St. Paul daily globe., 1893-06-23
LIKE A BOMBSHELL.
Comment and Discussion Over
the Grand Jury Report
Unrestricted.
Business and Municipal Cir
cles Torn Up in Face Of
the Revelations.
Surprise Expressed That the
Grand Jury Did Not Pre-
pare Indictments.
The Crews Of Cornell and
Pennsylvania Hard at
Work at the Lake.

The report submitted oy Ine srdliu
jury OH Wednesday relative to the his
tory and condition Of the fire depart
ment created a great deal of talk in
business and municipal circles yester-
day, and was the principal topic OF con-
versation in all public places.
Aid. Miner, of the Eighth ward, is un-
disguised in his pleasure at the action
taken by the grand jury. He said that
no honest body of men, as the grand jury
is, could do otherwise than they had
done, if they were furnished with 1.-THE
of the rotton facts which are in the
whole case. ''lt is high time" said Mr.
Miner, "that the people became aroused:
The case was simply astounding in all
its particulars, and the only difficulty
aboIt it has been that people can
scarcely believe that the horrible things
exist among them" Mr.. Miner having
spoken of the manner IN which the facts
came to be investigated, said that his
committee had given them the most
patient and conscientious lnvestlgatlon,
working in season and out OF sea-
son, and proceeding at all times
in fairness, and at all times with the
hope that some of the charges would
prove to be exaggerated, and, for the
fair name of the city, be not sustained.
lit is simply horrible" said Mr.. Miner
that people must know that they are
Systematically robbed, as they have
been and will be, by the fire department
which they pay their money to sustain:
The peoples property takes flre, ana
the tiremen come there disguised In
rubber coats turned up around their
necks, and by their huge helmets, and
IN the smoke and confusion, carry OF
the property which they for that pur-
pose save from the flames. They even
have large pockets made in the inside
of their coats to carry Off articles ln."
Mr.. Miner detailed many other facts
which he had discovered, and which he
hopes will all come out and be made
clear to the people. as they Will be II
the council takes the proper action.
Aid. Brazie said: "If the grand jury
secured evidence enough to Justify
themselves i'll making report TO the
public of such nature as the one pub
lished, they were dereict in their duty
aud to their oaths as, members OF the
grand jury thet they did not indict the
parties named in the report. If evi-
dence, such as they claim to have re-
ceived, had been rendered to me as
member Of the city council, | should
have insisted upon the impeachment
and dismissal of the guilty parties from
the posts they held on the fire depart
ment."
Many of the aldermen read the report
with surprise, and some of them re-
sented what appeared to them to be an
assumed air of the ''hoier than thou"
order. A majority of them were seen
and expressed their opinions freely.
while others declined to talk. claiming
that they had not fully read or digested
the contents of the startling report.
Those who were seen gave the follow
ing expressions of approval or criticism:
Aid. Snyder-I think the report is en-
tirely within the powers of the grand
Jury. While it is neither an Indictment
nor preSentment, it is undoubtedly
privileged. At the same time the ref1ec-
tion on the city council is unjust. There
is as honest an opinion existing in that
body to clear up the fire department as
ever existed in the grand Jury. But
there are some serious difficulties in the
way. If the grand jury finds that it
cannot, with all the power of the state
back of it, produce witnesses enough to
indict many who it tacity admits
ought to be indicted. how is the
city council going to produce its
witnesses to remove such officials
as can be removed only for cause, when
there is no provision in the charter of
the city by which the attendance of
| reluctant witnesses may be compelled?
| The executive committee of the fire de-
partment shall remove all fremen
against whom there is sufficient evil
| dence of conduct unbecoming member
| of the department. And spite of the
| weakness of the powers given to the
| council to try its own members and
those in public office appointed by it,
| charges should be preferred before that
| body against the chief, and public
| trial speedily be had.
| Mayor Eustis said yesterday that the
recommendation of the jury that the
mayor direct the police officers to arrest
| all thieves at fires, whether firemen or
| not, was unnecessary.
"Our police officers know of no dis
tinction between thieves, and will ar
rest firemen as quickly as another kind
of a thief" he said.
~ am surprised there should be any
firemen who are even under the SnS
picion of stealing. Every man in the
department should be above suspicion
at least of such heInous crime as this
which in my mind is second only to
murder. ANY one having that reputa-
ton, whether false or true, his efficiency
| Il
destroyed Every man is responsible
for his general reputation, and if it has
gone so far that he should be looked up
on as a thief he should resign or be dis
missed.
"rhe grand jury is composed of our
best citizens. The members are select
ed for their integrity, and in them is
reposed the highest interests of the
community. When they make such a
report as this it should be needed. Our
city is entitled to an efficient and hon
est department., and this in my mind
can best be secured by having head
who is alone responsible. There is too
much politics and too little business in
the department"
Aid Lackey, who was member of
the investigating committee, is much
pleased over the report. ITS a
sumner" he said; II never thought
that the jury would make such an eX-
haustive report as it did. Why, it is
even stronger than the one our commit
tee presented, and yet some said ours
was greatly exaggerated. If the conn-
Gil does not make some radical changes
in the department in light of this re-
port, something should be done with
the council"
THE COLLEGE GRE WS.