St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-10-14
The Malicious Attack on Clark
Denounced in Unmeas-
uped Terms.
The Ex-Chief Always Did His
Duty and Was a Good
Officer.
He Never Got Drunk and Fell
Through a Showcase,
at Least.
And if Still in Office Fewer
Crimes Would Be Com
mitted.

AhV HISOliuS vi liC dSStulUly Ids
evening would have been dull and I'M
Interesting but for the presence of
Assemblymau DAILY, who several times
declared himself in manner at vari-
ance with the views of his collea gues
and surprised all within the sound of
his voice by comparing the present
police administration with that which
preceded it in manner decidedly
unfaborabIe to the former. winding up
his discourse OH this subject with a.
roast upon certain Of the present in
eumbents couched i'll no uncertain
tones. He was inspired by the already
familiar board file censuring eX-Chief
Clark for-the condition in which he left
the affairs of his Office and the alleged
incompleteneSS of the records. When
this measure came before the body Mr..
Reardon at once moved to postpone it
indefinitely, but Mr.. Johnson protested
against this diSrespect for action of the
board, as he termed it, and moved as an
amendment that it be referred to the
committee OH police that it might at
least be shown becoming consideration.
Mr.. DAILY then took the floor and spoke
somewhat as follows:
81 his attack upOn John Clark is I'M
called for ana unjust and is
Actuated by Spite.
There never was more honorable
gentleman, there never was a more
competent man in the history of our
city than John Clark; there never was
ception of duty; there never
was in all the history of st.
Paul-and L have lived here for
thirty-six years-than John Clark
with all due respect for Albert Garvin.
But, Mr.. President, am aStonished at
the conclusions of the board of alder
men in censuring John Clark. | am
John Ciark'S friend in this council, and
l am friend OF eX-Chief John O'COn-
nor, and no member of this asst IDLY. if
l am present, whether Democra, or Re
publican. will charge them with derelic
ton of duty if can help it,"
L have been acquainted with him for
twenty-five years and L have never
known him to be.other than perfectly
honest and square-dealing man. | have
yet to see the man who can honestly say
anything against his official career. L
cannot see any reason why, when his
department made a collection of phOto-s
graphs of thieves without any aid from
the city, but through the assistance OF
personal friends in other Cities,
he should be attacked and roast
ed in this manner for not.
leaving them for the benefit of his sac
cessor. John Clark is illiterate, and
consequently the records i'll his office;
may have lacked that degree of clerical,
perfection which is to be found there
now. but he knew his business and per-
formed his duty in an intelligent man
ner. | cannot agree with him polite
ally, and in fact have no use for him or
his party, but | must say he never got
drunk and fell through glass show
case, and succeeded in hushing the mat
ter up. and having nothing said about
it. But. gentlemen, one Of our present
chiefs has done just that very thing.
The man who is now at the head of our
detective department., and is supposed
to maintain order, got so drunk not
long ago that he was unable to navigate
and fell into glass showcase. And yet
such dime novel detective as john II.
Mason. WHO allows daily our city to be
robbed and plundered, poses as a Pink
erton over his SubordinateS, who are his
superior boih in intelligence and expert
ence in detective work. And yet this
paradox of Sleuth acumeu poses as
prince of detectives of this alleged re-
form oligarchy! Ye reformers, what
do you think of this stuffed prophet?
And yet this man can criticise John
Clark and inspire a roast like that. L
must say | wonder at it. Clark may not
be much of a scholar, but he is a man,
and while he was in Office lie
Performed Ills Duty
in perfectly satisfactory manner, both
to himself and the public generally.
Crimes such as we read of every day
would not have occurred during his
term, nor would they occur now if he
were in his old place." and when the
question to refer to the committee on
police was put to vote it was passed,
only Assemblvman DAILY voting in the
negative. The comptroller submitted
statement showing the standing of the
various funds on Sept. 80, as follows:
Mac Presents Some Figures.