The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-04-12

CALL BOYLE SERMON
A CAMPAIGN TRICK
Chief of Police Claims Depart.
ment Has improved Upon
Former Administrations,

The allegations and political infer
ences of the sermon upon municipal
vice delivered Sunday at the House
of Hope Presbyterian church, by Rev
W. Fl. w. Boyle, aroused some local
discussion yesterday, especially among
members of the police department and
others who recalled the conditions that
existed under former administrations
The belief was expressed that the
accuracy of the information given to
Mr.. Boyle was much to be doubted;
that the statements upon which Mr.
Boyle relied had been made by an
agent of the Republican campaign
committee, and that statements far
more alarming might justly have been
made during the last Republican ad-
ministratiOn.
Chief O'Connor Talks.
Chief Of Police O'Connor, when
seen, suggested that it would not be a
bad idea for DR.. Boyle to preach an
other sermon and dwell upon the con-
d1tlon of local affairs from 1892 to
1894, when Col. Wright was mayor.
Said the chief:
If there are such places in existence, as
charged by DR.. Boyle, it might have done
more good if he had notified me of the
tact. A sermon of the kind he delivered
Is merely a good advertisement for the
gamblers, if they are doing business
IGQP2apIy number Of sportive citizens,
not before aware of the exact locations of
the games. may now find it easy to locate
them.
It would seem that a comparison of the
could be said of the Wright administra-
ton would be appropriate. A fair com
paris0n would clear the atmosphere. If
DR.. Boyle would like to tell lust what
the Republican candidate fDq,
SlGerS the proper way to run a city, he
can easily be furnished the facts The
data is a matter of record.
AS to the existence of the alleged gam
ping houses referred to, L will say that
II such is the case, they are running
without my COnnivance or consent. So far
as L know, not a complaint has been re-
ceived at headquarters that such was the
case. The entire agitation is so mixed
In with politics that it is difficult to find
where politics end and facts begin.
Merely a Campaign Trick.
TO the best of my knowledge and
belief" said Capt. John Clark, of the
police department, George w. Wells,
in the employ of the Republican cam
paign committee, furnished the alleged
facts upon which DR.. Boyle based his
charges. 1t is natural that the people
should look to the source of the in
formation that is given them If Wells
is in the employ of the Republicans
and gave the data upon which the
charges were made, it is reasonable to
suppose that the entire affair is merely
a campaign trick.
THE record of George w. Wells,
who was a detective on the police
force while the Republicans were in
power, speaks for itself. He was dis
charged from the force. It is not to be
supposed that the then Republican
mayor would have let Wells out if the
charges made against him had not
been true
For some time previous to Wrights
election as mayor in 1892, was chief
of police of. the city, and naturally 1
took an interest in the management Of
police affairs after my successor was
appointed. If DR.. Boyle had lived here
then, l do not believe that he would
have preached that Sermon for he
would have known then that regular
robbers denS were conducted right
under the noses Of the police. Policy
and the small poker games-both
'Snide' games and not worth the pow
der it takes to locate them-f1Ourished
to greater extent than they do, pos
Sibly, at this time; and, in addition,
there were big mitt joints Why, 1
know of any number of men who were
openly robbed in these joints and were
advised to get out of the city. And
yet this minister, ignorant of what oc-
CURED during previous administra-
tions, complains so loudly of games
that have existed continually since I've
been in st. Paul."
Mayor Heard No Complaints.
Personally, 1 do not care to mix in
this affair." said Mayor Smith. 1.-The
police department is under commits
sion, and [ have no power to make
changes. But it does seem peculiar to
me-if what DR.. Boyle says is true
that I have not been informed. 1t is a
we'll known fact that whenever any
thing goes wrong the offended person
goes to the mayor. In not one instance
in the last four years has a complaint
been made at this office concerning
gambling. 1t would seem that some
one must have told me if the business
has been carried on openly, as de-
scribed. OF course, we all know that
people will lock themselves in rooms
and gamble; but the police can hardly
be expected to look through every
keyhole to learn what's going on"