The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-08-30
EXIT HOTEL RUNNER
CRAFT WILL SOON BE A THING OF
THE PAST IN ST.
PAUL
THEY WILL DIE FIGHTING
Through an Attorney They Claim
That the Charter Insures Per
manency Of Their
Vocation.

The days of the much advertised no.
tel runner are numbered in -St.-Paul. Six
months from now the last of his race will
have passed into history, and travellers
Will be free from him and his kind.
THIS was the determination reached by
the committee on streets of the board of
aldermen at a lengthy meeting held yes
terday afternoon, the sentiment prevail
ing finding voice in a request to the cor
poration attorney to amend the present
ordinance so that this ancient vocation
will be hemmed in with restrictions
and its future made a matter of uncer-
tainty by providing that no more licenses
be issued after those now out have eX-
pired. Six months, it bas been figured,
will have to elapse before the last of
the licenses issued expires.
AS leaders in the movement to blot out
the vocation of the runner by the repeal
of the ordinance lega,iZing his existence,
members Of the Commercial club and in
dividual merchants were present in force
and through their representative, E. S.
Durment, furnished the committee with
evidence and data TO show that the traffic
was a blot on the commercial ana fair
name of the city. That The business was
cloak for practices bordering on actual
robbery, he said. may were well aware,
and this he knew would be substantial
cd if the police We're requested to give
testimony. He pleaded for the abolition
OF the runner and If this was not practi-
cable, 1.-The enforcement of the laws to the
extent that would make his existence pre-
carious
AS evidence of some OF the practices
INDUCED in by the runners, he instanced
the case of Peter Murphy, under arrest
for assaulting a Traveller leaving the gates
of the union depot
In behalf of the runners, a, large num-
Der of whom were present, Attorney
E. E. Mcdonald spoke VolGbly, advanc-
ing the argument that under the charter
the business could not be prohibited
though it might be restricted. From this
he said there was no getting away, and
for that reason 1t behooved the city to
surround the traffic with restrictions that
would allow speedy access to the courts
in case of violations. He coptended that
soliciting existed in all lines of business.
He said that the runners desired to
abide by the law, and in the case of
Murphy were eager to furnish the nee
eSsary evidence to convict him for viola
ton of the ordinance.
AS an offset to a numeTously signed Pc
tition furnished by the Commercial club,
asking for the suppression of the runner,
Mr.. Mcdonald presented the committee
win SlIiObliS- pCllllOIl dShiIIS THAT the Or
dinance legalizing the business be allow
ed TO remain on TIE statute books 1t
was largely signed, those giving their
names being small hotel men and mer-
chants, confined principally to what is
known as ''old town"
At the conclusion Of the respective ar
guments, Aid. Dobner made a motion in
structin8 the corporation attorney to
amend the ordinance SO as to restrict
licensed runners to hotels, restaurants
and railroad tickefs, and to arrange 1t sc
that no more licenses could be issued aft
er these now in force had expired In
explanation, he said there were a number
of reputable runners, VINO had paid thei1
money in good faith, and it was only just
that their licenses should remain undis-
turbed until the limit of the prescribed
time. Full concurrence was given by the
remainder of the alSermen.
The corporation attorney was also in.
structed to prepare resolution for pres
entatlon to the next board meeting pro-
viding for the annulment of the license
granted to Peter Murphy
The course decided upon by the commit
tee will come up for consideration at the
next board meeting, and it is understood
will receive full approval fro bott
bodies of the council.