The Saint Paul globe., 1900-04-28

as well as of the entire business cem-
munity in which he was known. 1t is
beyond all doubt that there never was,.
since police departments were inaugurat-'
ed, another such case of stupid blnnder-
ing incompetency as was revealed in
this case, unless it might be in ST. Paul.
A burglary was in progress. 1t was dis
covered. Two men were engaged in It.
One wasin the apartments of the citizens,
in the actual performance of the rob
berry. The other was standing guard out
side. When the crime was discovered the
man operating inside fed, followed by the
lady whose premises were being despoiled.
She saw u police officer, and ran toward
of her, and raised the cry OF "stop
thief which at present is the main reli-
ance of the grating" garg now in pow
er. He ran toward the police officer, who
is no better and no worse than his supa-
riors or his associate officers, and took
the officer off on a wild geese chase. Aft
er he had led him far enough to enable
his pal to escape, he bethought him of
his own safety, and, telling the officer to
go around one way, he went the other.
and disappeared.
All this was bad enough. The Glob
published the details of the absurd affair
the following morning. The result was
that the police department, under its
present skilIful management decit ed that
something must be done to retrieve the
disaster. An election was pending, and
it would never do if the police could not
present to the public. somsbody who
might at least be charged with the COM
mission Of the offense. Twenty four hours
after the event they found victim. 1t
was in the person of young Swanson.
They arrested him for the burglary, and
hauled him into court. There they rut
him on his trial. without having a sem
tilla of evidence to even warrant his ar
rest. OF course there was no recourse
but to discharge the young man. Is it
to be wondered at that his numerous bus
mess and social friends are IN arms, and
determined to render such an infamous
blunder impossible in the future? There
has been, and, of course, there can be no
remedy or relief offered to the young
man, the honorable victim of this gross
and incredible case of police stupidity.
He canont recover against the CT Y, and
there is little or no use trying to get
relief through the individual police oifi-
GERS who are responsible. since they are
protected, under the law, from being
made to meet their financial obligati MS
This case has passed into the history
of police administration here and else
where, as the phenomenal case of stupid
ity and incompetence, with nothing what
ever to redeem 1T from the imputation
which 1t casts upon those in charge, of
absolute unftness for the duties which
devolve upon them. Fut it hardly affords
more notorious instance of criminal po-
lice incompetency, with dash of graft
ing on the side, than IS furnished by the
famous case of Mic Kauth, arrested and
tried for the Middleton murder. There
was truly remarkable case! A man had
been murdered in his own store at mid
night by burglars, and robbed of his
watch. To the present hour the murder
is profound mystery, so far as the po-
lice have been able to do anything to un-
ravel It, Yet there is a claim pending
against the city of $3.50 for services on
the part of local detective agency rem
Nick, an innocent woman having al
ready been dragged through the courts
for the murder.
Middleton's watch had been handed to
Nick to SELL He suspected it to be Mid
deton's watch, and he took it to the
sheriff of the county, and had it ideuti-
fed. The sheriff not having time to at
tend to 1t, turned it over TO the police.
Nick .co-operated with the police in the
effort to get the murderer. Not consider
ing themselves equal to so serious a case
the city detective force called in private
detective agent, and poor Nick proceeded
to cooperate with them in the work of
landing the murderer. He brought the
possession Of the watch to a man closely
Continued on Sixth Page.