St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-01-12
fRANKLIN'S GRAFT.
He Had "Fifteen Dollars in
His Inside Pocket"
WORK FOR THE GRAND JURY
An Ordinance Which Did Not
Pass.
LEVY MADE ON EMPLOYEES
or Building Inspector to Save
Their Positions.
"REF0RM" GOES BRAKELY 0K
LEVY MADE ON EMPLOYEES
"REF0RM" GOES BRAYELY 0K

When great works of "refo rm' are in
progress it is not surprising that there
should be occurrences which are pc
culiarly peculiar.
1t has for some time been quietly
whispered about that such an occur.
renee has actually taken place in st.
Paul, as surprising as such an assertion
may seem.
The GLOBE has focused its eagle eye
upon the event in question until it be-
lieVes it has ascertalned the facts which
are herewith presented.
On June 21. 1892, an ordinance was
introduced Ill the board of aldermen
which was entitled "an ordinance pro-
viding for the election of an inspector
of buildings, and defining his term of
office, and repeating Ordinance No 1877,
providing for the election of building
inspector, approved Jan. Z, $780,"
The rules were suspended, and on
motion of Aid. Copeland the ordinance
was read a second time and passed by
the following vote:
Yeas = Copeland. franklin, Hardt,
Montgomery, Zimmerman, Mr.. Presi-
dent-6.
Nays-Cullen, Dorniden. Hickman-3.
The ordinance was apparently de-
signed to make Mr.. Morris, the new
building inspector, ineligible, as it pro-
vided that to hold the office man must
have had five years experience in the
office in city of over 40, 900 inhabitants.
When the ordinance reached the as
sembly on June 2S. Assemblyman john
son moved TO amend by striking out of
section 1 the words, ''or who shall have
had at least five years. experience as
inspector of buildings in a city of at
least 20, 900 iuhabitants.''
The amendment was adopted by nine
votes, but az effort to suspend the rules
and pass the ordinance failed.
Oh June so there was another meet
ing of the assembly and Assemblymau
Pike moved TO suspend the rules and
take up the ordinance, which motion
prevailed. Mr.. Pike then moved to
amend by striking out section and in
serting as follows:
"Section l. That on the second Tues
day in July, 1892. and every two years
thereafter, the council shall elect one
person as inspector of buildings who
shall be practical architect and sani-
tary engineer"
This amendment was adopted, and
the ordinance passed by vote of to 5.
If the ordinance had become oper-
ative as amended, it would have thrown
MIR. Morris out of the office he had just
taken, and compelled new election
under conditions which would have
rendered him Ineligible.
But it did not pass. 1t went back to
the board of aldermen for concurre nee
| on July 5, 1892. was referred to a com
mittee of three to consider the amend
ment and has never been heard of since.
So much for ancient history.
MODERN HISTORY.
We now approach more modern his
tory, which is decidedly interesting tor
some people, though not quite so inter-
esting for others.
While we do not assert that ex-Ald.
franklin, then member of the board.
but now the newly elected secretary of
the board OF fire commissioners, was
instrumental, or even influential,
in causing the suppression of the
ordinance which would have legislated
Mr.. Morris out of office, the GLOBE is
Informed and believes, that he used his
official position to impress upon the
newly-selected employees in the building
inspectors office the idea that he was
their Saviour.
The story is current that as reward
for the supposed services, which in
reality were not rendered, an arrange
ment' was entered into between AID.
Franklin and the employees that he
should be paid fifteen dollars per month
as his stipend for fIvors rendered, and
that ever since, when the employees
received their monthly pay, one of their
number has collected that sum pro rata
and turned 1t over to Aid. Franklin.
Under this arrangement he was
sure of once month having
''S15 in his inside pocket"
The GLOBE does not. at this time,
take space to characterize such trans
action, but as the grand jury is in ses-
sion, as it is an offense which properly
comes before such body, we suggest
that an inquiry be instituted at once.
While the employees of the building in
spector's Office may not desire to be
called as witnesses, they will undoubt-
edly tell the truth, and the grand jury
will not be obliged to look as far as the
bottom of we'll to ascertain the facts.
There should be no delay, for the
GLOBE is informed that since it fo-
cused this matter Mr.. Franklin is maxi
ing desperate efforts to secure. in writ
lug, denial of the report that he was
an enforced or sleeping partner" in
the Inspectors office.
He has just been chosen to the posi-
ton of secretary Of tia f-A '''a~d