The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-03-06
PLENTY OF FRAUD
GRAND JURY IN ITS REPORT SAYS
THAT THERE is OFFICIAL
CORRUPTION.
BO0DLERS IN THE CITY HALL
BUT NO SPECIFIC CHARGES ARE
MADE AGAINST INDI-
VIDUALS.
AND NONE ARE EXONERATED.
Intimation That All Aldermen Must
Have Known of the Crooked ~
State of Affairs.
BO0DLERS IN THE CITY HALL
AND NONE ARE ExONERATED.


more. The jury reported and kept busy
until past the noon hour in celebrating
upon Voluminous report, which was
finally submitted to Judge Belden, after
which the jury was discharged. The
relOrt opens up with the regulation
formula regarding the poor farm, jails,
etc, and concludes with some terse
matter regarding the municipality,
which is, in effect, an excuse for not
having indicted certain people against
whom indictments were expected by
some of the witnesses who had testified
The report says nothing about the
police department, which shows that
nothing was looked into in that quar-
ter, and then, after quoting a portion
of Judge Ponds charge which ordered
the grand jury either to exonerate or
indict, the report goes on to show that
the jury did neither. After complain
ing Of the inability to compel witnesses
to testify, the grand jury in it's report
says:
From consideration Of the mass Of testimony
presented, the conclusion is inevitable that
behind and beneath the rumors and suspicious
circumstances there exists good grounds for
belief in the existence of gross wrong-doings
in the management of our municipal affairs.
To particulariZe:
1t is the conviction of this grand jury that
there exists a ring or combine" So
called among the city hall officials, composed
of men who have sought election, not for the
purpose or administering the important affairs
Of the city upon high plane of honest in
tegrity, NOR for their health, but for what
there is In it" i. e., what money they can
corruptly abstract from the treasury of
suffering and tax-burdened people.
That there has been some agent for the
ring authorized to treat with all corners
having business with the city and through
whom corrupt bargains could be authorita-
lively made.
That not one yard of asphalt pavement has
been laid in any of the downtown avenues
and streets but that from the money paid
for same, by the city and abutting property
owners, not less than Is cents per square yard
has been diverted and paid to the members
of the ring
That funds were raised before the last
election by parties having or expecting to
have paving contracts with the city, and ex-
pended to insure the election Of persons in
tereSted in the ring, the consideration being
that all downtown cedar pavement should be
condemned as unfit for repair and asphalt
ordered in its place this year. save possibly
a small amount of brick paving as a show of
fairness.
That the method of building the new res
ervoir, under the supervision of one alderman
from each ward, was determined against
the protest Of capable engineers and the
advice of contractors only when it was dis
covered that no direct levy of Doodle could
be enforced, and that the next best contribu-
ton was that of paying off the obligations
of each alderman to his supporters at the
primaries and the polls, by a comprehensive
system of dividing among them the labor to
be performed.
That the effect of such parceling out so
many bosses and so many men to each ward
has been to furnish the city little more than
half days work for each day paid for, the
direct and only result being the greatly en-
HANGED cost to the city for this once piece of
public work.
That this same wasteful use of public mon
eyS is in the expense of running the
East side pumping station, whereby three
crews are engaged each day, where two would
require only fair labor as in our great -four
mills. The employment Of an aldermans
son at $65 per month while attending school
illustrates the character and necessity of some
Of the labor paid for
That the purchase of supplies for the sew
eral departments is regulated and controlled
| by the aldermen. to their personal advantage,
and no voice is raised in protest when the
monthly bills are audited and passed in open
council.
That the acceptance of favors from the
hands of probable contractors or licensees,
such as junketing trips in well supplied cars
to distant cities and parts Of the country,
is of noticeable and not infrequent occur
renee. That this expense is not borne by
the probable contractor without an expected
pro quo goes without saying.
That positions in the subordinate places
of public employment are to a great extent
only to be obtained by the direct payment
of money or by political support of the Of
fcials who have the power to fill the places.
That the officials whom the citizens of
our city have by their suffrages constituted
their agents for the careful and honest man
agement of the business of the common
wealth have been so busy with their own
personal deeds that they have not had time
to guard with intelligent and fidelity the
enormous sums of money poured into the
city treasury from the heavy tax levies, lily
| shared
negligence of the commoneSt safeguards cul-
inmates in the loss to the city Of sum ap-
! proXimating half million.
The foregoing are among the conclusions
reached by this grand jury and the ar
| raignment is not stronger than warranted
! by the thoroughly established facts ELECTED
! from competent witnesses upon their oathS.
The grand jury system, under the laws
! of this state, the charge of the court and
! the oath of its members compels absolute
secrecy in all matters where private char
| acter or business veracity of any private
! citizen is called in question, but this wise
! restriction does not apply to persons who
are occupying positions of trust and have
! been unfaithful to that trust. man be-
| comes a pubic servant and his record pub
| lie property the day he is selected and in
structed to manage the business of the peo-
! pie.
The citizen has as great contempt for an Of
! fetal who allows his associates to misappro-
pirate funds entrusted to their care. as if
! the official actually -embezZles it himself.
the budget of the previous months expendi-
lures, loaded with Doodle and wanton waste
of money, cannot shield himself behind his
past record or, claim ignorance Of wrong
doing. The people know difference be-
tween the official who, from lack of care
and watchfulness, leaves opportunities I'M
| guarded month after month, and the sordid
| thief, who each month appropriates things
left in his way. Each has shown himself
unworthy of a public trust.
The good that shall result to the people
of this city from the investigation of the
| honesty and dishonesty of the management
of its affairs cannot be measured by find
iLg some man honest and some man dis
| honest, but from the verdict of the people
which is always Just, that the city govern
ment either is efficient and honest or it is
! not.
There is no conviction so crushing as that
of an indignant community which detects
dishonesty in trusted officials. and there is
! no satisfaction to the public servant SC
real and abiding as is found in the plaudits
| of a generous, loving and appreciative peo-
pie, We'll done, thou good and faithful
servant