St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1895-08-04
ALL OVER CAPTAIN EAKINS.
COMMISSIONER GRANT FORMS A
PRIVATE AND PREMATURE
OPINION.
HIS COLLEAGUES DISLIKE 1T.
They Especially Dislike Being
InferentiaIIy Referred to
as Criminals.

very much like a split in the board
of police commissioners has devel-
oped today from a remark made by
Commissioner Grant yesterday at
the trial of Police Captain Eakins
for falling to suppress crime in his
precinct. Commissioner Grant put
several questions to Capt. Eakins,
to which he received replies that the
captain had been in the service
twenty-nine years, and had but twice
had charges preferred against him,
and that several years ago he had
saved but $4,000, and his defense in
the trial had cost him $4,000, a quar-
ter of his savings. Thereupon the
commissioner said:
81 believe I heard you say that
this trial was a crime?"
81 did," answered the captain.
81 agree with you," Commissioner
left the room.
The other commissioners, Messrs.
Parker, Roosevelt and Andrews, did
not approve of the course taken by
Commissioner Grant They made
known their position tonight in a
statement to the public, of which
the substance follows:
Eve regret deeply the necessity of
making public the circumstances at
tending the difference among us as
commissioners, but as Commissioner
Grant, one of the judges of Capt.
Eakins, now ON trial, has seen fit,
while so sitting as such judge and
during the pendency Of the hearing,
publicly to announce his opinion of
the evidence, to declare beforehand
his verdict, and inferentially to de-
fine his collea CUES as criminals. we
thing it our duty to make public
these facts. The statement and ac-
ton of Commissioner Grant occa-
stoned the greatest surprise to us.
He had never heretofore made to,
any one of us the slightest intima-
ton that he considered it criminal
to try the charges against Capt.
Eakins, and that such charges were
frivolous. On the contrary, the fol-
lowing has been his course with re-
gard to this subject matter:
HE FAVORED EAKINS.
Charges of gross negligence and
incompetency against Capt. Eakins
were made early in May. They were
considered by the whole board (Com-
missioner Grant included), and all
Commissioner Grant includeO were
decidedly of the opinion that he
should be put to trial upon them.
The official charges, having been
drawn, were referred to Commission
er Grant as chairman of the commit
tee of rules and discipline. They
bear his approval in writing: 'Ap-
proved, May %, Frederick D.
Grant, Chairman
On the day when Capt. Eakins'
application was denied, he came be-
fore the full board Commissioner
Grant included), and was told of the
denial of his application, and that
he would be tried upon the charges
pending. Commissioner Grant then
told him, in the presence of all of
us, that he hoped he might prove
AAiiiih0SAi ~ OC ilOI : ollly, Out llldI II
was better for himself that he might
be tried, and that if not guilty he
might clear his honor. AS the hear
ing of the charges progressed the
approving attitude of Commissioner
Grant, far from being moderated,
was, so far as his utterances ito us
indicated, rather emphasized. To
Mr.. Parker he stated that during the
early days of the hearing Capt. Eak-
ins had besought his consideration on
the ground that he Commissioner
Grant, was a Republican, Method
ist and a soldier; and to Mr.. Roose-
welt that others, friends of Capt.
Eakins, had made to him the same
Proposition on the same ground, that
he was Methodist and a soldier.