St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-05-03
The Late Capt. Harvey's Ex-
ample Seems to Be Bear
ing Fruit.
Minneapolis Police Officers
Said to Have Been Ac-
completes Of Thieves.
Laboring Men Strike For
Higher Wages Without
Chance Of Success.
Detention Of an Immigrant
Which Looks Like Injus-
tice--Court News.

Nearly two years ago the now-notori-
Gus Capt. Harvey spurned Minneapolis
with flying feet. 1t had become evil
dent that he was too covetous of his
nelghbor's goods. So he left, and no
one wept. Minneapolis seems about to
have another Capt. Harvey scandal, al
though it does not strike as yet officers
quite so high as Harvey was. But a
scandal is coming, and COM
ing at rate to beat an in
terurban car. Several police officers
are under surveillance. For days, al
most weeks past, Detectives King, Hoy
and NJ. (. Doyle, have been working on
this case and piling up evidence. Some
arrests will doubtless be made to-mor-
row.
The arrest of the notorious Ed Pres
ton, which occurred a couple of weeks
ago. was the first arrest made in con-
nectiOn with the case. At that time it
was known that the police were looking
for several other people said to be i'm
plIcated in PreSton's crimes. No one
supposed, though, that the detectives
were on the track of their fellow Off
GERS.
When Preston was arrested this affair
had a queer look. PreSton's work had
been going on for long time. During
that whole period he was in almost
Haily association with certain police
officers. He ate with them, and drank
with them, so it is said. All the while
he was working under the mantle of
night under the very noses of these Off
GERS. Yet he was never arrested. He
became so bold that the detectives were
put upon his trail, and he was soon
landed behind iron lattice work.
An eX-police officer who is now out Of
Jail on bail and acting as special police
officer, is another man Implicated in the
doingS of Preston and the suspected
police officers. He was mentioned in
connection with possible prosecution
for arson last fall. The house of Officer
John erich was burned. The insurance
companies who held the risk were
suspicious. They had men at work on
the case and satisfied themselves
that the house did not burn accidentally
But the evidence was not strong enough
to convict, so there was no prosecution.
Officer erich satisfied his SuperiOrS and
his friends that he was blameless. But
that same old house-burning case hobs
up again. 1t is one of the grounds Of
suspicion against the suspected officers.
Detectives Hoy, King and Doyle have
been working induStriouSly ann are con-
tident that they are on the right track.
When Ed Preston was first arrested
he talked good deal. Loud complaints
fell from his lips. Words were dropped
into the ears of his supposed friends
that were SingUlarly suggestive.
"Some of these officers have been
doing this stealing and laying 1t to me-"
Preston was wont to remark.
When Preston was arrested large
quantities of stolen goods were found
in his possession. The theory is that
the officers kept thieves posted on the
houses that could "tOuched' easiest.
Then Preston or some one associated
with him would do the stealing. Pres
ton took care of nearly all the proceeds.
Preston'S wife was taken into custody
at the time her lord and master was
locked up She was detained ostensi-
bly, as witness. In reality, she was
locked up that the pump might be APP
piled. She yielded. So did Preston.
Both made af1idavits duplicating the
police officers. Besides the aflidavits
secured, the detectives have picked up
clues which have assisted them in fur
Their Strengthening their chain of evil
dence.
All this comes from reliable author
ity. The detectives and police officers
are secretive as darkness. But it is
pOSlllNS 1dCJ LildI UIcy nave UCcl WOIh-
ing on the lines established here and
with the object outlined here-the de-
lection and conviction of suspected po-
lice officers, For these men who wear
the blue and the brass are suspected.
Whether there is just ground for the
suspicious has to be established
yet. There are circumstances
which cast a deep shadow over
them, the publication of which
at this time is inadvisable. OF course,
they are supposedly innocent until
proven guilty. Future developments
will prove that. Detectives King. Hay
and Doyle are putting in some hard
work on the case. They will leave no
stone unturned, and when they have
finished, the guilt or innocence of the
suspected parties will be established be-
yond doubt.
The case is most important one. 1t
is not confined to the rifing
of back yards and clothes lines.
There is a good deal of robbery and
burglary mixed up in it, aside from the
arson case mentioned before. 1t is said
that nearly all the burglaries that have
occurred in the northern and western
parts of the city can be traced to Pres
ton and his alleged accomplices.