The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-08-04
ONE POLICEMAN KICKS
JAMES O'BRIEN, THE MARGARET
STREET STATIONS JAILER

Served Three Years in the Union
Army and Claims He Is Entitled
to- Hold His Position, as No
Charge of Inc0mpetercy Has
Been Made Against Him-Sends
an Appeal to the Assembly.
Mayor Kiefer, as we'll as the members Of
the council, were notified yesterday that one
of the dozen members of the police force
removed as per the order Tuesday night
would not stand for his removal.
The patroman who protested against action
being taken to discharge him without charges
of misconduct or incompetency being made
is James O'Brien. who is now doing duty as
jailer at the Margaret street station. Yes
terday morning as soon as Mr.. O'Bren had
perused The G o b e, and saw that he was
one of the members of the force who had
been removed by the mayor, he had prepared
the following document. copies of which were
properly served one on Mayor Kiefer and
the other on the city clerk. The one left
with the city clerk will be read at the meet
ing of the assembly this evening and before
O'Brien can arrange it. The following is a
copy of the communication served on Mayor
Kiefer:
TO the Mayor and Common Council of tae
oiiicial published reports of the proceedings
of the board Of aldermen at their meeting
on Aug. 2. 1898. 1 notice Communication
from the mayor reporting my removal from
the police force of the city of St. Paul and
requesting that the council concur IA my
removal.
| desire to respectfully notify you that
was member of Company H. Tenth Minre-
sofa volunteers during the War of the Rs
bellion from the 14th day of August. 1862. IN
til the 10th day of July 1865, being during
all of said time Union soldier, ard on
which last mentioned date l was honorabiy
discharged.
provisions of section SC41 OF the General
Statues of the State OF Minre-ota, 1894,
am entitled to retain my position as police
otflcIr OF the city Of St; Paul during good
for the performance of my duties as such.
-, During the past four years l Rave II lei
station, I understand that no charge Of
misconduct or incompetency has been Brought
against me, and l. therefore, claim that the
attempt to remove ME is contrary to law
to notify your honorable body and his honor
Mayor Kiefer, of my claims in t:is re poet
concerning me. My first notice of his de-
termination to remove me, however, was as
l have already sad the publication in the
daily papers of this morning: Very Res
Mayor Kiefer, seen by GIobe reporter
last evening, said he did not care to dis
cuss the matter of removals from the po-
lice force. Being informed that the officers
sought to be removed claimed that charging
them with being removed for the good Of
the service and the welfare of the city, wa.
unfair and gave them no chance to be heard
Mayor Kefer said:
1.-The Democratic administrations in past
years have taken the same course in max
ing removals from the police force and this
might be taken as a precedent for my &C
ton. l did not act, however, in any case
until after full investigation, and a great
many of the men included in the order to
the council Tuesday night had better be
quiet"
Further than this. Mayor Kiefer would say
nothing AS to the appointments to fill
vacancies, he said if there were any to be
sent to the assembly this evening the names
would be first made public at the meeting
of that body.