St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-07-21
PLENTY OF HOT SHOT
nv THE IMPEACHMENT PROCEEDINGS
AGAINST CHIEF. RUNGE.
FIREMEN TELL THEIR TALES.


Beer on Tap-High Old Times
in the Minneapolis Fire De-
partment.
1t was after 7:30 o'clock last evening
When Chief Runge entered the council
chamber and took his seat by the side
OF Frank Davis, his attorney. Chief
Runge did not present the appearance,
outwardly, at least, of man under
going the tortures of the inquisition.
President Kiichli presided with his
usual bonhomie. BY his side sat City
Attorney Simpson, who from time to
time interposed remark or suggestion
to Assistant City Attorney Dunn, who
Is conducting the case for the people.
On motion OF Aid. Snyder, resolu-
ton passed at a former meeting, and
which provided that only the two at
torneys should conduct the case, was
reScinded, and Judge Daniel Fish was
granted leave to be present on the side
of the city. He is not to have the right
to examine, and his presence is really
concession in behalf of the insurance
companies.
Mrs. T. NJ. johnson. lady with gray
hair and dressed in black, with eye
I
waist, was the first witness of the even
ing.
Witness testified to having resided at
32S Nicollet avenue two years ago the
coming August. On the 10th of Au-
gust, in 1891, fire occurred on the third
floor OF the building, when witness lost
watch and chain. The watch had been
left on the dresser; some one had
entered the room from above dur
ing the fire; two firemen were
seen coming from the room. Chief
Runge was afterwards encountered on
the stairway. and when told of the loss
of the watch he said, boys, if any of
you have the lady'S watch. give it to
her" Witness had never recovered the
watch.
On croSS-eXamination witness became
ratified under the fire of Attorney
Davis, and admitted that she had not
personally seen the firemen coming out
of her room.
On being asked to Identify the chief,
she was not quite positive the accused
was the same man, as he had on his
uniform. but when Chief Ruuge was
pointed out to her, she thought it was
one and the same man.
Another motion was made to strike
out the testimony. 1t was denied.
Z. b. Smith, of PA Hennepin avenue,
was then sworn. Witness is a hard
ware dealer and had suffered fire a
year ago last fall.
Witness arrived just as the fire was
put out A police officer and several
hremen were i'll the store. In looking
at his showcase he found that two re-
VolverS and a big pair of scissors had
been taken. Chief Runge called around
the same day, but the loss of the revol-
cd ho1
recovered the property.
Fireman William O'Brlen then took
the stand. Witness had been connected
with the department for five years and
is attached to Company No. ~. Wit
ness recalled seeing lot of lumber
carried away after a fire in a lumber
yard in northeast Minneapolis.
Witness had driven the engine onth
night in question. He had returned TO
the engine house with the horses dur
ing the fire, and had afterwards gone to
tile fire with some coal. He then re-
turned to the engine house and went
to bed. Afterwards the captain
had called him up and ordered
him to go after the wagon. On reaching
the lumber yard he found that the
wagon had been loaded with pine
boards. He hitched up and brought
the wagon to the engine house, The
next day the lumber was put in
the shop and the wagon shed.
Storm sash had been made out of some
of the lumber. William Pierce and
Capt. Mangen were present when the
horses were hitched up on the night of
the fire. Bookcases had also been made
out of the lumber by Capt. Mangen.
Tom Erwin and the witness han pur-
chased fOot-StoOlS made from the lumber.
Chief Runge had not been present dur
ing this time. Beer had been kept on
the premises in the work shop. 1t was
kept in kegs and pals. The officers
Clipped in with the members, and
bought beer. lie saw no one intoXi-
Gated.
BY Mir. Davis-Did you chip in for the
beer?
Witness-Yes, Sir.
You knew it was in violation of the
rules, then?'
Yes, Sir.''
did Chief Runge participate in the
beer drinking?"
mo, sir"
Did the captalns?"
Eyes, SIR"
Witness then testified that one dis
trlct was in charge Of Canterbury.
Witness had an impression that the
lumber had been stolen The engine
had been called to one fire on still
alarm, and Chief Runge was not there.
Beer Kegs had been laying around the
premises TO the knowledge of Assistant
Chief Canterbury. He saw beer drunk
in the engine house OIL the Fourth of
July.
By Alderman McAllister-Did the
flremen visit the saloon opposite with
uniforms OH?
Yes, Sir.;'
~ GU knew it was against the rules?"
Eyes, SiF.'
1t was then brought out that Canter-
bury had informed them that they
could flood themselves with beer as
long as they did not bring it on the
premises, and this being recent order.
The drinking of beer, he further teSti-
fed, had been customary ever since he
entered the department.
b. L. Kingsley, of Chemical No 1,was
then sworn. The witness testified to
Capt. Hamilton being away for thirty
days at time without a substitute. He
had also been absent at boat races at
MinnetOnka without a substitute. Fore
man Kreger had also been absent with
out substitute.
Witness recalled purchasing a pair of
shoes from Lieut.. Carpenter, of Engine
Company No. Is. This was soon after
fire. The shoes were too small for
Carpenter. Beer, he testified, had been
drunk at Engine houses Nos. Ii and 4.
He had seen Capt. Hamilton under the
influence of liquor. He was boisterous
and funny.
BY Attorney Davis-Was he in
beastly state of intoXicatlon, and was he
troubled with his mouth or legs?
The Witness-The trouble seemed to
be mostly with his mouth.
The Xyitppcc than
foregoing testimony concerning beer
drinking at the engine houses.
He had bought the shoes after the
| North Star factory fire. Carpenter had
| stated afterwards that they were North
| Star factory shoes. Witness could not
state whether they were bought or sto-
| len.
On the cross-examination it transpired
| that Hamilton and Capt. Krey had taken
| frequent burroughs, although going
| home at nights.
Examined by Aid. Gray, witness tes-