The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-08-16
ulGEF.IE G0sS SAYS TIE SHELLEY
STREET. RESORT WILL QUIT
BUSINESS.
RENT HAS BEEN roo GREAT,
SD THE PLACE WILL BE CLOSED
DURING q WEEK
OR so.
ATTENTION
.,,,-0u DORAN'S ATT
l. Called to the R.ttenncss OF Pub
lie Affairs ana an lnVestiG"-
ton - Probable.

The exposure in the Globe yes
}e~5ay of the systematic sWindllng
o,,arations on the part of the gang con-
ducring a resort on Sibley street was
a matter Of general comment, though
fine existence Of the place has been
matter of public knowledge for some
weeks. Individual members OF the
poIice department have grown tlfeu
saving they didn't know why 1t was
allowed. The clio b c, too, has peeh
I'm possession Of facts concerning the
tran since the confidence men hfSl
.,,aned for business, but refrained
from publishing them with view to
ascertaining how far the bunco game
would be carried before the depart
nent took official notice of II. mat
there is no limit to the holiness Of the
thieves who are allowed to prey upon
visitors TO the city is at least estao-
Hshed by the conditions found to exist
between the 'grafters' and the poIice.
In all quarters the expose was fecoS-
nized as the only denOuement when
could follow what has been going on,
and many people are hoping that
Mayor Doran may come to a reallz-
ins sense Of how he is being "jObbed."
For the public impression is that the
luavor himself has not been aware Of
the condition Of things. Naturally
enough when he is called before the
mayor for an explanation Chief GOss
Will doubtless plead ignorance Of what
has been going on. He will likely
spring the old chestnut of politics"
or else say no complaints have been
made by anyone who has been victim
lied With strangers being robbed
every day in the week by these conf
derce men. and the city running over
with criminals of every class, it would
not be without the bounds Of possibil-
lty if Mayor Doran should at last con-
clude that there's something rotten
In Denmark"
The public thinks the work Of the
ronEdence men and lock gratters is
being done under police protection. 1t
IS commonly reported that w. H.
Griffin, the proprietor Of the saloon at
b East Seventh street, whose diCta-
torshio Of police and public matters
has become 50 strong that he is now
known as Mayor Griffin, is protecting
the pitfau. Mayor Griffin is said to
etreet gang. Mayor Griffins right
bower is alleged to be a man seen
frequently in consultation with Chief
GOSs, and afterwards with the Sibley
street push. But for the fact, that
GOss pretends to know nothing about
It, it it might be supposed this man
was keeping the chief posted on what
IS going on.
1t is for the public to guess whether
or not the alleged protection given the
confidence men is without a considera-
ton. People will only need one guess.
The game is systematized, and so, it is
said, is the division of the spOiIs. All
or the money tieeced from strangers is
divided into three parts, and only one
of these portions is retained by the
con men who do the actual swind-
ling Where the other tWO-thirds Of
the stolen money goes is also for the
pubic to guess, as the G o b isn't
making any charges. A member Of the
police force yesterday had the temerity
e. express himself as follows:
"SWindling and grating going on.
th! Well, I should say it was, and has
been for months. It's a case of graft
RIl down the line. It's an open secret,
and every one knows the condition of
affairs as told in the G lobe to be
the TRUTH
This is the statement of a man with
experience in police matters. and who
had no fear of expressing himself.
Chief GOss, seen yesterday and asked
II the Sibley street resort would be
closed, said: The place has to all pur-
poses been closed for several days. |
knew absolutely nothing about the
place until a day or two ago, and since
then 1t has been under surveillance.
ana nothing by which q case could be
made out against the operators in
court has hpp0 6icopyrara6
formation came to me in the nature of
an anonymous communication, and not
from any one who claims to have been
Victimized at the place I have not
received a single complaint of this
kind. The reason l did not order the
resort closed at once was because T de-
sired if possible to secure evidence
against those conducting it. AS soon
as this can be done the place Will be
closed. I am told, however. that the
men running the place are going ont
OF business, anyway, on account of the,
nigh rent Of the store. If this is the
case, there Will be no occasion for no
lice action"
The statement Of the chief to the ef-
feet that he has received no cOmnIain+e
OF persons being f1eeced by the CON,
men is readily understood. To prevent
victims complaining to the police Is
part Of the system of the sWfndIars
and the moment man who has beer
fleeced leaves the "store" he is fol-
lowed by one of the swindlers. Who
never allows the victim to leave his
sight until he goes out Of the cftv
In case the person who has lost his
money Is strong in his determination to
seek the police OVertures are noade
and portion or all his money refund.
ed, rather than that the alleged agree
ment about complaints going to head
quarters being violated In the face
Of 50 thorough a system naturally
enough the authorities can take refuge
behind the plea Of ignorance of the ex-
listing facts.