St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-07-26
TOOK ALL In SIGHT.
MINNEAPOLIS FIREMEN GRAB MOST
ANYTHING.
CIGARS, LIQUORS. WATCHES
And Other Valuable Articles
Among the Things They Cab
baged While Supposed to Be
Putting Out Fires-General
News OF the Flour Oity,

baged While Supposed to Be
Putting Out Fires-General
News OF the Flour City.
BY way of premise, the proceedings
in the Runge impeachment case before
the council last night were characterized
by considerable hiIarity and persitlage.
While waiting for quorum the alder
men and attorneys cracked jokes, and
! the scene presented was more like
social party or festival. 49,
| In the absence of President Kiichli,
the chair was held down by Vice Pres
| ldent Snyder.
Several witnesses were examined
| bearing Oh the tnieVing prOpeusItieS of
! the department, among whom was AS
sistant Secretary of the Fire Depart
| ment Carleton, who. it is said, knows
whole lot if he has a mind to tell. A
| wild sensation was created when Aid.
Gray asked if an effort had been made
to secure Capt. Cation as a
witness, when it transpred that
| he had been granted a furOugh for
| twenty days by Chief Runge. The latter
explained that he did not desire to grant
| the furlough. but that Cation had pressed
| it OH account of sickness. Aid. Gray
| Tough of Capt. Cation, which was adopted.
L. b. Wilson was the first witness.
| He is an eX-memOer of the department,
| and testified as to the manner in which
members of the department laid off
without permission. A fireman named
Ryan had asked permission for leave of
absence, anu when refused he went of
his own account. The testimony of
witness was mainly cOrrObOratIve, and
was intended TO show favoritism.
Mrs. j. NJ. Grabill was tue next wit
ness. She was formerly the proprietor
| of lodging house al Fourth and NicOl-
| let. Her testimony was cOrrobOrative
of the witness Mrs. Johnson. who was
on the stand last week. and who teSti-
fed to the loss of a watch. Witness
testified to the firemen having obtained
entrance to the apartment of Mrs.
johnson by way of the scuttle in thu
! roof. During the fire she heard some
one at the door of Mrs. JohnSon'S room
and she unlocked the door, letting out
hrtmen. They were the only ones in
the room, and Chief PRINCE was in the
hall.
Cross-eXamined by Mr.. Davis, wit
ness testified that Chief Runge could
not see the men when they came out of
the room. Mrs. johnson reported the
| loss of her watch to the chief while he
| stood in the nall.
The latter said: boys. if you have
| the lady's watch, give it back to her."
Witness had afterwards met Chief
| Runge on the street, and talked with
| him about the fire.
j. +. Grant was then sworn. Witness
conducted saloon at III Washington
avenue north at one time when it took
fire soma time ago. The fire &C
| Cured at 2 a. H., and when he
| visited the saloon he found
Officer Ward and a fireman there. The
next morning he discovered that some
of his goods had been taken. A lot of
| cigars and case liquors were gone.
About 500 cigars and two OF three cases
OF wniSkies and brandies were missing.
Witness kicked at the loss of his
goods. The place had been on fire be-
fore, in September, 49, At that time
| witness and his family resided over the
| saloon. The fire caught i'll the next
building. The fire spread to their
sleeping apartments, and, after the fire
men came, witness went up stairs TO get
his reVulVerS and found them both gone.
AT this time he found two tiremen in
his bedroom. They had the bureau
drawer out and were searching its con-
tents. Witness threw them TO one side,
and afterwards found that some rings,
chains and silk handkerchiefS had been
taken from the bureau. There was no
fire III the room.
BY Mr.. Davis:
"Do you know the names of the two
firemen?'
Witness-One of them is named
Hutchins, and / have known him for
twenty years.
Witness had not sworn out warrant
because he aid not care 10 make any
enemies.
Mr.. Davis-Did you charge the miss
ing cigars and liquor to the tiremen?
Witnes-l did not charge it to any
body; they had no credit.
A general titIer followed the last
Sallie, and the witness then testified
that he was not even acquainted with
Runge.
The first mentioned fire was in $50,
and the last one two years ago last
June"
By Aid. Adams Did the firemen
often patroniZe your saloon for nip?
WitneSs-They came in sometimes for
a good cigar or something.
At this juncture the supply of wit
nesses run out. and a recess was taken.
Sergeant John Leonard, of the police
department, then testified to being at
fire in the West Motel drug store, when
| Runge had toll him to watch the fire
men, as they might steal all there was
| there.
BY Mr.. Davis-Chief Runge asked me
to look out for them, as there was lot
| of little stuff there.
w. A. Carleton. private stenographer
| in the office of Chief Runge and as
sistant secretary of the department., was
! then called to the stand, and his pres
| ence created a visible sensation.
| Witness had recently been assistant
| secretary for year. lie had attended
the fire at Reywood's box factory.
There was a billiard supply in the
| basement. During the fire Chief Runge
came to witness and handed him sew
| eral billiard balls. This was near the
| Observation-Disclosures company's
| office. He directed witness to put the
| balls in his cutter.
The case in front of the store. con-
tanning billiard balls and other sporting
| goods. was broken. and the floor was
covered with goods. StetsOn was chief
at the time and Runge was the first as
SiStant chief.
Cross-examined by Davis-HOw many
! bans were handed you by Runge?
| Witness-There were not less than
three, and may have been four.
| DaViS-NOt enough for tifteen-ball
| pool?
| Witness-NO, sir: first thought they
were apples, they were so slippery.
| BY Aid. Gray-Did he say anything
| about them being playthingS?
| Witness-He said they were nice for
the children.
Adjournment was taken until 7:3O
| this evening, when it is expected the
| case for the prosecution will close.
SOUGHT PROTECTION.