St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-12-08
A SCANT COURTESY.
The Chief Executive Viptu-
ally Forgot His Pledge
to Mason,
But the Bodily Discharge
Will Not Relieve the
Reform.
The Police Rake in TWO Men
Believed to Be a Big
Find.
A Stranger Deeoyed to the
Fish Hatchery and
Garroted.

John II. Mason walked INTO the may
or's office yesterday forenoon and ten
dered his resignation. The day pefore
the MAYOR had threatened the chief de-
tective with summary dismissal "tor
the GOOD of the service" as he was
pleased to express it with eclat. lmme-
diately upon the receipt of the long-eX-
pected resignation, John Z. McGinn re-
ceived his commission, over the sig
nature of the mayor. as chief detectiVe
of the city.
meni by the reform" administration
TO renew public confidence in the integ-
ritv of Mayor Wrights regime. Ihat
this regime has proven an aDJect FAILURE
all citizens. irrespective OF their poht-
zeal Affiliations, agree. Something mad
TO be done, and Mason was made the
victim. He was inundated on the
precious altar of reform.
Mayor Wright, in threatening the dis
missal of Detective Mason,a threat COM
inp in the face of official investigation
into the charges preferred by an assem-
bIvman against Mr.. Mason, departed
from his boasted military principles. he
most he could have done under military
ethics, in other words. would have been
TO suspend the officer pending the IN
vestigation. Mason had given positive
and unequivocal assurance to the reform
MAYOR that he would resign IN any
event. Mason, to be more explicit, had
informed the mayor that he would re-
sign forthwith upon the conclusion or
the inuuisitiOn whether eXonerated and
acquitted or found guilty. In either
event he would not continue In the
reform service. And taclt under
standing, at least, was had that Mason
should be given the moral support,
so far as it would go, of refusing
to dismiss a man until proven guilty.
By a peculiar force of reasoning the
mayor endeavors to Justify his course.
He exclalms that Mason, and all police
officers, for that matter, were appointed
TO the force on trial. and that he re-
serves the right to make summary dis
missaIs at any time "for the good OF the
service"
Concerning this phase of the i'm
broglio, there is conflict between the
mayor and MIR. Mason. The latter claims
that he was not appointed with COM
mission that was incumbered by a
string. His appointment was I'M
euuiVocal, and he was to have alb
solute control of the department
throughout Mayor Wright's administra-
ton. MIR. Mason claims, moreover,
that his reputation as competent de-
tective had been established and that
his appointment was based upon his
qualifications in fact. Then he was to
have heene chief defacto, bnt he found
that it was dejure position Instead.
He asked for competent and Intelligent
men on the force, but the mayor ignored
all requests, and Mr.. Mason insists that
it is impossible to secure effective serv-
ice with force Of men entirely igno-
rant of the hnesSe OF the duties
required Chatting under this sort OF
handicap, Mason demanded the re-
moval of certain detectives and was
told to wait till after election and that
was all the satisfaction he could get
from the mayor or chief of police. and
it was because of this deplorable state
of affairsfthat Detective Mason had de-
termined to resign as stated.
= John McGinn assumed control of the
department. yesterday. No further
changes were made, however, although
it is reasonable to suppose that there
will be a reorganization Of the detective
department at once. When seen by Il
GLOBE reporter Chief Mc(finn stated
that he had no information to give at
present upon this particular.