St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1896-02-14
THIEL HAS REFORMED.
Notorious fremont House Has Been
Closed at Last.

Henry Thiel, who was convicted Of
keeping a disorderly house Tuesday
and fined 500 by Judge Willis, has
closed the place which he formerly
maintained at the fremont house, cor
ner of Eighth and Robert streets, and
will, in the future, devote himself to a
new place of business, which he yester-
day opened on East Seventh street
Mr. Thiel, when seen by a G o b re-
porter last evening, expressed himself
as perfectly satisfied with the dispo-
sition of his case and stated that he
purposed calling upon Judge Willis and
County Attorney Butler today to
thank them for the manner in which he
was treated during the trial Il have
no fault to find with any one con-
nected with the case said Mr.. Thiel,
to the grand jury. / think their in
formation was false and malicious, but
after the Indictment and the subse-
quent conviction by the jury, there
was nothing left for Judge Willis to
do, but impose a penalty. He roasted
me pretty hard, but he only did his
duty in the face of the verdict of the
jury. County Attorney Butler also did
his, and smiling, II might add, did
it well. ] bear not the slightest ill will
against either of these gentlemen, and
think they both did me good turn. 1
have closed up the objectionable place,
and it will stay closed, for in the future
1 shall engage in no business which
will even seemingly infringe upon the
law. I have started a new business on
East Seventh street and shall endeayor
to make a living for myself and family
as I always have done since coming to
st. Paul in 1871
Brought UP for sentence yesterday,
Thiel gave a sigh of relief when Judge
Willis let him off with fine of $100
and a hot oral roast He had bill of
sufficient size to cancel the debt, paid
it to the clerk, and went his way re-
joicing that he had escaped a term in
the work house. His good fortune was
due to the recommendation of the jury
that the court exercise clemency in it's
punishment of him.
ThiePs attorney, John Ives, explained
to the court that already the verdict
had such an effect on the morals of
his client that he had given notice to
all the women who had been frequent
ing his place of business that they
must find quarters elsewhere, and such
an awful blow had this proven to these
poor creatures that one of them, Mary
Griffin, Immediately attempted suicide
by taking a dose of carbolic acid.
The court did not seem to be much
moved by this appeal, but proceeded to
score Thiel in the strongest language
a his command He said:
Were it not that the jury have recommended
clemency in this case, l should be inclined to
give you the severest penalty known to the
law. Not only have you violated the law Di-
vine and humane, but you have led others
int temptation, trouble, grief destruction,
attempted suicide.
The whole fabric of our civilization is built
upon respect for the marriage tie, for orderly,
virtuous conduct, and you are unpatriotic, I'M
civilized and devilish enough to attempt to
tear it down, to demoralize, debauch and de-
prave women.
If you persist in this it will be the duty of
the prosecuting officer to call the attention OF
the grand jury again and again to your trans
actions, until finally you are placed in the
penitentary. The liquor traffic may be con-
Quoted decently and honorably. You are one
of those who lead the public mind to the i'm
preston that the liquor traffic is necessarily a
base and dreadful affair, which ought to be
suppressed and entirely destroyed. You are
bringing disgrace on business which may be
and is by our statute rendered legitimate.
hope that you will reform.