The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-05-30
THE ST. LOUIS DETECTIVE FIAsCo.

AS the trial of Arthur Stahl, the st. Louis
making a case against the municipal adj
ministration. seems likely to drift into per-
sonalities, 1t may be well to remind all
concerned of the pcopriety Of sticking close
to the issues. 1t is well, also. for the pub
lie to remember that there are two investi-
bunals. and while they are in a certain
sense related. they are essentially distinct.
The Council committee is charged with the
duty of investigating alleged irregularities
in street sprinkling and sweeping contracts,
while the Police Court is investigating a
charge of conspiracy against Stahl and
certain citizens Of Indianapolis to bride a
public officer. The first inquiry was COM
paratively simple, and might have been
finished by this time had It not been COM
plicated by the proceeding which has led to
the trial in the Police Court. From what
ever point of view 1t is regarded, that pro-
ceeding was greatly to be regretted. 1t
not only did not throw any light on the
main question. but it has complicated 1t
with side issues and placed some good citi-
zens In a very embarrassing p~redicament.
1t has also brought into temporary disre-
pute a movement that originated in the
best of motives and had the approval and
support Of a large number of good citizens.
The gentlemen who organized the Citizens
League to investigate municipal affairs.
and. as they put 1t, ito place before voters
such as will assist them in
choosing honest and capable officials for
the city of Indianapolis" were acting en-
tirely within their rights and the bounds
of good citizenship. Their motives at the
beginning were commendable, and If they
had confined their inquiries to the field of
existing facts they would nave been en-
titled to a continuance of public support
in what seemed to be a praiseworthy at
tempt to assist in the publication Of poll
tics. But the egregious blunder of import
ing a st. Louis detective to make a case
where none existed. and equipping him
with bogus kilograms and commissions to
enable him to entrap a public official
against whom apparently the active men,
OeTS OF tne league QeSEdlfcu Ol ScttlDS any
evidence except by such means. caused a
decided change in the relations between
the Citizens League and the public. While
ii has not shaken public confidence In the
motives of the original movers, the charter
members of the league. 1t has shown that
some of them are very unwise and capable
of resorting to ~despicable means to accom-
plish what they have thought to be good
ends. A great many of the original men,
bers of the league and signers of the paper
which they circulated at the inception of
the movement disapprove of the st. Louis
detective business in toto. This proceed
ing seems to have been conceived. organ-
lied. engineered and executed by a few
members of the league, and probably with
out the knowledge of most OF them. but the
league has to share In the responsibility
and odium Of ii. A city contemporary,
some of whose employees were parties TO
the proceeding. refers TO Stahl as "a St.
Louis detective employed at the instance Of
Mr.. Folk. the st. Louis prosecutor. to come
to Indianapolis and gather evidence of
corruption in city government" This is
very disingenuous In implying that the idea
of employing a ST. Louis detective orig
mated with Prosecutor Folk. 1t originated
here, and Mr.. Folk never heard of the
scheme until 1t was preached to him by
persons who went to ST. Louis for that ex-
press purpose. The amateurs who under
took In a feeble and laundering way to
initiate Mr.. Folks detective methods
should nave remembered that he was op-
Grating under a commission and an Official
oath. and within legal lines. while they
had no such backing. Meanwhile. 1t would be
unjust to lay the responsibility for the pro-
ceeding on the entire membership OF the
citizens' League. . large majority OF whom