St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-11-22
POLICE FORCE IN ARMS
Coppers Will Begin Sui
Against the City for
Back Salary,
WHICH is A YEAR OVERDUE
The Watchdog Of the Treas
ury" Responsible for the
Disgrace
BY NEGLECTING HIS DUTY.
Hon. John H. Ives Retained
by the Police to Fight
the Case.

the Case.
| The entire police force of st. Paul
| captains, lieutenan.s, sergeants and
| patrolmen-wil Immediately begin acA
ton against the city to recover 81 ,439,
back salary due for November, 1893,
and for which the service has been per-
formed.
Hon. John II. Ives has been retained
by the police force to prosecute tile suit,
and is now actively at work on the pa
| pers in the case, which will be filed as
soon as completed. which will be some
| time this week or next.
The outside country is presented with
the spectacle Of city protected by an
unpaid police department whose MEN,
bers, when they demanded what was
due them for work done, were laughed
at, ana Informed that there was not
enough money in the fund with which
to lIquidate the lawfll obligations.
Comptroller J.J. McCardy, who glories
In the misused title of watchdog of the
treasury" is the man who is responsible
tor this deplorable state of affairs. which
must OF necessity result to the disad-
vantage of the city's reputation abroad.
This action at law seems 10 be neces-
sary If these officers ever obtain their
money. They have demanded it per-
sonally and finally through their attor-
ney. Mr.. Ives, but Comptroller McCardy
mas steadfastly maintained his remark
able position, which is due only to his
own neglect in selling a sufficient num-
Der OF certificates 10 maintain the police
fund. The present condition of affairs,
1t should be well understood, is a reI1
of the
Wright Administration.
and is traCeabe to the chain of won-
derful events which happened during
the miserable two years the Republic
ans were in power i'll this city. The
salary for which the policemen now
bring suit is for part of November, 1898.
That month the comptroller allowed
them but two-thirds salary. That was
all he would pay. and he said at the
time that there were no funds OIL hand
with which to pay the balance, and he
didn't know when there would be. His
reply was entirely unsatisfactory, and
it appeared from his manner at the time
that it was so intended. He gave the
officers the option Of waiting for from
one TO twenty years for the rest or their
salary. They have now waited year
lacking few days, and. as their salary
seems no nearer 10 them now than it
was then, their thoughts naturally turn
TO the usual form of remedy in such
cases made and provided. Recently
they have held several meetings and
discussed the matter in every cOnceiv-
able form, but were unable to tind any
other remedy. for the comptroller re-
fused to do anything further in the
matter. Nothing was left therefore buR
recourse to the law.
This suit does not include Chief
Clark, Chief O'COnnoT or any OF the
men appointed under the present ad-
minlstration, the latter having nothing
to do with the matter and being in no
wise responsible tor it. 1t is the result
of the queer methods in vogue under
the Wright administration, and is Re-
publican relic pure and simple. Whether
Chief Garvin will take any part in the
suit remains to be seen. He has left the
city, but has been advised of the action
to be brought and requested TO state
whether he will become party. Chief
McGinn vas another affected by Me.
CardY's strange methods, and word haS
also been sent to him.
The Amounts Due
The amounts due the officers during
November and the amounts they re-
ceived are given below:
Chief Garvin, whose salary was 1921
per month. received but S204.l6.
Capt. SehweitZer, Capt. Lowell, Capt
Boerner and Capt. Rouleau should have
received SIG .666. but only received
sSl.66.
Lieutenants Murphy. Babe, Pendy,
Pottgieser, Cook and Getchel should
have received 500, but they only re-
ceived SO.
Lieut.. Budy, Of the mounted police,
should have received S121.G6. but he only
received SS5.16.
Mounted Sergeant Cline should have
received S104.99, but the watchdog Of
the treasury only allowed him SIS 49,
The sergeants who should have re-
ceived SSS.S3 received but 1888.
The patroimen who should have re-
ceived SO were only paid $3.50.
There will be an assignment made Of
all these claims to one person. whom
the officers will select, in order to save
the city any unnecessary expense.
Those assignments are now being ex-
ecuted, and will be ready for delivery as
soon as the papers are ready for filing
in the district court,
The lawSuit-which is disgrace 20
the city-iS neceSsitated by deficiency
occurring under the Wright admlnistra.
tion. The comptroller, it should be re-
membered, sells certificates to fill up
the police and other funds. There was
a deficiency on those certificates, and
Comptroller McCardy never took steps
to make 1t good, relying on his own
statement that he knew his business.
He was seen frequently aud the money
but he replied that he could
not pay the officers, and did no. know
when matters would so shaUe them-
selves that he could see his way clear IN
the matter. A general sentiment grew
up amongst the officers that they were
being treated unfairly. and after Sev>
eral meetings they determined TO put
the matter in the hands of Hon. John
Ii. Ives, COMMITTEES calling on him two
weeks ago and retaining him To fight
the suit. The complaint will state sep
arate cause of action in each ease or
ervice peri ormed, and aliege III each
ause Of action an aSi:sl snt OF the
lalm.