St. Paul daily globe., 1893-03-17
TAKE A BACK TRACK.
The Old Case Of the Margaret
Street Officers Taken Up
Again.
Today the Evidence Will Be
Reviewed With All Hands
Present.
Singular Mental Troubles OF
a Victim Of Morphine
Habit.
Gustaf GuStafson Drops Dea d
in an Eating House
Door.


discharge OF Capt. Hanft, Sergeant
Dowlan and Patrolman ConrOy. Up to
the session of the committee last even
the mayor had refused to make any
charges or give any reasons for his ac-
ton in discharging the officers. Evil
IDENTIFY seeing that his position i'll the
matter was not the correct one, he.
handed over to the chairman, NJ
Doran. the evidence taken before him
when the men were called in and dis
charged.
1t was after s o'clock when the COM
mittee was called r0 order, and MIR.
Doran announced the mayor had fur
nished him with the evidence on which
he had based his action in dischargng
the officers, and, unless objection was
made, he would have it read. j. w.
Pinch, one of the attorneys for the men,
objected to the reading, and said the
men were entitled to a fair and i'm
partial investigation, and this could not
be had unless they were given the oppor-
tunity to confront the persons who
had testified against them. Mr.. Doran
was of the opinion that the attorney
took a very peculiar course. AT pre-
vious meetings the claim had been adj
vanced that there was nothing to inyeS-
tigate. He had secured from the mayor
the evidence on which the discharge
was based. and now the attorneys ob-
iected to the same being read. Mr..
O'Brien said this was not true. There
was no objection to the evidence being
read, but the objection was to trying
the men on hearSay testimony. 1t was
an easy matter he said to have
the witnesses appear before the
committee and give the men a
chance to hear the evidence against
them instead of taking the ideas of
the mayors clerk as evidence. After
some discussion the members decided
to hear the evidence read. The testl-
mOny as read was found to consist of a
series OF interrogatiOns by the mayor
and Aids. Zimmerman, Hickman, As
semblyman ReardOn and Mr.. Allen as
to the manner in which the officers teS-
tilted before meeting of the license
committee. According to the statements
of these gentlemen the officers had
been reluctant witnesses III the pro-
80
license for the saloon known as COOper's
place on East Seventh street. The tes-
timOny closed with the following para
graph, which was headed, Findings OF
the Mayor"
sit has been, as you know, my desire
to stand by the officers of the police
force aside from their political beliefs.
| only demanded that they be loyal in
the matter whenever the administration
is dependent upon them for the carry
ing out of its policy. When the evil
dence given to a committee, as in this
case, is of a character to shield place
like Cooper's, you can not be in SYM
patty with the administration. You can
not be loyal to the administration and
shield place like the one in question.
Under the circumstances you can not
expect to remain on the force. L regret
it exceedingly, but the good of the serv-
ice demands your removal, and you may
resign"
As soon as the reading was finished
Mr.. O'Brien made short but pointed
talk. The facts were, ne said, that the
place known as Cooper's had existed for
months under the present administra-
ton. 1t had been visited by the mayor
and the chief of police again and again.
No order had been issued to any of the
officers under these two officials regard
| ing the place. 1t was remarked by both
officials that the place for one of this
kind was conducted in very orderly
manner. The saloon and dance hall
had, they would show, been kept open
after midnight by the express permis-
! sion of the chief of police. When ap-
! plication was made by Cooper for re-
newal of his license a discussion was
! had about the proper officers to go be-
| fore the committee and testify. 1t was
| finally decided to have the sergeant and
the detailed detective go before the
cOmmitte because, under the rule of the
! department, patrOlInen are not allowed
in saloons. When the officers arrived
at the meeting or the license board they
found no one there but the members of
the committee. After all the witnesses
for the city had been heard Mr.. Cooper
was called on. and he asked the officers
to tell what kind of place he conducted.
COoper's idea, MIR. OBrIen said, was
that to keep a dance house was not a
| violation OF the law, and for that matter,
he continued, there is not saloon In
the city which could not be legally
closed for violation of the laws. There
had been no orders to the officers tC
stamp out such places as Cooper's, anC
they had been ordered to come before
the committee and testify agains
the place. When they were
called by Cooper they did mo-
know what to do. There was nont
of their superior officers presen
but the men did not suppress single
fact regarding the place. Because twt
or three members of the license boart
imagined the men were there for thI
purpose of helping Cooper out was NJ
reason they should be discharged
tanning the position taken rathe
late in the affair should the men be dis
charged. Because they were no glib o
tongue and neither fawned nor cringeC
il seemed to some OF the committet
they were reluctant witnesses. In con
clusion. Mr.. O'BrieD said they were
ready to proceed, and he would ask tha
Capt. Hanft be called ana sworn.
The remarks had put very diiferen
light on the case, and Mr.. DOran though
perhaps it would be better to have TIN
mayor and Chief Garvin present if evi
denee were to be taken. He didn't know
whether the mayor or the chief woult
come before the committee. Mr.. O'Briel
inquired if Chief Garvin, who had bee
imported here six months ago, was an.
better than Capt. Hanft, who had live
in the city thirty years. Mr.. Pike sug
gested. if evidence were to be taken,Op
portunity should be given the pei
SONS mentioned in the paper hand
ed in by the mayor 10 be pres
ent. MIR. Doran said the mayo
would take no further action in the mai
ter. To this Mr.. O'Brien replied tha
the mayor was the same as any othe
citizen; he had been elected to the offic
after brilliant campaign. but when
came to discharging police officers, h
had to have the concurrence of the CON
mon council. If the mayor desired t
overruie some action of the council he
was required to give his reasons in th
veto. lie thought the same rule shoul
apply in this case. Because the mayo
had acted hastily and unjustly was ID
reason the council should do the same
1t was decided to meet this afternoon a
O'Clock and continue the investigatio
b. o. p. c. Fl.
Bay your Spring Hat at The Bost'X
on Third street.