St. Paul daily globe., 1892-01-08
SAT ON The THREE.
Republican Aldermen Met in
Caucus at the City Hall
Last Night.
AS a Result There May Be
Three New City Officials
Tonight.
Arrest Of Reuben Lapine on
the Charge Of Marrying
Too Often.
Convention Committee Work
City Assessors Figures
District Court.

There was a caucns of Republican
aldermen at the city hall last night. 1t
met. deliberated and adjourned early
What it aid can only be conjectured.
AS soon as the chairman of the caucus
had announced adjournment, the alder
men dissolved into the surrounding
darkness and nothing could be learned.
One member OF the aldermanic fra
ternity was cOrnered, but he was eX-
tremely. reluctant about giving out any
information for publication. He admit
ted that the caucus had been held, ami
he said that the street commissioner
ships had been settled satisfactorily to
all concerned, but further than that ad
mission lie would not go. He declared
solemnly that there had been nothing
said about severlng from their official
bodies the official heads of Health Of
ficer Kelley. Building Inspector Hazen
and City Engineer Rinker. That ques-
ton was not even considered for mo-
ment, was his assertion.
In spite ef this alderman'S declara-
ton, it is believed that that there was
some discussion of the adviSability of
dropping from the city pay roll the
names of three men mentioned. That
was what the caucus was called for
at any rate. If the aldermen
did not consider those ques-
tions they failed to do that for which
they had assembled. 1t was the whiS-
pered word around the city hall in the
afternoon that there would be caucus,
and that it would decide to drop the
three. This caused some surprise, but
hot hn fn hop in no
air. was undeniable. The reasons for
this determination are rather OBJ
scure to the INITIATED. OF course.
in the case of Engineer Rim
ker, the enmity of some of the
aldermen toward him is explainable. He
has alienated the affections of Hunter
by his action on the pump investigation
matter. But it was not supposed that
Hunter would be able to push his an
tagonism to Rinker so far as to endan
ger that gentleman's head. But such
seems TO be the case. Hazen's condi-
ton is more obscure. He was reelected
TO the Office which he now holds by the
same men who are now in the council.
If he was good enough for them year
ago it is supposed that lie is good
enough for them now. He has not been
doing anything that SaVOrS Of tfe poll
teal. 1t is true that last summer he and
certain members of the committee on
fire department came to little dis
agreement over the work done on GER
tain engine houses, but it was supposed
that the matter had been forgotten in
the apparent good feeling that has pre-
vailed ever since. The disagreemento of
last summer may be at the bottom OF the
movement to lave him removed.
With DR.. Kelley, the case becomes
still more unfathomable. Kelley has
been getting along very well for a man
few days 20 about his having saved
the department good deal of money.
If that was true, it is not easy to see
why this sudden determination to kill
him off. There has never been any
open breach between him and the mem
bers Of the committee on health and
hospitals, ,at least not with the Republic
an members of the committee.
Into the consideration of the ques-
tiOns that agitate the aldermen Just now
it is more than likely that the proposed
amendment to the liquor ordinance
enters. 1t is suspected that the men
who are pushing that amendment and
the men who have grievance against
the three city officials mentioned have
agreed upon some sort of trade. That
is the only reasonable solution Of the
problem. And even that is not so very
clear.
All that is perfectly clear at this time
is that the caucus was held last night
and that it was called for the purpose
of considering the advisability of kill
ing off these three Office holders who
have been mentioned. One other fact
stands out reasonably clear 1t is that
these matters-the amendment of the
liquor ordinance, and the decapitation
of the three city officials-will come up
at the council meeting tonight and that
there will be lively time in the old
city hall. There is not much time for
further consultation and it is possible
that the trap will be sprung before the
victims are In the center of it and that
they may thereby escape.