St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-05-27
SETTLEMENT COMMANDED.
BY MAYOR WRIGHT FOR THE SWIM
DLLNC or JOHN MILLS.
MILLS GETS HIS $50 BACK.

McGinn Wanted Mills to Take
$50 in Full Settlcment-Mills
Said He Would Have the $50
or NothinG-At Length Garvin
Gives Him the $50-Card of
Thanks.
For the past eighteen months the
rumor has been current that officials
connected with the police department
have been standing in" with the big
mie joints and the horde of confidence
men and card swindlers who have in
tested the city.
The rumors have been denied by the
chief executive, not in words. but by
his action. or rather his failure to act.
Hundreds of strangers visiting the city
have boon robbed at card games in
resorts we'll known to the police. not
by gambling games. but by swindling
games at which the victim stood no
chance to win. Case after case has
been reported to the police, but there
the thing ended. Infrequently the
"sucker' made so loud a roar that
something had to be doue, and when it
came to ''show down. a part of the
money would he returned and the case
hushed up. In several instances it is
said that money that was given back
by the Swindlers to be returned to the
victims dwindled one-half before it
reached the rightful owners.
On Friday morning the GLOBE pub
llshed The story of how John Mills. a
Wisconsin lumberman, had been
sWind!ed out OF Sl02.50 at q resort on
East Seventh street. Mills. on the ad-
vice of friend, made an effort to get
back his money, and with the assistance
OF couple of the members of the de-
tective department he. after signing
receipt for $3.50, was given back $50 of
the amount he was swindled out of.
For the services performed by these two
paid officers of the detective or protect
i've department. which ever it might be
called, Mills was assessed $40. He
kicked, however and finally settled for
the work by paying the officers IS.
After thinking the matter over Mills
determined to call on the mayor and see
If there was not some way known to the
law that he could recover the balance
of his coin. He had been informed at
the Office of the Chief of De-,
tectlves McGinn. that having signed the
receipt no action could be taken by the
department.. his did not satisfy Mills,
aud early Friday morning he called at
the store of Wright, Barrst; 4 Stilwell
to lay the facts before the mayor. lie
was told by Mayor Wright to call at the
mayors office in the city hail. as no
official business was done at the store.
On Friday morning at IL O'clock Mills
and friend met at the mayors office
by appointment, and Chief Garvin was
summoned. The chief exp!a ined to the
mayor that the signing of the receipt by
Mills prevented anything further being
done in the matter of recovering the
money. Mayor Wright didn't see it
that way, however, and said the amount
which Mills had been swindled out Of
would have to be returned.
Mills was then told by Chief Garvin
to call at his Office at4 o'clock the same
afternoon. Mills was promptly on hand
at the hour mentioned. but Garvin was
not there. After waiting couple of
hours Chief of Detectives McGinn came
in, and after long conversation wanted
to settle the case by giving Mills $50 in
cash. The friends of Mills, however,
had informed him what stand to take
and he declined the money rendered by
McGinn and said he would have $50 or
nothing. AS it was growing late Nc
CHM suggested the matter be postponed
until Saturday morning at 10 O'clock.
This was agreed to. and yesterday
morning Mills again visited the Office of
the chief of detectives. Again McGinn
offered the $50 as a final settlement,
and again Mills told him he would have
all his money or nothing. McGiun then
said this was the best he could do. and
Mills started out of the Office. Before
reaching the door lie was met by Chief
Garvin, who took him into the private
Office, where roll of bills were living on
the desk. Garvip also endeavored to
have Mills accept $50 in full settlement,
but the victim stood firm and said "all
or nothing" The result was that Mills
was told to count the money, Which had
been lying on the desk, and as it
amounted to just $50. he took it, signed
a receipt and walked out.
After receiving his money. Mills
called at the GLOBE office. told his ex-
perience, and left the following card to
be published:
A CARD.
The undersigned. having been de-
frauded of $1,000. by a party of the
'hungry Joes" that infest the streets of
St. Paul, owes thanks to the Hon. +. Z.
Wright, the DAILY GLOBE, and espe.
cially to Joseph Hennen, first clerk of
the Globe hotel, who in a daring and
efficient manner has protected my rights
While guest beneath his charge.
JOHN MILLS.
Buy your Plants for Decoration dav