The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-12-15
TWO ALDERMEN INDICTED,
So 1t Is Claimed, as the Result of
Investigation Into BoOdIfng


1t is rumored at the city hall that
the good citizenship league. which
have gone into the field with the
aVowed intention of removing the cor
rupt elements from the municipal gov
ernments, was particularly active IN
bringing about the official investiga-
ton which has resulted in the charges
made and likely to be made against
City Clerk Charles F. Haney. But this
is not all; it is even claimed, by those
who profess to know, that the sus-
picious actions of certain aldermen,
who have received prominent mention
in times past because of their alleged
association with the combine element,
have been subjected to the deepest in
vestigation on the part Of the league
and that the sensational charges which
Will be made against the aldermen in
question within short time, will be
the direct outcome of the good citizens
work. AS to the nature of the charges
to be made, it is claimed that the most
important ones will have to do with
the manner in which certain paving
and water pipe contracts were award
ed.
1t would seem that there are enough
detective agencies and professional
shadowers in this city to attend to all
business which may come up in their
own peculiar line. But evidently no
men could be found who, in the minds
Of the parties interested would be able
to successfully fathom the motives of
an alderman, or several aldermen, for
that matter.
And with this understanding 1t is
asserted that the good citizenship
league, with the advice Of Joel Bassett
and others who have been prominently
identified with the leagues work, sent
to Chicago a few weeks ago and en-,
gagged the services of men. supposed
to be among the most skillful In their
profession, who were brought to Min
neapolis and placed on the trail of Ger
tain members of the city councii,
whose ways, like those of Chicago al
dermen, are said to be somewhat pecu-
liar Indeed, being birds of the same
feather, it was said that the detectives
having had experience with the alder
men of the Windy City would not hesi-
| tate as to their manner Of procedure
in Minneapolis.
And, it is further said, the league
made no mistake as to the men en-
! gagged in the peculiar task of ascer-
tanning the particular shortcomings of
| the alleged aldermanic boodlers in this
| city. They went to work Immediately
on their arrival in the city and gave
ample proof of tireleSs energy and I'M
| renting search for the evidence de.
sired. So skillfully is their work, al
legged to have been performed that be-
| IOlO t1iC1l ISCC1lI OSpdLluIG luz NIl-
cago, it is claimed, they placed in the
hands of the investigating committee
| evidence so positive and convicting In
| its nature that the good cts had no
| hesitancy in placing the result of their
Investigations before the grand jury
and caused that body to make the
| same the object of their deepest and
most serious elaboration. 1t is stated
| that the jury adjourned for one week
| with the intention of taking UP the
charges made against certain members
! of the council and that indictments
against at least two Of them may rea-
| Sonably be expected.
An interesting thing in connection
with the employment OF the Chicago
| detectives is the expense account. The
! cost of the outside investigation is said
to have been $1,000, and large as the
amount is, it is claimed that, with the
| aid of wealthy and influential citizens
anxious in seeing the investigation
| carried on. the entire amount has been
raised and paid over to the detectives
| before their departure
| When the result of the detectives
| work was first made known, a prom
| inent member of the league proposed
| that a mass meeting of citizens be
called and informed regarding the al
legged true state CT affairs in the city
| hall. The cooler heads fr0Wned upon
the proposition, however ON the
grounds that it would be construed as
an attempt to brighten the grand jury
into acting.
In the event of indictments being re-
turned against two Of the aldermen
the good "cits" have no hesitency in
saying that wholesale charges, impli-
eating several members of the council,
are likely to be made.
A man who claims to know whereof
he speaks said yesterday that Mr..
| Haney had become aware of the pres
| ence and object of the outside detec-
tives in the city and that his suspicious
that an investigation was really on
foot were aroused in this way This
is assigned as the principal reason for
his noticeably hasty, abrupt departure
| from the city. The popular city clerk $