for the board, although one
O'2ielly, discharged employe of the
board, had prOfeSsed to have the driv-
er'S written statement to that end.
Mrs. White, who is implicated in the
deal, testified that she owns four of the
six teams, and it is conceded that A. q.
Berry, son of the superintendent, owns
one team. This the Journal holds ex-
ceedingly reprehenSible, and an avenue
to dishonest practices.
But when Commissioner Allen took
the witness stand Commissioner Board
man sprung the sensation of the day.
Commissioner Boardman developed the
story by placing the witness under
Scathing croSS-eXamination. Mr.. Allen
confessed that David Allen, his brother,
had received from the city $3.50 in
April, s101.59 in May, S105 in June,
S10S.50 In July. $94.50 in August, and
$500 in September. n. Allen, the COM
missioner's son, received from the city
$3.50 in May, $40.25 in June, S65.63 in
July, SAILS in August, and 81 in Sep
TENDER. A. E. Allen, another son, re-
ceived S12 i'll June, $3.50 in July, $40. 55
in August. w. B. Passenger, the COM
missioner's father-in-law, received $3.50
in April, $10l.50 in May, sos in June,
Sl0S.50 in July. sos in August, and S91 in
September. S. E. Mills, a nephew. re-
ceived 81 in April, $65 in May, SIS in
June, SOS in July, $65 in August, and
;S65 in September, making total of
S1,573.71 that Commissioner Aliens
family had drawn from the city.
One other point was brought out. The
superintendent sold the grass on the
boards property at the Lake of the
Isles for S25, and the money was COW
cred into the treasury of the board.
Commissioner Allen questioned the
right of the superintendent selling the
grass, whereupOn Commissioner Board
man replied tartly:
81 was not aware that we had any
grass to sell, and if the superintendent
discovered it and saved $25 10 the board,
Pm heartily glad of it,
w. B. Chamberlain. of the Journal,
was one of the witnesses, and he related
an interview he had with the discharged
O'Reilly, who was prime mover in the
rumpuS. Chamberlain acknowledged
the authorship of the drastic roast on
Superintendent Berry, and then testi-
fed that Berry was not the man he was
after. In other words. he did not mean
to cenSure the superintendent, but
aimed to criticise the commissioners
methods of doing business and the in
competent records kept by the secre-
tary.