The Duluth rip-saw. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1917-19??, 1919-07-26
DISMISSAL OF LITTLE AND TWAD-
DIE BY THE FIRE COM
MISSIONERS.

MISsIoNERS.
In December, 1892, Charles d'Autre-
mont, Jr., was democratic mayor Of
Duluth and Dan Horgan was chief Of
police. A majority of the twelve al.
dermen were republicans and those
were days in which national politics
was strongly injected into municipal
affairs.
In those days, too, the affairs Of
Duluth g fire department were admin
istered by three commissioners, ap-
pointed by the mayor and confirmed
by the common council. A. T. Nc.
Gregor was chairman of the board at
that time and James Hart, Jr., and
T. H. Helinski were the other mem
bers of the body. Tom Smith was
chief of the fire department and
Thomas 81. Little, commonly called
"Ham,' was first assistant chief. with
his station at No. 2 fire hall, at the
West End.
Incidentally, too, the A. P. A. was
strong in Duluth at that time. There
was constant war between majority OF
the aldermen on one hand and Mayor
d'Autremont and Fire Commissioners
Hart and Helinski on the other.
There was a considerable member
| ship in the A. P. A. in the fire de-
partment. Opposing elements also
were strong in the police department.
It came to pass that, in December,
/ 1892, one Arthur Twaddle, a member
of the fire department at old No. 2
| fire hall, became embroiled with Po-
liceman Lynott and Wade, couple
of Hibernian members of the force.
As a result of that, Twaddle was sus-
pended from service for thirty days.
Twaddle did not take kindly to his
discipline and, soon after his suspen.
sion, he penned charges against James
Hart, Jr., and Chief Horgan, alleging
conspiracy, basing his charges on
hearsay evidence to the effect that
Mr.. Hart had told West End citizen
that Twaddle belonged to the A. p.
A., therefore must be rooted out of
the fire department. The complain
ant charged that Chief Horgan was in
the conspiracy because he commanded
Policeman Lynott to prefer charges
against Twaddle for assault on the
officer with club.
A formal investigation Of Twaddle
and his charges was held Saturday,
Dec. 81, 1892. William Lynott, who
had lost his star because Of the mixup
with Twaddle, was the first witness.
He claimed that he drank beer with
Twaddle in Gus Peterson's place on
the evening of Nov. Is, and that
Twaddle was drunk. An hour later,
Lynott alleged, Twaddle was seen
| quarreling with Patrolman John Wade.
According to Lynott, Twaddle was
warned to cease his abusive and Oh.
scene language or be locked up. He
kept on and was arrested, being taken
to the West End lookup, also in fire
hall No. 2. While Wade was unlock
ing the door, Twaddle knocked him
down and escaped, SO Lynott alleged.
The next morning, the trouble was
smoothed over in Alderman Bob Ken
nedy's saloon in tho West End. All
agreed to carry the fuss no further.
It probably would have ended for good
and all had Twaddle not been sus-
pended from service for thirty days.
J. D. Holmes conducted the case
for Twaddle, and Lynott was consid-
erably mixed up on the witness stand.
John Wade, Lynott's fellow patrol
man, would not swear that either
Twaddle or Lynott were drunk. He
would not even swear that Twaddle
hit Lynott.
"were you sober'" queried Mr..
Holmes.
"I do not think I had more than
twenty drinks in me-" was the reply.
"Did you have twenty drinks in
yous" next asked Holmes.
"I hope not" replied the evasive
Wade.
D. G. Leonard, Waterman at fire
hall No. 2, testified that he saw
Twaddle come in at about 1880 a. M;
that he was thoroughly sober and that
he never had seen him otherwise.
Alderman Bob Kennedy took the
stand and told how he had fixed up
the fuss between Twaddle and the
policemen. He had advised Twaddle
to plead guilty to the police cour,
charge so as to enable the matter to
be adjusted. Kennedy opposed Twad
die g suspension and offered to put uI
bonds in the sum of $4,000 for hif
future good behavior.
Assistant Fire Chief Little was i'll
with pneumonia at the time, having
contracted the affliction in a recent
fire. He managed to depose and say
in written and sworn document, that
Lynott was quite drunk on the night
of the fuss; that he drank with hin
in one place and that, in another
saloon, Lynott had secured pint Of
whisky. The deponent further de
clared that Twaddle was not off duty
and that he was habitually sobel
man.
Twaddle took the stand in his owl
behalf. He said that two glasses Of
beer covered the extent Of his iba
tions that night and that Policeman
Wade rudely and insultingly accostei
him. Both Wade and Lynott were 9,
drunk, after they arrested Twaddle, 81
he alleged, that he easily escaped
when they attempted to open the eel