St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-11-23
MINNEAPOLIS.
NOTE AND COMMENT.

The Society of Fine Arts has an ex-
cellent opportunity just now to evince
Its interest in theartistic growth of Min
neapolis, and at the same time preserve
to poSterity some reminder of historic
body, or body that is destined to be-
come historic. The Berlin conference,
the surrender of the French army after
Sedan, the meeting of Lee and Grant
after AppomattOX, the electoral COM
mission of 1876, those and many other
historical bodies have been rendered
immortal by the painters genius.
Then why not do the same by
the pump investigating committee?
A session of that committee is really a
subject for an artist. Aid. Rollins
preSides with as much dignity as Maj.
Warner over meeting of one of the
many regimental associations of which
he Is not a member. The chairman
says little to the witnesses as a rule,
most Of his remarks being asides in
tended 10 catch the inflated ear Of An
drew Rinker. They seldom miss the
mark. Aid. Hunter is the attorney on
REORGANIZATION. He sits low in his
chair. punctuateS his questions with his
eyeglasses, and makes inquiries that
frequently astOnish the witnesses, the
spectators and the other members of
the committee, butnever himself. When
he says, "Will you state for the bene-
fit of the committee" the bones of the
great Edmund Burke groan in envy.
Hunters manDerismS as a croSs-eXami-
ner are the product of a cross between
Judge Shaw and an amateur detective.
j. III. BradiSh sits across the table from
Hunter. lie may be said to DE the OBJ
posing attorney in the case. He usually
asks few questions of the witnesses,
and then waits for Andrew Rinker to
whisper in his ear. But through it all
Bradish wears a bored look that is suf-
tciently pronounced to be called
plank. Kiichli does not waste much
time on questions. He sits in the
shadows, usually behind Hunter, and
watches the proceedings. Once in
while he will interject a remark that
says plainly to the witness, "Be careful
there, young fellow; I'm here watching
you If L don't say much, and Pm on
TO you" Aid. Woodward is the
only member of the committee who
takes little interest in the proceedings.
lie has yet to ask his first question. He
steals in silently little while after the
committee has got down to business,
sits down away back from the table,
folds up his coat and holds it as if about
to sing ''ROcka-Bye Baby" and goes to
sleep, waking up occasionally to let
seraphic smile play over his cherubic
features. He will stay through about
half session and then 20 out 20 see
how the Minneapolis fire department
has worried along without him since the
previous hour. Oh, it's great public
body, that committee! The sign paint
erS will not be very busy for few
weeks now, with winter coming on, and
the job should be let TO some of them
to pant picture of this committee for
the council chamber of the new city
hall.
The men who are the prosecuting at
tOrneyS of HenDepin county deserve
good deal of credit for connecting Leo
Hellpern. The case came to County
Attorney Than as a legacy from the
county attorney of year ago. The i'll
dictment was found under that attorney.
AT the outset conviction seemed impOS-
sible, but Mr.. Than kept pounding
away until he secured the desired result.
He was satisfied that there existed good
grounds for a conviction and to get
away from hard legal battle by nolle
proceedings after couple of trials had
failed, as has been done so often with
criminal cases in HennepTn county,
never once occurred to him. In all his
work to put Heilpern where he belonged
he has been ably assisted by Ben DaVen-
port, the assistant county attorney. Mr..
Davenport did a good deal of the
work of preparing the case before going
into court and both worked Oh it, once
they had it there. They were success
full and should be credited accordingly.
Inspector John p. Hoy comes in for
some of the cOngratulatiOn on the sue
ceSSTul issue of the trial. He worked
up the evidence against the little Pole,
especially for the last trial. When one
considers the good work that these
men have done on this case it seems
strange that the only word of comment
on the result that has been printed was
to the effect that Heilpern had been
convicted OH the third trial, after hav-
Ing cost the county good deal of
money. Where did this great expense
come from? The county attorneys are
Oh salaries which they would have
drawn had Heilpern never been born.
The jurors would have been on duty
and would have drawn their fees just
The same if they had not been engaged
On the Heilpern case. Judge Thomas
Canty is paid regular salary, and his
presiding over the trial did not cost the
county a cent more than it would have
had to pay had there been no trial. The
witness fees were not very heavy. The
men who came from New Orleans paid
their own expenses. All the extra eX-
pense TO which the county has been put
was for the food that Leo put into his
mouth. So there is the extra expense.
Against that set the fact that a seemingly
impossible conviction has been secured.
The Evening Tribune, finding that
Its roasts on the coroner were likely to
breed trouble, has gone back to its old
standby, the board of education. The
Journal, roo, will probably contine its
attention to the park board hereafter.