St. Paul daily globe., 1894-07-15
A FALSE STORY.
Mayor Hopkins Denies His Al
legged Interview With Gen.

Mayor Hopkins Denies His Al
legged Interview With Gen.
Miles.
CHICAGO, July IA. -"The story Is
false from beginning to end. l shall
ask Gen. Miles at once to do me the JUS
tice of denying it," said Mayor Hopkins
today. referring to a report from Cn-
cinnati to the effect that Gen. Miles, be-
fore the state militia was called out,
called Oh Mayor Hopkins and asked if
he intended doing his duty and would
call out the state militia. According to
this report, the mayor answered that he
should not pix up in the matter. where
upon Gen. Miles pulled out his watch
and said he would give Mayor Hopkins
Just thirty minutes In which to issue
instructions to his police and to call out
Hopkins) refused to obey he would de-
clare the city under martial law and ar
rest the mayor for conspiracy.
II have had but one interview with
Gen. Miles," continued the mayor,
land that was Saturday evening about
o'clock, thirty-siX hours after l had
called for troops and when most Of
them were in the field. Prior to that
time had had positively no cOmmunj-
cation in any way with any federal Of
ficial. Gen. Miles called ON me at the
request of Marvin Hughitt, President
Blackstone. of the Alton, and General
Manager Esan. These gentlemen had
been to see me early i'll the afternoon to
ask if there could not be a unity of
action between the federal and state
troops. asked Mr.. Egau whether the
federal troops would come to the aid of
the police and militia il riot occurred
a block away from railroad tracks. Mr..
Egan could not answer and the gentle
man went to Gen. Miles to find out.
Later Gen. Miles called me to his
office, and talked with him i'll
the presence of Controller Ackerman,
Corporation Counsel Rubens, Col.
Donovan and Aid. McGlllen. The gen
eral told me his instructions were to
guard federal buildings in Chicago, TO
protect the United States mail and to
See that roads engaged in the interstate
commerce business were not lnterfered
with, but that his troops would aid the
militia upon the request OF the mayor
or any of his officers, civil or military.
Never at any time prior to that time or
since have l had personal talk with Gen.
Miles.
81 believe Gen. Miles is fair man. l
shall ask him at once in justice to me
deny the story. believe he will do So"
Mayor Hopkins sent letter to Gen.
Miles, calling attention to the story and
asking the general to write letter
saying that the report was unfounded.
Mayor Hopkins received the follow
ing letter i'll answer to his to Gen. Miles:
Dear Sir: l have the honor to reply to
your letter of this morning incloSing
extract from today's Inter Ocean. In
attending to my official duties l have
not had time to read what has appeared
in the public press, and have declined
to be interviewed think more than 100
times during the last ten days. but as
this comes to me i'll your letter l have
read it. 1t appears to be sensational,
and l think it unnecessary to state in
detail what parts are true anG what are
not. 81 did not call upon the president
by long-diStance telephone" Il did
not say that l should declare martial
law or should place you under arrest,
or that l had been Instructed by the
president to take any such action"
The substance of my remarks was to
apprise you of the fact that the federal
forces under my command were here to-
protect government property; to assist.
the United States marshal and the
United States district attorney in the
execution of their duties, and in OPEN
ing mail routes and lines of interstate
commerce, and, if required, to suppress
an insurrection; that | assumed aud
knew that the authorities in Washing-
tone xpected that the municipal andstate
governments would, to the extent of
their power, preserve the public peace
and order in this city and state. l
stated should they be overpo Wered i'll so
doing that l would render them all the
assistance, and that as Tar as l was con-
cerned, and the forces under my COM
mand, we desired to work III harmony
with the city and state authorities in
the enforcement of the laws and the
restoration of peace.
have the honor 10 remain very re-
specially yours, NELSON A. MILES, E:
Major General II. s A,