St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-03-18

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| portant thing which was not mentioned
before the license committee. Mr..
| O'BTen said the conversation between
! the prostitute and chief of police had
| been brought ont by questions by the
| committee. Further discussion was
| shut of by the chairman saving the wit
! ness had been examined long enough.
| Sergeant Dowlan. called and sworn,
| detailed his testimony given before the
| license committee. When before the
mayor Assemblyman Reardon had said
the officers had given testimony very re-
| lunctaGtly. This was not so, aSshe had
answered all the questions put to him
i'll a truthful manner. None OF the
committee asked him to testify, and
he had started to go home when called
! by the attorney who represented
| Cooper. Sergeant Larson and PATROL
man Fitzgerald: were also present, but
| they did not testify and were not dis
| charged at the time he was.
| Mr.. O'Brien called John Esklund and
young man stepped in the room and
! held up his hand to be sworn. Mr..
| DOran wanted to know what the wit
ness would testify to. Mr.. O'Brien said
| the witness would prove that permission
| had been given by the chief OF police to
| keep the place in question open after
| midnight. Since it was learned the
| witness Esklund was going to testify
Mr.. O'Brien said ESklund had been
Threatened with Arrest.
During the progress of the inveStiga-
| ton officers had come to ESklund and at
! tempted to arrest him. He (O'Brienl had
told Esklund not to go with the officers
| unless they had warrant. Mr.. Doran
| considered ESklund's evidence as not at
| all material. Mr.. Van Slyke said it
! should be taken for what it was worth.
| ASsemblyman johnson, who was an
, interested spectator. said he was i'll
| doubt whether the investigation was a
prosecution or persecution from the
| testimony. Mr.. Doran said he heard that
| one or the attorneys had remarked
| the whole matter was a scheme to make
| Democratic votes. There was no dis
! pute about the mayor or chief not know
ing the character of the place, but the
! officers had been called on to furnish
| evidence against it and had failed to do
| their duty. If any attempt had been
made to coerce the witness ESklund,
there was proper way to punish the
wrong done. He was of the opinion the
| testimony Of Esklund would have no
| relevancy to the matter under consider
| alton. Mr.. O'BrIen said the statement
as to what the attorneys had said about
| making capital out of the investigation
was untrue, and Mr.. Pinch also denied
the statement. All that was asked was
| fair and impartial hearing. Mr.. VOL
| terstorff said the committee didn't in
tend to have the whole city come in and
| testify. Mr.. Pinch said it was proper
and fair to have witnesses come in and
officers were true. The way the thing
| prove that the statements made by the
looked the committee wanted just
! enough evidence TO prove the officers
| guilty and no more. Mr.. Cooper, who
| kept the place, and a delegation stand
| ing near the door were evidently recOg-
! niZed by some memcecS of the commit
tee, and after a whispered consultation
the chairman decided no testimony to
prove the statements made by the Off
GERS was desired by the committee.
Not Reluctant Witnesses.
Aid Conley, member of the license
committee before which the officers
! testified, was called. The evidence
given by Hanft and the other two, he
said. was sufficient to have the license
refused. He had requested that the
| witnesses answer only the questions
put to them, which might explain why
their testimony was not more extended.
| He had noticed no attempt on the part
| Cooper. He had not been called before
| the mayor when the men were given a
hearing. Ex-Chief Clark was called to
! prove the good character of the men.
| but Mr.. DOran said it would be waste
of time to hear such evidence. The
| character of the men, he said, was not
III question.
MIR. Sandell. member of the investi-
| CATION and also of the license commit
tee. said Capt. Hanft gave his testimony
all right before the license committee,
but he thought the other officers showed
| All unwillingness. Mr.. DAILY. member
! of the license committee, said the action
of the committee in refusing TO grant a
| license had been based on the fact that
| the place was dance house resOrted TO
by prostitutes, and that dances were
held on Sundays. He did not get the
impression the men were reluctant
witnesses. They had been warned not
to answer except as to questions put
them. lie did not consider their actions
before the committee would be any
ground for their discharge.
Capt Hanft was recalled by Mr.. Doran
and SAID he had no instructions from
the chief as to what he was to testify to
at the license committee. He had eX-
pected to find the chief there, but did
not.
Aid. Zimmerman, chairman of the
committee OH license, said he had asked
the mayor for some policemen to testify
about the character of Cooper's place.
A petition signed by IT'S citizens had
been presented asking that no license
be granted Cooper. He saw the officers
there on the night in question. The
| evidence of the citizens was so over
whelming that it was not,i in his opinion,
necessary to
Cali the Officers.
The citizens testified in direct man
ner about the place, but the officers tes-
timony gave him the impression that
they were reluctant witnesses. The
difference was not so much in the facts
as to the manner in which it was given.
The officers had given no false answers.
but the way they stated what they knew
made it hard to tell which side of the
fence they were on. He did not make
the complaint to the mayor about the
men and was not instrumental in hav
ing them discharged. He had voted
against the issuance of the license, but
was not anxious to say whether he
was in favor of such resorts or not.
men had come to him and asked him to
use his influence in having the place
closed. He had not taken al active
part in the examination of witnesses
because he felt some reluctance owing
to his being alderman nf the ward. Mr..
OBrien asked the witness if he took
special interest in the regulation of Sa-
looms. This question was objected TO
by Sir. Doran, but not until the witness
had inquired if a money interest was
meant. Mr.. O'Brien asked if there
were not nu mber of places running at
the same time as Cooper's of like
character. The witness said he
did not know. Mr.. Pike said
if there were the licenses should
be revoked. Mr.. O'Brien said there
hadn't been much reyoking done up to
date.