The labor world., 1898-03-05
THE CITY COUNCIL.
Continued from first page.

1891 500 705.7O: 1888. S41910.10: showing a
saving in the department for the past
three years of slS,6l9.51. This will be
further reduced during next year on ac-
count of the reduction in the force having
been made last fall.
In the face of these facts ] am glad to
say that the general good order and
peace of our city has been maintained
that at all times we have been able TO
protect the lives and property of our citi-
zens and enforce the law. l am constant
ly complimented by strangers on the
good order of the city, while some Of our
home people are bound to make them
selves believe that a terrible state of
affairs exists in the city of Duluth. They
have made all kinds of charges of cor
ruption against the police department.
Only week ago minister in the pulpit
accused the police of receiving hush mon
ey from gamblers claiming that he had
good authority for his statement. I in
vestigated the proof that was produced
and found that couple of gamblers had
told a prominent attorney that they had
paid money to the police, but when I
called on him he refused to give the
names Of the gamblers, claiming that he
could not do so without their consent.
So far the consent has not been obtained.
It is astonishing how otherwise honor
able men will condemn a policeman Oh
such evidence. They seem to think that
the word of a gambler should be taken
in preference to that of an officer that
may have served the city faithfully for
years, who may have a respectable FAM
lily and who has always borne a good re-
putation. 1t is deplorable that men that
otherwise stand high in the commuri;;
forget themselves so far as to heap such
gross injustice on innocent men and con
denim an officer without trial on hearsa2
evidence and that evidence furnished by
gamblers. These gentlemen's code of law
against police officers differs from Tie
'cor,mtn law. Every policeman il; guilty
until he proves his innocence, while under
the common law every man is presumed
to be innocent until he is proven guilty.
The roster shows the strength Of the
force to be 40 in place of 81 a yea: ago.
as follows: One chief, one captain. one
lieutenant, two detectives, four sergearts,
two court officers, two jailors, two driv-
ers, 50 patrolmen.
A record of arrests made from the year
1889 until and including the year 1887, and
charges preferred, may be interesting at
this time because it disposes of the sta to-
ments made by some of our citizens.
have referred only to thise charges COM
planned of. The record further shows
that the morals of our people are improv-
ing:
1894. 1895. 1885, 1897.
Number of arrests -. 2310 1905 1,S4S 1,512
Charges for drunken
ness ................. sos 3SS $50 566
Arrests for gambling. 5 IL 12 IS
Keeping houses of
=: Ill fame ............... 172 173 151 16G
Officers and detectives have instructions
to drive disreputable characters out If
the city as soon as they APPEAR. This
rule has been enforced, and am con-
vinced it has prevented the committing CT
a great deal of crime in our city.
:" The mayor reports the expense of the
municipal court for the year ending 1893
as $9,93S.42 as compared with $10,z2i.E6 in
1897, decrease of $34914, while fi.4es ,.~
ceived have fallen off $623.67. The MAYOR
says that the two court officers salaries
should properly not be charged to the DO
lice department, whereas the net cam
1ngs of the court-about $4,)o0--would
stand the $1,620 expense