The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-04-05

"They say policemen hear deal
about the troubles of other people, but
they don't begin to have as many tales
of woe poured into their ears as do"
said Col. Trowbridge, the custodian at
the state capitol
The colonel when he is not directing
the force of janitors and looking after
things in general at the capitol build
ing, can always be found tipped back
in a chair in the main corridor near the
door to the governors Office.
In this position in the building he is
about the first one the average visitor
meets on entering, and this may ac-
count for the number of persons he
is obliged to talk with during the
course of a day. He has the air of one
who would only be too glad to listen
and be ready with the correct advice
in each case.
Somehow they all come to me with
their troubles" declared the colonel,
land, being from Minneapolis, 1 am al
ways ready to hear their story and help
them on with good advice which, after
all, is better than money in most
cases"
An elderly woman, rather poorly
dressed. had just held a long CONVERSE
ton with Col. Trowbridge who, after
escorting her to the governors Office,
returned to his chair and gave utter
more tales of trouble than a policeman.
That woman is looking for pardon
for her son who is over in the state
prison." said the colonel, land like all
mothers, she insists that her boy is en-
ttrely innocent of the crime he was
convicted Of She has been to see a
lawyer, but he wanted a fee to take up
the case. She has no money and is go
ing to see If the governor won't take up
the matter and give her son a pardon"
Legislative Hangers-On:
"These legislative hangers-on are the
ones that give me a pain, though, and
the worst of it is they forget they have
related their woes seven or eight times
1nthat many days. They start in when
the session begins, and every day until
the close they haunt the place and
make life q burden to everyone who
will talk with them.
One fellow has a claim against the
state for injuries received in an acct
dent at one of the state institutions,
and when he first started in he de-
manded $4,000 for a settlement. The
members of the committee looked up
the thing and say he has not a leg to
stand on, but he sticks to it like a leech.
The last talk he gave me was that he
had concluded to settle for $50 rather
than waste any more of his valuable
time.
"a middle-aged woman who had a
suit about an iron mine title came to
me in the hall one day and insisted
that she must have a talk with the
chief judge of the supreme court. She
felt certain that if she could lay the
case before the judge it would be set
tied, and settled right. I went UP to
the chief justice and told him the
woman wanted to see him, and he d.
rected me to show her up. AS we near
ed the door of the chief justice the
woman whispered to me that If she
could have a Wee drop Of something
before she started in she could GER
tatnly make q much better talk l told
her there was no chance to get any,
thing but water, and after she had
taken couple of glasses of ice water
she laid her case before the chief JUS
tice and then went away satisfied.
Members With Pet Bills.
The members Of the legislature with
their pet bills are the ones who keen
me- going, and If I do say it myself
there Is no one in either branch of the
legislature better posted than I am
Nearly all of the members give me the
inside history of their pet measures
and l can always tell when they have
been turned down. Instead of STOP
ping and talking about the status OF
the bill, they walk pretty quick as they
pass for a day or two, and are very
busy.
Il have had deal of trouble this
= session Withsa man from the southern
part Of the state who keeps printing
on the sidewalks in front of the build
ing warnings in chalk about how the