The Duluth rip-saw., 1917-10-27
TALES OF THE TOWN

Somewhere around July 1, 1892,
aldermen "Bob" Kennedy, James
Dingwan and Morris Thomas were
handed each an envelope, with
respective name thereon, by city
clerk Frank Burke, Jr., who re-
marked: .
EDO not open this until you get
home"
When alderman Thomas got
home, he found 5000 in bills of
different denominations. He at
once reported the matter to mayor
d'Autremont d and he, in turn,
talked over the matter with city
attorney Smith and district judge
O. P. Stearns.: -- .. -.
In due course, aldermen Ding
wall and Kennedy approached the
mayor and told how they, each,
had received 5000 in currency.
Alderman Alex Wilson heard of
matters and went to the mayor,
declaring that he had received no
envelope and no cash but that he
wished to so set his course that
neither suspicion nor odium would
attach to his name. Mayor
d'Autremont d assured him that he
would be protected.
There is at least one witness
alive today who can swear that
alderman Martin Sorenson flashed
a roll at about that time and that
he practically told where and how
he got the money, some Of which
he used to pay pressing bills.
All the remaining aldermen de-
MED having received any en-
velopes or cash. The common
council of the city Of Duluth at
that time embraced the following,
viz:
T. w. Hugo, president, N. F.
Hugo, A. G. Weiss, Charles A.
Long, Alexander Wilson, James
Dingwall, Robert Kennedy, Mar
tin Sorenson, Morris Thomas and
A. M. Cox.
The news of the distribution Of
alleged Doodle came out in the
daily papers of July q, 1892.
There certainly was some ex-
citement in the old town when the
Doodle story was published. Al
dermanic stock seriously slumped.
The one main thought running
through the public mind was:
"Were there only three enve-
Hopes? If, not, what became OF
the others?"
Perhaps, for the first time,> the
public now knows there was at
least a fourth. If there were
more, probably only the Day OF
Judgment will reveal the fact.
Mayor d'Autremont differed
from most of aldermen politi-
cally and there were lines also
drawn as to religious creed and
affiliation. He proposed to get
to the bottom of matters if pos
sible. He appointed Seward D.
Allen to investigate the scandal.
Mr.. Allen declined, replying that
he did not think the city charter
| bestowed enough power to en-
able him to get satisfactory re-
suits. He advised the mayor to
put the entire matter before the
grand jury, which was to meet in
a few days. This was done.
Alderman Long, one Of the
foxiest workers that ever ran in
ward politics, introduced reso-
luton in the common council, re-
questing the mayor to place all
known facts before the grand
jury. The motion unanimously
carried.
| The grand jury met Septem-
ber 6, 1892. The late W.. B.
Silvey was foreman. With all the
energy and punch of which he
was capable, Judge Stearns
called the attention Of the grand
jurors to the so-called city Doodle
cases. He pointed out a number
of possible and plausible direc-
tions from which the money
might have come.
One source was the daily papers
of Duluth. The Judge pointed
out that, in 1891, the city print
ing cost about $4,000 or $4,000
but that, for 1892, it promised to
cost $4,000. He showed that all
bids were the full legal rate and
limited that there might have been
collusion.
The Duluth Gas & Water Com
pany was suggested as another
| ,oocc,h1o y>ovoo%ro%or of hn,l o,,,,