The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-06-09
BID BLOOD BREAKING OUT.
REPUBLICAN POLITICIAN MAY SUE
a PARTY ORGAN FOR
LIBEL
KIRKE REsENTs AN ATTACK
Hinted That He VIII show the
Evening Sheet That 1t Is Not
Immune From Libel
Suits.


The loss Of the city to the Republicans
at the recent election did nothing to
allay the friction and establish peace
between discordant and dissruntled ele-
ments in the party in st. Paul. A GER
tain afternoon paper that poses as die
tater to the party is accredited with
having an inexhaustible supply Of infor-
nation under lock and key that renders
1t proof against prosecution for libel.
and is said to be taking advantage of
it's position.
few days since the paper in question
made a violent personal attack ON ex-
Assemplyman Kirke, making statements
and charges against him as an assembly
man that were considered libeIeus nv
many people, if not true
Mr.. hirke sought the advice of a clever
young man In the corporation attorneys
office, and asked him If there was libel
| IN the published statements Mr.. Kirke
also wanted to know if the attorney
would take the case on agreement that
they should share and share alike on the
amount to be recovered. The young at
torney, in speaking of the incident yes
terday, said
/ told Mr.. Kirke that the statements
| were clearly nbelous; that it would be an
easy matter to recover on them; that he
had an excellent case providing the state
ments were not true. and that | would
be willing to take the case on shares
as he proposed. Since that time | have
heard nothing from Mr. Kirke, and do
not know what he has decided to do
Incident to the discussion and in con-
nection with the statement that Mr.
kirke had not entered suit CT taken
steps toward instigating an action for
libel, Assistant Corporation Attorney
Grfggs was discussing the matter with
a group of newspaper reporters in his
office last evening. AS a fragment CT
gossip that has been floating about since
the fight in the council over the Manhat-
ton, Edison and gas franchises, Mr.
GriggS was asked
Did you ever hear that a certain after
noon paper, working in connection with
the local street railway company, with
detectives, had secured evidence of a
compromising nature against several Re-
publican assemblymen in connection with
the Manhattan legislation that was at
tempted?"
Yes, 1 heard such a story"
DO you think there Is any truth in it,
or that there was an opportunity to get
any such information?'
1.-THE effort might have been made, but
whether not it was successful could
not tell The Manhattan matter had
a good effect. for the city. on the gas
company. In that sense it was a benefit
to the city. It curtaiIed the monopoly
here in that line"
'Have you heard that the company.
by the use of it's information, compelled
the Republican members. of the assembly
to repeal the Broadway loop ordinahce?'
mo, 1 knew that the railway company
wanted the repeal. but had not heard
that 1t used any kind OF a club to secure
1t. There was a public demand for the
repeal"
tfYou say the gas monopoly was cur
tailed. Do you think the gas company
was the victim or the intended victim of
the Manhattan Advocates"
IT don't know. 1 think the Manhattan
matter was badly managed"
AS there was no Manhattan legisla-
ton passed do you think it reasonable
to suppose that the Manhattan people
paid money or any other consideration
for something they didn't get?'
Aside from the reasonableness of the
proposition, I have heard of such a thing
as restitution or the demand for restitu-
ton of q consideration Such work would
have been that Of a tyro. but even that
is. possible"
Mr.. Griggs did not say whether or not
the rumor of the possession of evidence
of an discriminating kind in the possession
of an afternoon paper had affected any
particular assemblyman or former assem-
blyman.
Mayor Smith will appoint the police
commission Monday. 1t is expected John
]. O'Connor will step into the office of
chief Of police Tuesday morning. AS far
as it has been indicated by the present
officials, no forcible resistance will be
made to the entree of the new chief and
his aides. but Messrs. Getchel and Nc
Intire will make formal protests against
the intrusion of the new chief. and may
even go so far as to show up around
police headquarters daily.
AS the fall campaign draws nearer the
candidates for the Republican nomina-
ton for sheriff of this county grow more
numerous. There are no less than five
men up to date who think they are en-
titled to hold the office. They are Phil
Justus, former Chief of Police Goss,
County Commissioner Paul Quehl, Regis
ter of Deeds Ed #. Krahmer, Charles
Horst, Col. E. H. Milham and County
Commissioner Harry Hardick. 1t is not
expected. however, that the fight between
L
bitter, as they are brothers-in-iaw.
Mike Fitzgerald also has an anxious
eye upon the nomination for sheriff, and
will make a hard fight to get it when
the time comes Mr.. Fitzgerald Is chief
clerk in Clerk of Court Rogers Office. and
lives in the Second ward.
It looks very much at the present time
as if Harry Sundberg, chief clerk in the
probate court, will have to walk the
plank. 1t is understood that Judge Ba-
lille has been in consultation with some
of the prominent First ward politicians
about the matter, and is waiting for
them to recommend some one from that
ward to fill the place
Baked by the Republican members Of
the assembly in his effort to improve the
police force by placing competent men in